On some drum sanders you may only need to slot the belt onto the drum because there is no tensioner. So here’s the most important thing to know about how to use a belt/drum sander: DON’T PUT THE DRUM DOWN WHEN THE SANDER IS STATIONARY, NOR LIFT IT UP WHEN IT IS STATIONARY. Doing so will create a little drum mark in the floor where the sandpaper has been in contact with the floor and not moving, even if its just for a fraction of a second. There you have all you need to know in order to do a sterling job! Seriously though, to break that down a little further, when you are ready to start sanding, you push the sander to get it moving and then lower the drum onto the floor.
Because you will be walking backward over the same path that you sanded going forward, you will end up in the very same spot where you began. Now you need to move the machine over four inches, so that the next pass you make overlaps the first pass by at least half the width of the sanding drum. Once your drum is in its new position, repeat the technique you used for the first pass, gently lowering the drum as you walk forward, lifting and lowering at the wall where you change direction, and sanding backward right over the path you used to go forward.
If you plan to rent a wood floor sander machine, rent from a flooring specialty shop instead of a general equipment rental store. To help you use the right techniques for both floor sanders, we recommend reviewing this excellent video on the use of these wood floor sanding machines. Choose a wood floor sanding machine that uses a lever to raise and lower the sanding drum.
how to use a belt floor sander Related Question:
Is a belt sander good for floors?
A belt sander for finishing a wood floor should be a hand-held one so you can move the tool around on the surface of the floor. Belt sanders will do a good job of leveling out the floor and preparing it for a finer sand.
How long does it take to sand a floor with a belt sander?
It can take 1-5 days for a professional and 2-15 days for a DIY enthusiast, depending on the size and condition of the floor. For planning purposes, it would take 1-day per room for a professional and 2 days per room for a homeowner doing DIY.