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If you’ve ever worked on walls while renovating a house, this usually includes sanding, which can be a laborious task. However, with a drywall sander, that time and effort can be halved. A common tool for DIY handymen; below, we’ll show you how to find one of the best as well as show you some of our own favorites.
Hoping to cut right to the chase? Below are the best drywall sanders:
Comparison Chart of the Best Drywall Sanders
Product | Main Features | Price |
|---|---|---|
Porter Cable 7800  | ||
Ginour Drywall Sander  | ||
Wen 6369  | ||
BN Products Halo Dustless Drywall Sander  | ||
Festool 571935  | ||
Aleko DP-30002  |
What is a Drywall Sander?
A drywall sander provides the drywall with a smooth finish after the plaster is used, in-between boards.
Most quality drywall sanders will have an extendable arm that helps you reach higher areas; they also have the ability to sand a large area, reducing the time it takes to get the job done.
Another possible feature to look out for would be a dust collector, either from a vacuum attachment or bag; this reduces the amount of mess you'll need to clean up.
How to Choose a Drywall Sander
There are, of course, some basic considerations when looking for a high-quality drywall sander. A drywall sander should have at least one of these features to be considered high-quality.
Dust Container
Dust is a common issue during sanding jobs; dust containers can either be in bag form, a box, or even a vacuum attachment. Collecting the dust will help in terms of limiting the amount of mess as well as saving your lungs from the microparticles.
Bonus Features
Drywall sanders sometimes have an extendable arm that helps you sand hard to reach areas. Another bonus feature sometimes included would be a light on the pad to help guide the sander in darker areas.
Power
Of course, power affects how fast you get the job done; the higher, the better. High-quality drywall sanders will provide an OPM/RPM of between 18,000 - 25,000. This is basically how many times the disc can spin within a minute.
Drywall Sander Reviews
There are thousands of different drywall sanders out there, and going through them all takes so much time. So, we've included some of our favorite drywall sanders to make your life a bit easier.
Best Overall
Porter Cable 7800
PROS
CONS
Our Review
The Porter Cable 7800 is a relatively lightweight drywall sander at just 8.5lbs, which is great if you're using it for more than 10 minutes.
The motor is located near the bottom of the product, providing better balance and control.
The dust collector is a 13ft vacuum hose, which will be a lot more efficient than continuously emptying a bag/box.
The drywall sander's speed can be adjusted from 1400 to 2000 RPM with the switch of a dial.
The actual sanding pad is also relatively easy to use as it features a hook and loop system that acts like an adhesive, slap it on, and you're good to go.
What Makes This Product Stand Out?
The design of this product is what makes it stand out. Most brands try to make their drywall sander stick out from the rest; they tend to over-promise and underachieve. However, this sander provides you with comfort and performance with a simplistic design.
Runner-up
Ginour Drywall Sander
PROS
CONS
Our Review
Our runner up also comes with a 13ft vacuum hose which connects to a dust bag; the system collects at least 98% of all dust created by the sander.
You'll benefit from seven adjustable speeds that range from 1000 to 1800 RPM, which will suit different tasks.
If you need your reach high, the poll can be extended to around 5.5ft and operates effectively in darker spaces thanks to the LED light pad.
The product also comes with a kit of other products such as six sanding discs, two carbon brushes, one dual purpose screwdriver,
What Makes This Product Stand Out?
The LED lighting on the base of the pad is what makes this product different from others. Although it's not rare, it still isn't included on every drywall sander.
If you're working and there are some darker areas of the room, the LED light helps you understand where the uneven areas are and where you've already gone over.
Best for the Money
Wen 6369
PROS
CONS
Our Review
The Wen 6369 drywall sander has an extendible 5ft pole that can be used to smooth higher up areas without a ladder.
The vacuum dust hose also reaches 15ft, giving you a lot more space to move around without tripping over a bag. To help you work around corners and hard to reach angles, the sander offers a 360-degree swivel head.
Your sanding pad area is an essential factor; on this particular product, it's 8.5-inches, which will quickly reduce the time it takes to smooth a wall.
What Makes This Product Stand Out?
The unique part about this product is that it provides you with all the same value if not more than other drywall sanders considered high-quality.
The 15ft vacuum hose is bigger than others featured on the list, most end at 13ft. This reduces the risk of even more tripping over the dust bag.
Best Dustless Drywall Sander
BN Products Halo Dustless Drywall Sander
PROS
CONS
Our Review
The BN Dustless Drywall sander packs a punch in terms of performance. The user will benefit from the 12ft reach; it can be extended or made smaller to fit the task at hand.
If you're operating the sander in a darker room, the LED lights help illuminate the area, so you know what you're doing.
The removable brush around the sanding pad keeps as much dust as possible, along with the option of attaching a vacuum hose.
The only downside is that the sander weighs around 14lbs, which can be strenuous on your arms. However, when packing away, it can be folded and then stored in the carry case provided.
What Makes This Product Stand Out?
There are two real defining features for this product. The first is compact design and the ability to fold it over and stick it in a bag.
The other is its dust collector's effectiveness. The removable brush helps limit any escaping dust particles; therefore, more enter the vacuum.
Festool Drywall Sander Review
Festool 571935
PROS
CONS
Our Review
Simple to use, this product can operate to around 920 RPM at full capacity. It's relatively lightweight at just over 7lbs and is easy to store as it can be broken down into two parts.
The area it covers is exceptional at just around 9-inches. There is the option of using a vacuum attachment, which is great as drywall sanders create plenty of dust.
Another significant feature is the removable top section; this allows your sander to get even closer to corners and edges of walls.
What Makes This Product Stand Out?
The important feature that makes it stand out is that the top half of the pad is removable, allowing the sander to get closer to walls. This detachment gives you a lot better accuracy.
Aleko Drywall Sander Review
Aleko DP-30002
PROS
CONS
Our Review
This drywall sander's diameter is over 10-inches, which is the best area coverage featured on this list. The coverage, coupled with the adjustable speed between 800 and 1800 RPM, will have your task completed in no time.
You'll also benefit from the LED lights, which will easily brighten up any room's darker area. The drywall sander also comes with a vacuum hose and bag and six sanding discs, a carbon brush, and a carrying bag.
What Makes This Product Stand Out?
The critical feature here is the extensive area coverage; 10.2-inches is quite a bit of area to cover in just one disc. It's the most we've had on the list. The larger the area, the faster you'll get the task completed.
Hold up, are you interested in other topics about sanders? If so, these might be something to check out:
Drywall Sanding Tips, Tricks, and Hacks for Success
With most DIY, it's an art form; there's going to be so many tips and tricks that would be impossible to cover them all. So, here are some of our favorites.
Find Imperfections with a light - If you dim the lights and scan the walls with a torch at a side angle, you'll find imperfections that you might have missed. Circle them and go over them by hand or the drywall sander.
Press gently - Don't exert too much pressure on the wall as this could cause indentations, making the wall uneven as it's been over-sanded.
Wet Sanding Drywall Tips
Wet sanding drywall generally reduces the likelihood of leaving marks on the wall. Here are a few tips specifically for wet sanding drywall.
Gather plenty of water - Make sure you've got three or four buckets of warm water. Warm water helps soften the drywall; you'll need to regularly use fresh water and rinse your sponge.
Don't overdo it - You can easily get carried away by aggressively sanding down uneven surfaces and small bumps. However, it would help if you only went over the wall twice.
Otherwise, you'll end up creating more issues for the wall. If you need to go over it more than twice, let the wall dry and go over it again with the drywall sander.
What Kind of Sander is Ideal for Drywall?
There are always multiple variations of the same product. Some differences are useful, and others are just for show. Below are some of the most common variations to consider.
Power Source
You can get drywall sanders that run on electricity, gas, and air. Electricity drywall sanders rely on electrical sockets. Therefore they would need to be used in homes that electricity has already been set up.
Gas sanders would rely on a small generator to operate. However, this can become noisy and even expensive, with continuously having to buy gas.
Air compressor drywall sanders require large airflow, between 10 and 20 CFM; this would require a high-quality compressor.
Handheld or Extendible
Handheld drywall sanders provide more control and greater maneuverability. However, it cannot be extended. Extendible sanders can offer an extra 6ft, allowing you to sand hard to reach areas like tall ceilings or walls.
LED Lights
LED lights might seem like such a small and insignificant feature. But, they can be a great advantage; if you're working in a poorly lit area, the LED lights can help see what areas have and haven't been covered yet. Lights at a certain angle can also pinpoint imperfections in the wall.
Conclusion
The above information should provide you with most of the answers to your questions regarding drywall sanders. Therefore you should have everything you need to make an informed decision.
People Also Ask
Even after reading everything above, you'll still have some general questions. Below is a list of common drywall sanding questions we've answered that might help.
How To Reduce Dust When Sanding Drywall
The common way is to invest in a drywall sander that has a vacuum attachment feature.
Another method could be using the wet sanding method; after it's sanded down, you have to wipe down the walls.
How To Clean Up Drywall Dust After Sanding
If you're cleaning dust from the floor, we'd recommend sweeping the floor first and then cleaning the area with a mop and hot, soapy water.
Ensure that all the windows are open so that the remaining particles in the air have been carried outside.
How To Clean Drywall After Sanding
If you're cleaning it off the walls, you could brush the walls while you've got the windows open and a fan pointing to the outside; this gets any dust particles in the air outside. Block off any doors leading to other parts of the home also.
If you take a damp cloth or sponge, you could get the rest off the walls by wiping them down.
What Grit For Sanding Drywall
Most experts would recommend using 120 or 150 grit sandpaper. Start with 120 and once it's smoothed down a bit, then move on to 150 to finish the job.