Sander recommendations

[Wertzy]

Hello all,
Thanks to Sean over at Toolnut I've managed to go from "lurker" to full blown Festool junkie in 3 short months.....and love it.

Here's my latest scenario (excuse to buy Festool tool):  We have a house that we're fixing up to sell, it has just under 700 sq/ft of light oak floor.  Want to sand and stain a darker color.  My installer wants just over $2k to do the job, so we're going to give it a go ourselves.  My choices are to rent the required drum sander or..........buy a Festool sander? Sure the purchase is more expensive in the short term, but in the long run I'm sure I could get my money back on the investment.

My question:  Does Festool make a sander would work, or is this too large a job?  About half of the wood is in hallways, where a large drum sander may not be able to get much other than the middle third anyways.  Anyone have experience with this similar situation?

To justify it further I just got my CT26 last week and am dying to put it through its paces

Appreciate any advice!

 

[atomicmike]

I just refinished around 200 sq. ft. of oak flooring in my dining room over the past few weeks. I only have the ETS 150/3 and DTS 400, but both of them worked great. It took quite a while to do the initial sanding with 80 grit, but that's because the previous owner had painted the floors black, and there was a lot of paint to sand out. I would imagine that one of the Rotex sanders would have made quicker work of it, but I wasn't displeased with the pace of the ETS. After the initial sanding, each pass over the floor took around one hour per grit, stretch breaks included.  [big grin]

As far as papers, I started with Cristal 80 and 120 grit, used Rubin for 150 and 180, and Brilliant 2 for 220. I was really impressed with how well the Cristal stood up to all that paint!

- Mike

 

[nickao]

700 Sq feet, get the floor sander and the Festool sanders you can use both. 700 Sq ft is an awful lot to do all by hand. I wouldn't do it.

I suggest the Rotex 150 if you are attempting the floor without a big drum sander. As well as an ETS 150/3 if you can afford it, but its not required.

I could not imagine sanding the entire 700 Sq Ft with only an ETS 150, I mean your time has to be worth something. The Rotex 150 is just the better sander for that particular application.

 

[Ken Nagrod]

If you've never used a drum sander before, I'd advise against renting one.  You could easily do more damage and it cost you even more to fix it.  Either rent one of those 4 head rotary sanding machines and an edger or use the Rotex RO 150 and an ETS 150 and spend more time, especially on your hands and knees, but you'll have some more control over the final result that way.  Just make sure that the floor as a whole is evened out meaning when you look at it from outside the room, you don't see highs and lows.

Nick (Mr. flooring guy)?  What do you think?

 

[nickao]

The floor sanders they rent know are NOT drum sanders. They are multiple random orbital .

Any Menards or HD has them. I know Menards will not even carry a drum sander anymore. The days of the drum sander ruining a floor are basically gone.

When someone rents a floor sander to do their own home that is what I think of. I said drum in my post out of habit. I agree with not getting the true drum sander from a rental place, unless you have to. They are hard to use. I must say though I use them,  for the speed that you can remove existing  finish.

 

[Wertzy]

I've been checking out the MANY options for Festool sanders. I've had the RO90 pre-ordered since November, but doubt it will be here in time for this particular job.  I'm looking at the RO150 FEQ.  Would that handle both the large areas and the corners?  I'm pulling the base shoe and base so I can get a little closer to the edges and not worry about damaging base & case.

I understand there will be a time savings renting the big sander, but any guess as to how many more hours I might expect to be on hands and knees with my new toy?

 

[Ken Nagrod]

I agree with not getting the true drum sander from a rental place, unless you have to. They are hard to use. I must say though I use them,  for the speed that you can remove existing  finish.

Well, that's why, you do it for a living.  The rental places around here still have drum sanders.  Those 4 head orbitals I was referring to are the new breed for diy'ers, mainly, although plenty of pros use and like them.  They are slower for results, but they have better control and do less damage in the short or long run.  With drum sanders there's a lot to think about before hitting the floor with it.  Grain direction, condition of the floor, what your re-finish will be, the path you're taking (sometimes running across the grain is necessary in areas and then going with the grain to remove the marks).  It's a skill, no doubt.

 

[Ken Nagrod]

I've been checking out the MANY options for Festool sanders. I've had the RO90 pre-ordered since November, but doubt it will be here in time for this particular job.  I'm looking at the RO150 FEQ.  Would that handle both the large areas and the corners?  I'm pulling the base shoe and base so I can get a little closer to the edges and not worry about damaging base & case.

I understand there will be a time savings renting the big sander, but any guess as to how many more hours I might expect to be on hands and knees with my new toy?

The round pads won't do corners.

It will get you closer and give you greater control, but because of the small pads, you could create highs and lows in the overall floor much easier, which isn't what you want.  Your second question is asking us to quantify the condition of your floor.  We have no idea, probably not even with pictures.  It might not take long, depending on how well you pick out the grits of paper to use and how evenly you sand the overall floor.  Definitely get pads for your knees and take your time to do it right.  Remember, a bad job will put a bad taste in the buyer's mouth even when so much else might look good and it'll cost you, more.  You're trying to keep as much cash in your pocket.  Take your time with this one.  You may get good at it, like it and do more.

 

[Wertzy]

I've been checking out the MANY options for Festool sanders. I've had the RO90 pre-ordered since November, but doubt it will be here in time for this particular job.  I'm looking at the RO150 FEQ.  Would that handle both the large areas and the corners?  I'm pulling the base shoe and base so I can get a little closer to the edges and not worry about damaging base & case.

I understand there will be a time savings renting the big sander, but any guess as to how many more hours I might expect to be on hands and knees with my new toy?

The round pads won't do corners.

It will get you closer and give you greater control, but because of the small pads, you could create highs and lows in the overall floor much easier, which isn't what you want.  Your second question is asking us to quantify the condition of your floor.  We have no idea, probably not even with pictures.  It might not take long, depending on how well you pick out the grits of paper to use and how evenly you sand the overall floor.  Definitely get pads for your knees and take your time to do it right.  Remember, a bad job will put a bad taste in the buyer's mouth even when so much else might look good and it'll cost you, more.  You're trying to keep as much cash in your pocket.  Take your time with this one.  You may get good at it, like it and do more.

Floor is in good shape, couple of dings but nothing some filler won't fix.  The problem is that it has a very yellow/orange hue and we want to make it dark, will probably use Varathane Espresso or Gunstock stain.  We are faux finishing the cabinetry and don't want the floor to clash with the cabinetry, as the dining and family room are combined and is all wood floor. 

I've successfully remodeled and sold plenty of homes over the past 18 months, but usually the floor is so thrashed we tear out and install tile.  I try to pick up a new trick or tool on each project and am hoping that this floor is my excuse to take another swig from the green kool-aid  But if you think it would take a week with a Festool as opposed to 1 day with a rental it would be a no brainer for the rental. I'd be happy with 2 times the labor if it gets me a shiny new tool and systainer.

 

[Ken Nagrod]

You want to do it quick and move on I'd advise the rental method of a 4 head orbital + an edger.  A good rental place will clearly show you how to use it and what grits would work best for your application.  The larger the sander, the faster it'll be for you and the more even the floor will turn out.

 

[Wertzy]

Looks like that's my answer, thanks! Though I was hoping for that new tool, will just have to wait for my RO90

Only problem now may be finding a rental.  Only place here for tools is one of 2 local home depots, and they haven't impressed me with their knowledge.  Plenty of places in the San Fernando Valley I'm sure though, so I may have to travel down there