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March 2005
10 tips for safe, smart sanding
Fiberglass and asbestos aren't the only harmful dusts that await home renovators. Ordinary wood dust can cause a litany of
ailments, from eye irritation and reduced lung function to asthma and nasal cancer, according to the National Institute for
Occupational Safety and Health, a branch of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Wood dust can also be a fire hazard, while the sander itself can pose other risks to you and your project. To minimize risks:
1. Wear a disposable, NIOSH-approved N, R, or P (95 to 100) particulate-filtering mask (about $2 each).
2. Wear goggles or, better, safety glasses with side shields (about $4 to $9), which are less likely to fog up during use.
3. Wear earplugs or muff-type protectors (about $15), especially when using a belt sander, the noisiest type by far.
4. Make sure the sander's power switch is turned off before you plug in the cord.
5. Unplug sander before changing paper.
6. Don't sand near sparks or flames, which can ignite wood dust.
7. Don't push down; let the weight of the sander do the work so that you reduce the chance of the machine kicking back at you.
8. Start the sander before it contacts the wood, then keep it moving; both help minimize the chance of gouging the surface.
9. Use the right paper. Start with a coarse grit (60- to 80-grit) for rough-sanding uneven surfaces. Then use finer and finer
grits (100-, 150-, then 220-grit, for example) before staining or painting.
10. Sand in the right direction. For belt sanders, go against the grain for faster sanding, with it for smoother results.
