Hardwood Floors April/May 2019

AT THE SITE

How to Minimize Sanding Efforts While Maximizing Profits

Conventional vs. New-School Sanding Methods Maximum atness should be the focus on most traditional sand jobs. e quality of machines a contractor uses ma ers, but sanding machines no more make a oor than a camera makes a photograph or a race car wins a race. e person using the right machines for the job, and with the proper knowledge, skill, and touch, is the real di erence maker. e newer technology in sanding equipment includes the introduction of a multidisc sander to take atness to a new level. e multidisc can be used for ne sanding but, unlike a bu er, packs enough bite to carry some of the big machine and edger’s workloads too.

A goal for every contractor’s business should be to minimize effort and time on-site while maximizing quality results and profits. Wood floor sanding is hard work, but that doesn’t mean it can’t be smart work too. With a few smart changes to conventional wisdom, hard work can become easier, and it can produce better results. The keys to success lie in the mix of sanding machines, sanding angles, abrasives, and grit sequences used on the job.

Using a multidisc sander shi s howmuch energy and time a sanding professional spends on eachmachine. It accounts for 40 percent of sanding time on a typical job. It reduces the time spent on a big machine by 33 percent and time spent on an edger by 60 percent. at leads to less wear and tear on the body of the professional.

Conventional sanding methods mean using a big machine and edger. A bu er sometimes is used for ne sanding. With this method, the big machine is used for sanding 90 percent of a room’s eld, and it is where 75 percent of the sanding time is spent. e edger does the rest of the heavy li ing.

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