An electric or hand sander should be part of any avid DIYer’s basic toolkit. In most cases, you’ll find that having more than one sanding machine in your workshop is highly beneficial. After all, different applications require different sanders. Before starting your project, it’s important to consider what you want to achieve.

These are the most important criteria for sanders:

• Material removal rate: If you need to remove a lot of material – such as when levelling an uneven surface or sanding over deep scratches – then sanders with a large material removal rate are the best choice. Belt sanders are ideal for this, whereas electric sanders with a smaller rate of movement are better suited to fine sanding on smaller surfaces.
• Sanding pattern: Different sanding plates move in different patterns, depending on the design of the sander. The sandpaper can rotate, move from side-to-side, or run continuously via a looping belt. If several types of movement are combined – like with random orbit sanders – a very even and fine sanding pattern is produced. If the sander only moves the sandpaper in a single direction, the sanding pattern is coarse.
• Sanding large surfaces: If you want to work across a large surface, you need a machine with a large sanding plate and a high power, such as an orbital sander, a random orbit sander, or a belt sander.

• Sanding corners and edges: Sanders with edged plates (such as iron-shaped or rectangular discs) are ideal for angled surfaces, corners, and edges. For awkward surfaces like these, it’s best to use a cordless multi-sander or a multifunction tool.
• Sanding curves: The smaller the radius of the curve, the smaller the sander you should use. Devices with round sanding discs or pads are best suited to curved surfaces.
• Sanding in hard-to-reach places: Large sanding devices reach their limits here, so smaller cordless sanders are ideal. With a battery-powered multi-sander, for instance, you can sand in hard-to-reach places and adapt as your project develops with a range of attachments.

Here’s an overview of the Bosch electric sanders:

The angle grinder, also called a side grinder, has a special purpose. Its main use is for sanding, polishing, and cutting through hard materials such as metal, stone, and concrete. With the right attachment, you can also use it on wood.

DIYers have the choice between a standard corded sander and a cordless sander with a battery and charger. The tool you choose will ultimately depend on the frequency and purpose for which you use it. Corded sanders score highly in consistency and reliability, but the best cordless sanders are ideal for working outside, such as with DIY garden projects.

Buying a cordless sander makes a lot of sense if you’ve already got other Bosch Home & Garden battery-operated power tools in your home or workshop. Like many other products in this range, our cordless sanders use 12V and 18V POWER FOR ALL batteries. This means they operate using the same battery as every other appliance in the range.

No matter whether you’re a DIY beginner or you’ve been DIYing for years, you can find lots of helpful information on sanders in our sanding guide! It’s definitely worth a look, since you’ll find hundreds of handy sanding tips. Alternatively, check out the Bosch DIY & Garden UK YouTube channel for useful video guides.

Below is a small selection of application examples where at least one quality sander is a must-have:

• Wooden flooring: Are there scratches in your wooden floor? Has the surface lost its shine over time? Sand parquet and floorboards instead of replacing them! Use a belt sander first for the coarse sanding, then use a random orbit sander for a fine finish. Always remember to move the belt sander in the direction of the wood grain, while the random orbit sander can be used both with and against the grain. This way, the pattern of the wood is preserved.
• Concrete: Choosing whether to sand concrete will depend on how large the surface area is. Orbital sanders are ideal for smaller concrete surfaces like worktops or individual walls. You can then use a random orbit sander with the appropriate polishing accessories for the perfect finish.
• Walls: If you want to sand a wall, it’s best to use a random orbit sander first to achieve a smooth surface, followed by a multi-sander to finish off corners and edges.
• Bannisters and stair railings: Whether you’re restoring bannisters or building your own railings, sanding down their curves and edges can be a nightmare. Multifunction tools, multi-sanders, and delta sanders guarantee efficiency in hard-to-reach places, thanks to edged and triangular sanding plates. To address any curves, use a sanding roller or disc sander, since their movable sanding discs adapt perfectly to bends.
• Metal surfaces: You can use a range of different sanders on metal. For smoothing down sharp edges or removing rust, an angle grinder is best. If you need to remove old layers of paint from large surfaces, choose a belt sander. Also, multi-sanders offer reliable help on smaller surfaces. Learn more about sanding and varnishing metal in our video tutorial.
• Plasterboard: You can create drywall quickly and easily using plasterboard, but they need sanding if they are to be used effectively. A very fine finish can be achieved on the first round of sanding using an orbital sander and 80-grit sandpaper (but change to finer grits with each subsequent round). If you want to wallpaper the wall, use 100-grit sandpaper. To prep the wall for painting, however, use 120-grit sandpaper.
• Tabletops: Sanding a wooden table is done in various steps. First, use a belt sander to remove paint and varnish residues. Then, use an orbital sander for a smooth finish. Corners, edges, and curves are tackled with either a random orbit sander or multi-sander. To make a tapered edge, use a hand plane and a multi-sander.
• Door frames: Old paint and varnish can be removed using an orbital sander. It’s best to use a device that can be easily operated up high, such as a cordless sander. If you’re repainting the frame, don’t worry about removing all the paint, just create an even surface. Metal door frames, however, should be completely free from rust before painting.