Best Sander for Walls: Which One Is Suitable for You?

Published on: April 11, 2022
Written by David Rowan / Fact-checked by Eric Devin

A bumpy wall with popcorn or crows feet texture or a printed wall with dusty fingerprints is enough to ruin your home interior. Removing the unwanted texture and bringing a smooth finish requires aggressive sanding, whilst scraping off the stains requires pain removal from walls. In both tasks, you need to go for sanding. Now, you can use a sanding paper, do the job manually for ages. Or you can use a wall sander and do the job within a day. 

Ultimately, how you are using your time and money is completely upon you. But you can’t leave your walls unusually textured and dirty as it will ruin your impression. No matter how organized or well-furnished the home is, dirty walls always ruin the view. 

People also consider going for renovators rather than actually purchasing the sander and doing the job by themselves. I also recommend this if one wishes to spend four or five times extra on a cheap job. So, whoever is willing to get a wall sander and transform their home interiors from looking abandoned to welcoming, can go through the list we have developed on useful wall sanders available now. 

Do I Really Need to Invest in Wall Sanders? 

Actually, no. You can complete a job in many ways. If space is little in size, you’ll use sandpaper and a sanding block and roll in the hay manually. On the other hand, most homeowners own at least one orbital sander. It also comes handy to sanding a small to medium size room. 

In our list of wall sanders for this year, we also enlisted some actual wall sanders with extendable handles. Those are available in different price ranges and are suitable for large homes. So, please go through the list before making a decision. 

How to Tell Which Wall Sander Is Suitable for You?

In a shortl, there are two types of sanders we have discussed here. One is a pole sander with an extendable hand, and another one is a random orbital sander. Now, these two sanders are completely different from one another, so how to tell which one will suit your need?

Extendable Sander

It takes less time, but heavier. Extendable sander is available in different price ranges, but most useful in sanding wall and ceiling. It is heavier than orbital sanders (around 10-12 pounds). It is more suitable for doing sanding jobs quickly in large rooms. 

Random Orbital Sander

A large group of homeowners and DIYers do not prefer spending on a wall sander that only requires once in years. For them, a random orbital sander is more convenient as it can be used for any purpose on anything and everything. Besides, it is lighter too. But the drawback is, it takes longer to do sanding job as it has a smaller coverage. Besides, to reach higher places, you need to use a ladder. For re-decorating a small room, there is no harm in using an orbital sander. 

Editor’s Speech

No matter which kind of sanding machine you are using- a pole sander or a random orbital sander, using the right sanding pad is important. Besides, keeping the machines clean and unclogged is also necessary as it helps the tools last longer.  

Wall sanding requires patience. If you try to do it hurry, you may scrape off plaster along with the paint while doing so. Then it becomes harder to create a smooth finish on walls. Another mistake people do is pay less effort on the corners. While doing the wall, don’t leave the ceiling and corners. Because those parts will be painted too. When you paint on an uneven surface, it shows miserably.

View Recommended 10 Best Sander for Walls

1. Festool 571935 Drywall Sander for Professionals

• Model: Planex LHS 225;
• 3.6 ft-5.2 ft extendable handle;
• 400-920 RPM variable speed;
• 8-27/32″ pad size.

Uneven plaster and paint are coming in the way of wall sanding? Forget all the manual labor of prepping the wall for machine sanding. This Planex LHS 225 drywall sander from Festool alone is enough to remove all the bumps and knicks from the wall, remove paint and smooth out the surface for a fresh coat of new paints. Moreover, you don’t even need to use a ladder to reach the corners and further areas. Thanks to its extendable arm that extends 3.6 ft up to 5.2 ft so that you can reach up to the roof easily. 

As this sander eliminates the need for manual sanding, the wall sanding task becomes faster than ever. Besides, the experience will not be as messy as using a regular wall sander. Its dust collection system sucks in most of the superfine dust. It can be attached to a regular shop vac for a professional level sanding. 

Contractors and professionals out there can not find anything more superior than this for sanding a wall with the least hassle. It costs a bit higher than the regular sanders, so I cannot recommend this for homeowners with a restricted budget. 

Pros

• Time-saving;
• Expandable;
• Variable speed;
• Dust-free sanding.

Cons

• Very expensive.

2. WEN 6377-CABLE Drywall Sander with 15-Foot Hose

• Model: ‎6377;
• Sanding Pad Grits: 60, 80, 120, 150, 180, 240;
• Weight: ‎16.12 pounds;
• Motor: 120 V, 60 Hz, 5A;
• Speed: 600 to 1500 RPM.

Remember when you had a choice for your drywall sander? With WEN variable speed dual-head drywall sander two heads are higher than one. With a curved head that bends in any direction, the WEN drywall sander is naturally accustomed to flush against every surface that crosses its path. 

Trade the round head or three-sided head contingent on the work that needs to be done. Effectively separates and introduces two heads without the guidance of an external device. Just slide behind the delivery hook, choose the ideal cushion shape, and get the sanding.

Change the speed somewhere between 600 -1500 RPM to solve the problems of the current venture. Trap and circle base cushions turn sandpaper into a breeze while the folding plan considers intuitive capacity and transport. 

Lightweight 9-pound body telescopes come up to five feet in length. This bundle similarly includes six-bit trap and circle sandpaper plates and six-bit trap and round three-sided sandpaper (60, 80, 120, 150, 180, and 240 grit) as well as an adaptive residual vacuum hose up to 1-foot Stays. For the removal of solid residue.

Pros

• Affordable;
• Variable speed motor;
• Lightweight, easy to operate;
• Variable speed adjustment operates;
• Automatic dust removal;
• High coverage due to long handles.

Cons

• Not found.

3. Festool Rotex Sander with Removable Round and Delta Pads

• Model: 575074;
• Speed 3300 – 6800 opm;
• Round and delta sanding pad for open and corner spaces.

Even the most expensive wall sanders with long hands cannot properly sand the walls and joints of the walls. You always incorporate sandpaper to do the leftovers. What if I introduce you to a sander that can sand the plane and corners both? Yes, you heard it right; this Festool Rotex sander has two removable sanding pads. The round one is for sanding plain, and the delts shaped pas is for sanding corners. Now, there will be no corner left on your wall for manual sanding. 

This one is a multipurpose sander and especially good for fine finishing. If you want a super polished look on your wall, use the low speed to remove the roughness first. Then, use the higher speed to polish it. 

This one doesn’t have a long handle to assist you in sanding large coverage. But it is a great device for multipurpose use. For professionals, this one can be a great help for corner sanding especially, without getting their hands dirty.

Pros

• Multipurpose;
• Fast material-removing;
• Separate pads for plain and corners;
• Suitable for a super fine finish.

Cons

• Too aggressive to control at the highest speed.

4. Dynabrade Dynorbital Pneumatic Random Orbital Sander

• Model: 56815;
• Pneumatic 3/16″ (5 mm) sander;
• 12,000 RPM speed.

Pneumatic tools are the most powerful ones. If you have a powerful compressor, then you can consider this random orbital sander for wall sanding. I recommend this one specifically for using curved or contoured walls. The small disk head is ideal for this job. 

Usually, electric random orbital sanders are quite pricey, but the pneumatic ones come cheaper. So, for a more budget-friendly option, this one worths a try. Once you get this, you will be amazed at how lightweight yet powerful a sander can be. Besides, it barely vibrates and creates minimal dust. This one is great for prolonged use like wall sanding, but it can be used for other applications as well. 

The speed is not variable, though. So, for a heavy-duty application where you need a slower orbital sander, this one is not the best sander for you. 

Pros

• Suitable for contoured walls;
• Cheap;
• Creates less vibration;
• Almost dust-free.

Cons

• Requires high pressure to operate. 

5. YATTICH Electric Drywall Sander Complete Kit

• 7 variable speed functions;
• Speed 1000-1850 RPM;
• 710W Drywall sander;
• Extensible handle in length from 3.6 feet to 5.9 feet.

Wall sanding can be more controlled and precise with this sander from YATTICH. You will get to use an auxiliary handle for more consistency and precision along with the extendable handle. Besides, this wall sander comes with everything you need to begin sanding. It is a complete kit that includes 2 sets of 9-inch sanding discs (80, 100, 120, 150, 180, 240) grit hook-and-loop (velcro), anti-static dust hose with adapters, an extra set of carbon brushes, an auxiliary handle, dual-purpose screwdriver,  hex key, manual; warranty, and a carrying bag.

The variable speed is useful for applying this sander on different types of walls. The lower speed for softer materials and higher speed is for harder materials. This multipurpose use of this sander will always be clean and dust-free as long as you. I found this model of wall sander to be most reasonably priced as an extendable wall sander. 

Pros

• LED light switch;
• Budget-friendly;
• Extendable handle;
• Complete kit;
• Precise and controlled operation.

Cons

• Not found.

6. Handife Store-Head Automatic Vacuum Drywall Sander

• Double-deck LED lights sander;
• Variable Speed 800-1800 RPM;
• 12 pcs Sanding Discs;
• Voltage:120 Volts – 60 Hz;
• Weighs only 14.67 pounds.

7A motor is hard to find when it comes to looking for wall sanders. Along with this highly powerful motor, this sander is equipped with 2 heads (triangular and circular ), 3.5 ft dust hose, 12  pcs sanding discs, a carbon brush, a screwdriver, a hex wrench, and a user manual. Now you can guess that it is an ideal choice for sanding all kinds of walls, whether exterior or interior, ceiling, and the joints of ceiling and walls. Because it has a circular pad for plain sanding and a triangular pad for perpendicular sanding. Changing those pads are totally tool-free and takes only seconds to do so. 

It is completely okay to don’t have a shop vac to use it. It comes with a built-in dust collection system that works as well as using an industrial-grade vacuum. But using a vacuum will ensure that the dust is cleaned up to 98%. For long-term investment in a wall sander, this one is just the right fit. 

Pros

• Triangular and circular sanding pad;
• Built-in dust collection;
• Well-built sander.

Cons

• Feels heavy for ceiling sanding.

7. ZENY Drywall Sander with Adjustable Speed

• 1,000 to 2,000 RPM variable speed;
• 8.8-inch disk.

You can use this Zeny sander for clearing floor residue, paint coatings from any surface, adhesives, and loose plaster from any walls along with sanding drywalls, interior, and exterior walls. This one is the cheapest of its kind, that’s because it doesn’t include a detachable head for corner grinding. Rather, you have to remove the bottom and brush attachments to reach the corners properly. 

Its extendable handle and large sanding pad cover a large area at once. Using the variable speed, you can get rid of wall bumps and paints and prepare the surface to clean up for fresh paint. 

For DIY wall renovation or wall decoration projects, cheap sanders like this are the first choice among homeowners. I don’t recommend this one for heavy-duty professional jobs. The quality and price create doubts that it may not last long but are efficient to complete one or two projects on your own. 

Pros

• Cheap price;
• Detachable attachments for corner sanding;
• Extendable handle;
• Suitable for different applications.

Cons

• May not last very long. 

8. YATTICH Drywall Sander Machine with LED

• Speed: 800 to 1750 RPM;
• Storage bag and work glove;
• It has 7-level variable speed;
• Weights ‎15.07 pounds.

All the wall sanders we have listed here are more or less easy to use, but this one is more convenient than other models. Due to the LED incorporated with it, this sander is convenient to use in rooms where utility services are not available yet. It has an extendable handle like other models for easier application. This sander also comes with a carry case for better transportation and storage. 

The variable speed for this model starts at 800 RPM, which is good for removing large imperfections from walls and drywalls. The speed ranged up to 1750 RPM so that it is easier to operate and useful to finish off the sanding process. With merely 15.07 pounds, this saner will give you a fatigue-free experience. However, if you’re thinking of using it on the roof also, it’s going to feel heavier.

Pros

• Ultra-lightweight;
• 4 pcs dust ring;
• Easy to store and transport;
• LED for convenient operation.

Cons

• Not for heavy use.

9. WEN 6369 Drywall Sander with 15′ Hose

• 600 to 1500 RPM;
• 9″ swiveling head.

The speed is just right to use on not only drywalls but also any walls or ceiling. This machine is equipped with a powerful 5 amp motor that roars at 600 to 1500 RPM. The handle is extendable, and the vacuum hose is extra long at 15 ft. The sanding pad you will be using with this is 9 inches in size. I didn’t find wall sanders that use sanding paper as large as this one does. Meaning, it works on a larger area than other competitors. 

Due to its circular head, the only drawback is the corners of the ceiling, and wall joints will be left undone. You’ll still need to use a hand sander to finish off the corners. For the price, this WEN drywall sander delivers superior performance and is durable. Just use your senses to work with this on walls to don’t over sand or under sand the walls. 

Pros

• Extra-long vacuum hose;
• Durable construction;
• Powerful motor.

Cons

• Leaves the corners undone.

10. Makita 5-Inch Random Orbit Sander Kit

• Model: BO5041K;
• Size: 5 inches;
• Speed 4,000 to 12,000 OPM.

If you ask me, as a homeowner, which sander one should use on walls? Then I would advise this Makita sander. Random orbital sanders are versatile, as you can use it on wood, glass, metal, and other materials just by changing papers and speed. Then why not on walls? Homeowners do not like to spend extra on a wall sander and do not need to sand their wall frequently. So, why not use the same random orbital sander for the wall as well? 

Its 3.0 AMP motor is enough for prolonged heavy-duty use. It produces 4000 to 12000 speeds to finish any aggressive to fine sanding tasks. The ergonomics and durability are worth the investment in it as you got to use it on countless DIY projects. Another benefit of using this is, it is way too lighter than the extendable wall sanders. It only weighs 1 pound. So, even if it covers a small area, it will not strain your hand for prolonged use. 

Pros

• Efficient dust collection;
• Affordable price;
• Versatile use.

Cons

• Small coverage area.

 Tips for DIY Wall Sanding

• Remove furniture from the room if possible. If not possible, then at least cover those using old bedsheets. 
• Use safety goggles and masks while using the sanding machine.
• Before sanding, inspect your walls using a flashlight. Place the light parallel and close to the wall, and all the bumps will be visible. 
• Now, dust and wipe the walls before the sanding process. If it is a variable sander, then first use the lower speed to remove material faster. 
• Use one swipe on the entire wall and again, dust and clean the wall. Again use the flash to look for remaining bumps on the wall. 
• Follow this process several times. It is important to sand the wall in several tries for beginners. It will eliminate the risk of over sanding. 
• If your sander can not touch the corners, then do those surfaces manually. 
• Finally, use the higher speed for preparing the wall for paints. Clean the residue from the wall, and then you are all set for painting the wall. 
• Try not to run the sander and vacuum for too long. It may cause overheating.

Frequently Asked Questions

What Is the Best Sander to Use on Walls?

Sanding block, sandpaper, or orbital wood sanders

Sandpaper is great for little undertakings, and you can have a sanding square to hold it down. In the meantime, an arbitrary orbital sander is for ease while smoothing the wall. Sanding mortar dividers with it can give the surface a cleaner and compliment finish.

What Grit Sandpaper Do I Really Want for Drywall?

Utilize 220-grit sandpaper and sand the regions with a light and simple touch. Try not to involve coarse sandpaper under 100 grit as that might harm the drywall.

Is It Worth Getting a Drywall Sander?

Suppose you have more than one space to sand, it very well might merit the work to get a drywall shaft sander. A drywall shaft sander turns out incredible for sanding the drywall preliminary coat prior to painting, a stage that requires insignificant control and strain.

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