My favorite Sanding Disks

[EddieWalker]

Sometimes I do a lot of sanding on peoples homes, especially when I'm repairing all their exterior wood. When jobs like this happen, I need a really good five inch sanding disk. In my opinion, most are junk, a few are OK, and 3M is about the best I've come across. They only sell them in the painting section at Lowes. If you go to the tool department, they just have the junky stuff that isn't worth buying no matter how cheap it is.

The 3M disks have the very best Velcro that I've seen. They stick the the sander until you pull them off. The other brands will spin off before they are dull, and once it comes off, it doesn't stick again. The 3M also last a very long time.

The Lowes that I went to last week only had 4 boxes of ten in stock, and I used the last one yesterday, so I was forced to use up my collection of junk sanding disks. Diablo was OK, but wears out a lot faster then 3M. All other brands would slip off after a minute, or just ten seconds. They are impossible to use on thin edges, or anything round. They only worked when the sander is perfectly flat.

At a buck each, they are the most expensive to buy, but since they last so much longer and I can get so much more done, they are worth the cost!!!

https://www.lowes.com/pd/3M-3M-Sandblaster-Pro-Ultra-Durable-Universal-Hole-Sanding-Disc-5-in-80-Grit/5002179405

 

[ponytug]

I agree. 3M seems to have figured out how to bond the abrasive to the disk better.

Have you tried the Scotch-brite non-woven disks? I find that they are quite durable for removing paint, especially on metal surfaces.

All the best,

Peter

 

[Fxfymn413]

I just bought a sander from a professional wood worker and he swears by "Serious Grit" discs. He said he has tried them all and these are the best he has found. Available on Amazon.

 

[Tinhack]

Hardly anything will stand up to old oil based enamel paint. It heats up and just turns to goo. It will clog the best sanding disks. The best way to handle it is DON"T--Strip it clean and be done with it. Or use a power scraper or hand plainer to remove it down to primer or wood.

When I had my body shop, I used Norton PSA sanding disks and in-line rolls. I used 3M sheets for wet sanding. I tried a lot of abrasives but never found anything that would last as long or cut better.

 

[Larry Caldwell]

I prefer belt sanding to disc sanding.

 

[dstig1]

If you think those are good get some 3m Cubitron II discs. They eat metal and wood like you cannot believe.

Like these net discs:

https://taytools.com/collections/supplies-abrasives-sanding-discs/products/3m%E2%84%A2-710w-ztract%E2%84%A2-sanding-discs-cubitron-ii-%E2%84%A2-hookit%E2%84%A2-hook-and-loop-attachment-clean-sand-multi-hole-dust-extraction-3-mil-film-backing?variant=39344729030743

Or these regular discs:

https://taytools.com/collections/3m%E2%84%A2-cubitron-ii%E2%84%A2/products/3m-775l-sanding-discs-cubiton-ii-hookit-hook-and-loop-attachment-clean-sand-multi-hole-dust-extraction-15-disc-multi-pack-80-400-gri7

The billion-hole pattern is great since you don't have to line them up and they fit any sander pattern. These ones are targeted at wood, but they have version for metal that make steel disappear like butter.

 

[EddieWalker]

I agree. 3M seems to have figured out how to bond the abrasive to the disk better.

Have you tried the Scotch-brite non-woven disks? I find that they are quite durable for removing paint, especially on metal surfaces.

All the best,

Peter

I tried something like that a long time ago and didn't care for it. Is this new and worth buying to remove old paint and wood on the exterior of a 60 year old house?

 

[EddieWalker]

If you think those are good get some 3m Cubitron II discs. They eat metal and wood like you cannot believe.

Like these net discs:

https://taytools.com/collections/supplies-abrasives-sanding-discs/products/3m%E2%84%A2-710w-ztract%E2%84%A2-sanding-discs-cubitron-ii-%E2%84%A2-hookit%E2%84%A2-hook-and-loop-attachment-clean-sand-multi-hole-dust-extraction-3-mil-film-backing?variant=39344729030743

Or these regular discs:

https://taytools.com/collections/3m%E2%84%A2-cubitron-ii%E2%84%A2/products/3m-775l-sanding-discs-cubiton-ii-hookit-hook-and-loop-attachment-clean-sand-multi-hole-dust-extraction-15-disc-multi-pack-80-400-gri7

The billion-hole pattern is great since you don't have to line them up and they fit any sander pattern. These ones are targeted at wood, but they have version for metal that make steel disappear like butter.

I bought some of them off of Amazon and didn't think that they removed material very well. I think that they would be great for finish work and cabinet type work. I still have quite a few of them, but it's not worthwhile using them on the exterior of this house that I'm working on.

 

[EddieWalker]

Hardly anything will stand up to old oil based enamel paint. It heats up and just turns to goo. It will clog the best sanding disks. The best way to handle it is DON"T--Strip it clean and be done with it. Or use a power scraper or hand plainer to remove it down to primer or wood.

When I had my body shop, I used Norton PSA sanding disks and in-line rolls. I used 3M sheets for wet sanding. I tried a lot of abrasives but never found anything that would last as long or cut better.

I was told a long time ago that the best primer is the original paint. If it's still working, don't remove it. On this job, I'm removing all of the paint that is flacking off that the two previous contractors just painted over. They also painted over ivy that had grown up on the house a decade ago and caulked over the rotten areas, or just put another board over top of the rotten areas to hide the rot, and painted over that. This is the first time in 60 years that this house is getting the full treatment of fixing everything, and making it perfect.

I like Norton sanding disks, but personally classify them with Diablo as a middle of the road brand. Not junk like gator and Craftsman, but not what I need for what I'm doing. I get them at Northern Tool.

 

[EddieWalker]

I just bought a sander from a professional wood worker and he swears by "Serious Grit" discs. He said he has tried them all and these are the best he has found. Available on Amazon.

I didn't notice that brand when I was searching on Amazon, so I put it in and it came up. I just ordered a box of 50 that should be here Monday. I'm looking forward to trying them out!!! Thank you.

 

[jjeff]

3m works good, Norton brand isn't bad either. through experience stripping barrier coat and antifouling on boat hulls, removing the dust collector on sander and hooking up the end to a shopvac hose (using tape) really helps keeping the sanding disc cleaner for longer plus it keeps the dust down.

 

[Larry Caldwell]

I was told a long time ago that the best primer is the original paint. If it's still working, don't remove it. On this job, I'm removing all of the paint that is flacking off that the two previous contractors just painted over. They also painted over ivy that had grown up on the house a decade ago and caulked over the rotten areas, or just put another board over top of the rotten areas to hide the rot, and painted over that. This is the first time in 60 years that this house is getting the full treatment of fixing everything, and making it perfect.

I like Norton sanding disks, but personally classify them with Diablo as a middle of the road brand. Not junk like gator and Craftsman, but not what I need for what I'm doing. I get them at Northern Tool.

I agree. When I bought my house the paint was in very poor shape, and the siding was starting to crack. My repair was:

1. Remove gutters and downspouts.
2. Pressure wash to get loose flakes off.
3. Scrape to remove flakes the pressure washer wouldn't remove.
4. TSP and push broom scrub the whole surface.
5. Pressure wash again.
6. Prime the whole surface with a high quality primer. I used Z-prime with an airless and back-brushing.
7. Calk all seams and cracks.
8. Airless and back-brush a good quality latex semi-gloss. I used Sherwin-Williams.
9. Brush paint trim, fascia, etc.
10. Install new gutters and downspouts.

It's not something you want to pay a painter to do, but if you want a paint job that looks good and lasts a long time...

The project took most of the summer. Scraping alone took 3 weekends, calking took 2 weekends ( I used 72 tubes of calk), and I used the opportunity to replace the windows. The result? 25 years with no peeling paint. Even the calking didn't crack. I've done a couple subsequent paint jobs that skipped the scraping and only TSP'ed it and pressure washed. I always back roll or back brush a spray job to get good adhesion.

 

[EddieWalker]

I'm not a fan of pressure washing a house. You end up with water in places it shouldn't be, and it takes forever to dry out. I'm scraping, then sanding, then caulking and priming. When they decide on a color, I'll paint.

If anybody has a good idea of paint colors, here's a picture of the house I'm working on. They like the color that is already on the bricks. They also need a color for the new shingles, which should happen later this month.

 

[two_bit_score]

They also need a color for the new shingles, which should happen later this month

We recently had ‘Weathered Wood’ colored shingles by Tamco installed on two different houses. It’s a good color and is easily available. From the picture you posted it would probably work well if they want something close to the brick color, instead of a contrasting color.

 

[two_bit_score]

7. Calk all seams and cracks.

Use caution on caulking where it will trap water and keep it from draining away.

 

[two_bit_score]

I like Sherwin-Williams for paint supplies more than HD and Lowe‘s. But Lowe’s is caring a lot of S-W brands too.

 

[EddieWalker]

From what I understand, Valspar owns Sherwin Williams. The Manager at Sherwin Williams told me that they the paint they sell at Lowes is cheaper then what they sell it for in their store, but it's the exact same paint. Since the Lockdown, I've been going to Kelly Moore instead of Sherwin Williams. They did not go so crazy with things, and they have not run out of paint like Sherwin Williams has. On my own home, I use Valspar paint. I think it's as good as anything else, but for a better price. My clients all want Sherwin Williams.

 

[two_bit_score]

Yes, Valspar is a S-W brand.

 

[ponytug]

I tried something like that a long time ago and didn't care for it. Is this new and worth buying to remove old paint and wood on the exterior of a 60 year old house?

I find them to be pretty aggressive (blue and brown), so I would use them with light pressure. The sorts of places I would use them are heavily cracked/chipping paint, where I plan to come back and finish sand the substrate to get it smooth enough to prime. They do really well at not clogging.

They make a couple of grades. Some are fine plastic disks, like a scotch-brite pad with a hole in it, and some have much coarser (1/16"?) fibers with much larger pores in the disc. The fine ones don't remove as much material and are more prone to loading up.

All the best,

Peter

 

[papa4fofox]

I'm a woodturner and do a lot of sanding. I have found Klingspor's Woodworking Shop has the best abrasives available. Go to their website and look under Abrasives.

Klingspor's Woodworking Shop

Klingspor's Woodworking Shop is full line distributor of woodworking tools and supplies from respected companies like Klingspor Abrasives.

www.woodworkingshop.com

You can buy disks or I have it more economical to buy Rolls and cut my own disks.