Orbital sanders are excellent tools for sanding wood floors. They are typically used for fine sanding or refinishing of existing floors rather than the initial sanding of a newly installed floor. They are used to remove existing finishes and to sand between coats during refinishing. For the first-time user, orbital sanders are much easier to use with far less potential for damaging the floor than a drum sander. In general, orbital sanders remove less material than a drum sander and are easier to control. Although small handheld orbital sanders can be used for refinishing small or tightly constrained spaces, a large sander can be rented from tool rental stores for any room-sized projects.

On the Other: Use Belt Sanders on New Construction

Orbital sanders remove material at a much slower rate than belt or drum sanders. If your floor has individual boards that are more than 1/8 inch higher than surrounding boards, has gouges more than 1/8 inch in depth or has waves of higher or lower boards, consider a belt sander. Belt sanders remove material much more quickly and are commonly used for first-time sanding of new floors. However, you must take great caution when using them, as it is very easy to damage or gouge your floor. Finishing a newly constructed wood floor will almost certainly require the use of a belt sander to even out the wood and remove construction marks.

Bottom Line

Orbital sanders are an excellent choice for refinishing existing floors where there is minimal damage, warping and ridges between boards. However, for new floors or where there is more than 1/8 inch of material to be removed, a belt sander is a better choice.

Source:

Product Brochure, Clarke Orbital Sander

Product Brochure, Clarke Belt Sander

Lowe's Guide to Floor Refinishing