Last Updated on August 28, 2022 by Barry Gray
If you work with wood, you probably have a belt sander. You might be using it for one purpose. Did you know that there are multiple uses for a belt sander in your home? There’s so much you can get out of this efficient device that makes it well worth your money.
Read on to learn more about five of the things you can do with a belt sander. Several options are available, whether you want to smooth or prepare wood for working. The more you know about this device, the better you can make the most out of your belt sander investment.
1. Refinish Furniture
One of the purposes of a belt sander is to sand down large surface areas of wood or metal. If you have pieces of indoor or outdoor furniture that look like they need a transformed look, you can utilize the belt sander to refinish the exterior of each piece. The belt sander can make old look entirely brand-new.
Some pieces of furniture you can refinish with a belt sander include:
- Wooden chairs: This piece can include both indoor and outdoor chairs, whether pool chairs or table chairs.
- Metal tables: Metal tables can develop irregular surfaces from rust and constant use.
- Wooden side tables: Wooden side tables might need a sander to smooth their surface, whether indoor or outdoor.
It doesn’t take much effort with a belt sander to make everything look beautiful again.
Ensure you research the product beforehand to ensure you don’t destroy the original material it is made from in the first place. Most woods and metals can take the intensity of the belt sander. However, if you have paint or another stain on top of the material, it may come off in the process.
2. Level Surfaces
One of the most common uses for a belt sander is to level-off uneven surfaces. If you have a material that has a rough texture or isn’t level all the way across, a belt sander can work to smooth out the piece so you can work with it on whatever project you need it for in your life.
Some of the materials a belt sander can level include:
- Metal
- Plastic
- Wood
- Ceramic
These work well with a belt sander.
If you have any uneven surfaces, don’t despair! The belt sander can provide a simple solution to this issue. If you’re making something out of one of these materials, you should have one on hand at all times. It’s a versatile tool that works well for any craftsman.
3. Round and Shape
A belt sander can also come in handy if you need to round or shape wooden pieces. It helps to do this step before you put them together to create a finished product. A belt sander can turn a flat piece of wood into a soft, rounded edge with some effort.
Some ways you can use rounded or shaped wood include:
- On table corners
- On the headrest of a bed
- On the arm of a chair
These details can make all the difference on a piece of furniture, whether you made it yourself or purchased it in a store.
So, not only is a belt sander excellent for smoothing out surfaces, but it’s also excellent for adding smoothed, decorative details. It’s an effective piece that should be in your tool chest if you don’t have it already.
4. Prepare Wood for Work
Another thing you can do with a belt sander is preparing wood for work. Whether you’re hand-crafting a piece of furniture or prepping a part for your wall, you want your wood to be even all over. If it’s not, it can result in a sloppy finish that will take away from the overall beauty of your home.
Some types of wood that work well with belt sander prep include:
- Pine
- Cherry
- Walnut
- Maple
These will work well with a belt sander and leave you with a quality finished product.
Once you’ve finished the wood, you can trace your pieces and carve out components to build. Whether you want to make a table or a chest of drawers, you’ll have beautiful pieces of wood that will give your furniture a cohesive look. Preparing your wood for work is simple, with a belt sander in your hand.
5. Correct Flaws
The final thing we’ll talk about with the belt sander is its ability to correct issues and flaws in the material used. Whether this involves an imperfection that prevents something from working correctly or a flaw that ruins the look of a piece, a belt sander can both correct and get rid of these issues in no time at all.
Some examples of imperfections in materials that a belt sander can fix include:
- Doors that constantly get stuck
- Awkwardly-textured surfaces
- Divots and scratches in metal and wood
These will be gone with just a little bit of belt sander work.
If you’re creating a piece of furniture or investing in a used product and notice an imperfection, there’s no need to despair. A belt sander is easy to navigate with your hand.
You can guide it over the piece as many times as you need to fix the issue at hand. For doors, you can sand off wood to help the piece fit. For surfaces, you can sand down until the flaws go away.
Here is a video of 5 great sanding tips that will make sanding easier:
Conclusion
If you’re a craftsman, you probably have a belt sander in your chest of tools. What you don’t know is that it has many uses in a toolshed. Whether you need to correct flaws in material or prepare wood for work, you can accomplish it with the belt sander.
We hope that revealing these uses for the belt sander is helpful to you! Whether you’re creating a table for your patio or fixing flaws on a thrifted piece, there’s a tip here that can come in handy. Your options are unlimited once you add this tool to your arsenal.
