I recently built some DIY garden beds and realized I need to smooth out the wood to make it safer for my kids and myself. I have a bunch of Dewalt batteries, so I want to buy an electric, cordless sander. Should I go for an orbital, a belt sander, or something else? Also, it would be great if the sander has more uses too. Any recommendations?
3 Answers
Random orbit sander for sure! The cordless belt sanders are pretty rare, and if they exist, I’m not aware of them. For sandpaper, grab a variety pack, but I'd focus on 60 or 80 grit for quick splinter removal. You can always smooth it out afterwards with 120/140 grit, and for a super silky finish, a third round at 220 grit might be nice if you're feeling ambitious!
You can use a belt sander if you need to remove a lot of material from pressure-treated wood, but I'm leaning towards a random orbital for general use. Just make sure the wood isn’t too wet; that can make sanding much harder. I primarily use corded sanders, though, so I can't help much with cordless options!
I’d definitely suggest going with a random orbital sander. It's super versatile for smoothing surfaces and getting rid of sharp edges without leaving pesky swirl marks. A regular orbital sander is slower, and a belt sander is more for heavy-duty jobs. You'll likely end up gouging your wood if you use a belt sander here!
What grit sandpaper do you recommend for pressure-treated wood? I'm surprised how simple that sounded!
Thanks for the tip!