Drum Vs Orbital Sanders: Which Is Best?
Looking to spruce up your tired wooden flooring? While there are plenty of ways to approach this DIY renovation task, two of the most common tools you’ll come across are drum and the orbital sanders.
Choosing the right tool for the job can save you time, money—and a whole lot of hassle. But for many first-time hirers, knowing which one to pick can be a challenge. The last thing you want is to damage your floors or waste a day’s hire.
In this WHC Hire guide, we’ll plane down the key differences between these two sanding tools, explore when to use each one, and help you choose right the first time.
What Is A Drum Sander?
Drum sanders are powerful tools that house a rotating drum wrapped in sandpaper to remove imperfections in wooden flooring. Designed for heavy-duty sanding tasks, hiring a floor sander can quickly remove varnish, paint, deep scratches and uneven floorboards.
Pros Of A Drum Sanders For DIYers
For DIYers, there are many benefits to using a drum sander, including:
Aggressive Material Removal
Ideal for all types of refurbishments, including paint and varnish removal.
Releveling
Drum sanders provide a smooth and even finish, perfect for releveling wooden flooring.
Fast Results
Drum sanders are far more efficient than tackling the task by hand.
Ideal For Large Spaces
DIYers can cover a large space quickly while still achieving quality results.
Tackling All Wood Types
The vigorous power generated by a drum sander is suitable for all interior wooden flooring.
Dust Collecting
These machines often offer a dust collection method which can drastically reduce your clean-up efforts.
Cons Of A Drum Sander For DIYers
However, these highly efficient machines are not without their cons for DIYers. Bear these in mind when selecting your equipment:
Can Gouge The Floor
Improperly used, drum sanders are powerful enough to gouge the floor. For best results, always work with the grain to minimise accidents occurring.
Heavy
Unlike other sanders, the drum floor sander is the heaviest of its kind. Most models weigh around 50 kg. The good thing is that they can be dismantled for easy transport.
Cost
While hiring a drum sander is relatively inexpensive, these machines are often the most costly designs to opt for.
Drum sanders are often the preferred method of professionals; however, are easy and safe enough to use with limited experience.
If you have never hired a drum sander before, check out our “Complete Guide To Floor Sander Hire” in our knowledge vault.
What Is An Orbital Sander?
Orbital sanders are power tools that, unlike drum sanders, utilise a round or rectangular sanding pad (designs vary) that moves in a small, precise, circular motion to sand surfaces. These hand tools are much gentler and easier to use than a drum sander, making them ideal for more detailed tasks.
Pros Of An Orbital Sander For DIYers
Hiring an orbital sander offers many benefits such as:
Versatility
Orbital sanders can be used on a wide range of applications and are not limited to just flooring.
Finish Quality
Leave a high-quality, swirl-free finish.
Highly Portable
Lightweight and easily transported. Expect these power tools to weigh in around 2-3kg.
Beginner Friendly
Easy to control and operate, even without experience.
Cheap To Hire
Orbital sanders are often one of the cheapest floor sanding tools to hire. Making them highly cost-effective overall.
Cons Of Orbital Sanders
Even with a huge amount of pros, orbital sanders do have their limitations. These include
Limited Aggression
Not powerful enough for deep scratches and some thicker paints and finishes.
Slower At Removing Material
Orbital sanders are designed for more detailed sanding and therefore require more effort to remove materials.
Smaller Coverage
Sanding a whole room floor with an orbital sander will take far more time and resources to do so. Stick to smaller, detailed work.
Drum Vs Orbital Sanders: Head To Head
When Should You Hire A Drum Floor Sander?
We highly recommend hiring a drum floor sander if your project includes:
Heavily Scratched Flooring
If your surface is heavily worn, painted or uneven, a drum sander will iron out all the creases.
Strip Back To Board
If your project requires stripping existing finishes, the rapid spinning drum will easily strip your surface back to bare wood.
Sanding An Entire Room
Using a drum sander can take the weight of having to tackle a whole room by hand.
Limited Time
When working on a tight timescale, drum sanders offer the fastest results.
Looking For A Professional Finish
Drum sanders can deliver a professional-looking finish—when used correctly. They’re powerful machines designed to strip back floors quickly and are often used alongside an edging sander to reach corners and edges.
When Should I Hire An Orbital Sander?
We highly recommend hiring an orbital sander if your project includes:
Small Touch-Ups
If your project doesn’t require the whole floor to be sanded, orbital sanders can be more cost-effective.
Require Flexibility
These handheld sanders are ideal for more than just floor sanding. They’re also often used on furniture, windowsills and even metal work.
Surface Preparation
If your project doesn’t require heavy stripping, orbital sanders are ideal for preparing your floor for varnish or staining.
Working On A Tight Budget
Orbital sanders are often the most cost-effective sanders to hire. This, however, will completely depend on your project size.
Not sure if a drum or orbital sander is the right tool for your project? Our team at WHC Hire is here to help. Just get in touch with your nearest depot.
Or check out our complete guide to floor sanding hire on our website.
Key Tips For Hiring a Floor Sander
Whether you opt for a drum or orbital sander, here are some quick tips to help you get the most out of your equipment.
If You’re Not Sure, ASK?
If you are new to floor sanding and are stuck on which machine is best for the job, then ask an expert.
Read The Manual
Before using the equipment, be sure to read the safety manual and wear the recommended PPE.
Practise First
Before you jump in the deep end, have a practice first. This will help you familiarise yourself with the machine’s operation.
Keep The Sander Moving
When in contact with the surface, always keep the sander moving. Never leave it running in the same spot, as this could cause gouges in your flooring.
Check Power Requirements
Most floor sanders require a power supply. This is usually 240V or 110V, but if you are ever unsure, simply discuss this with your provider.
Pair With An Edge Sander
If you are tackling an entire room, you’ll likely need to pair up with an edge sander to get into the smallest spaces.
Work Between Grits
Use different sanding grits to achieve a professional finish. WHC Hire supplies a range of sanding grits for our machines. See more in our floor sanding guide.
Avoid Overfilling Dust Bags
All floor sanders are usually supplied with dust bags. It is important to never overfill them as they can impact the effectiveness of the equipment. Remember to empty or change them regularly.
Clean As You Go
Always tidy as you go. This will reduce the amount of dust you create and speed up the entire process.
Hire Your Floor Sander With Confidence
Whether you feel that a drum or orbital sanders is right for your project, the team at WHC Hire Services is here to help you.
- Flexible hire periods.
- Free demonstration of the equipment and how to change the grit sheets.
- Sanding packages come with a range of grit sheets and bags. We’ll only charge you for what you use.
- Friendly support throughout your hire.
- Collection from your nearest WHC Hire depot, or we’ll deliver it for you.
Never hired a floor sander before? Check out our complete guide to get you started, or speak to your local depot to book your floor sander hire today.