Though you can use a drum sander for wood, metal, and plastic surfaces, sanding a deck with a drum sander is a tricky job. Like other power tools, the task is best performed by a professional. You should learn “how to sand a deck with a drum sander” from this article that we are going to describe in this article.
A drum sander is a machine that will sand out the material for a unique look for whatever you are working on. It is flexible, durable, and effective to get the job done. You just need to know the process and use the equipment well.
Read on!
What Is A Drum Sander?
A drum sander is a cylindrical wheel that is abrasive. It is used as sandpaper. It is a great tool to use for smoothing out the areas you want. It can smoothen the outer corners in some easy ways. This is used on flat surfaces too.
The drum sander is good equipment that can give a consistent thickness. It is a powerful machine to polish and give your wooden deck a nice finish. Besides, it is effective to level out the frames and panels easily.
However, the problem with a drum sander is that it is a bit tricky to use. So, you must be careful while using it. Otherwise, you can damage your wood and it will not look nice at all. You need some basic experience to use a drum sander. Make sure you know what you are going to do with the sander.
Moreover, if you are a beginner, it will be a wise decision if you learn about the basics first. You cannot control the machine if you are not aware of what you are doing.
Make sure some drum sanders eat wood rapidly (more than 10 feet per minute). That is the reason you should know how your drum sander works. Read more to know more about drum sander and how to use it on a deck.
Method of Sanding A Deck with A Drum Sander
To know how you can sand your deck with the help of a drum sander, you need to see the step-by-step method that we are going to share with you. Read further.
Step 1: Prepare Yourself
When you want to sand the deck, first you need to do is prepare yourself by arranging all the things you want for doing the job. Start by working with the drum sander and you have to make sure that you put on the protective wear before doing it.
Wear protective clothes, and shoes to keep yourself protected from any damage. Also, wear safety goggles to save your eyes that is the most important thing of all.
Step 2: Get The Drum into A Position
When you start working with your wood deck, you need to position the drum sander first. Put the tip of the sander in the middle position of the deck. You can also get a piece of rope to tie the cord in the right position. It is helpful if you are using a sander that has accord.
Step 3: Turn The Machine On
Now, you should start using the machine by turning it on. Turn it on and pull the handles up to lower the drum. That’s how you see there is a strong tug so that you can start the work. What you can do is to keep the machine and do not let go of it if you feel it is being pulled away from you.
You can hold it back so that it works well. Push the machine forward and see how the movement works. Keep your eyes on the wood to push the handles when it reaches the edge. After that, turn the machine around and repeat the step to get your sanding work done.
Step 4: Finishing
Check if the sanding is done. You have to be sure that the wood deck is polished well and it should be on the level.
Tips of Using A Drum Sander
- If you are a beginner, take a drum sander that has a small tip
- Know the features and use method first
- A small-tip sander is easier to move so make sure you take the smaller one
- Get the drum sander that has a lot of flexibility
- Choose the suitable drum sander according to your job
Advantages of Using A Drum Sander
- A drum sander is flexible to use
- This has a movable dust bag that you can rotate around the dust pipe of the machine
- It can smoothen the area and make it flat
- The flat drum sander is symmetrical in shape so that you can get a better result
- The feature is useful to take away the soft grains and make it a flat surface
- You can do different types of finishes on different types of wood by using it
- Drum sanders work faster and easier
Disadvantages of Using A Drum Sander
- Drum sanders are bulky and heavy
- It takes a lot of hard work to use this sander
- You need to spend money to use this
- A drum sander cannot do all the things to finish sanding the floor
Wrapping Up
Using a drum sander takes a lot of effort. You must know that if you want to get the total use of a drum sander on a deck, you must work hard for it. See the method of “how to sand a deck with a drum sander” and then start the process.
Get the method of it and do it as instructed. You can surely be able to focus on sanding the deck properly and give it a nice finish.
Use the drum sander and make your wood deck like new!