Planetary sander
Also called multi-disc sander
A refining machine with three or more counter-rotating discs on a rotating head, producing a random multi-directional scratch pattern that blends field into edges.
This is the refining and blending stage, not a stock-removal machine. It erases belt lines, edger swirls and cross-grain scratches, and leaves a uniform microscopic surface so stain and finish absorb evenly.
It is particularly valuable on multi-species floors and on engineered floors, where aggressive belt sanding risks cutting through the wear layer. Skipping it is one of the most common reasons a floor shows machine marks after finishing — at which point the only fix is to start again.
Related
Terms this one depends on
- Belt floor sanderThe primary material-removal machine in a refinish: a continuous abrasive belt over a drum roughly 200 mm wide, handling around 80% of total removal.
- Floor edgerA compact high-speed rotating disc, typically 150–178 mm, that reaches walls, baseboards, closets, stairs and under cabinets — everywhere the belt sander physically cannot go.
- BufferA single-disc rotary machine, typically 400–500 mm, fitted with fine screens around 100–150 grit — it removes microns, not wood.
- Wear layerThe thickness of real hardwood above the core — what determines how many times a floor can be refinished.
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