Sanding Belts, Discs & Finishing Supplies

Which belt for which machine

• Portable belt sanders – 3x18, 3x21, 3x24, 4x21, 4x24, 4x36. Aluminum oxide for wood, zirconia for metal.
• Bench belt sanders – 1x30, 1x42, 2x42, 4x36, 6x48. The 1x30 in fine grits doubles as a knife sharpening belt.
• 2x72 belt grinders – see our knife making collection for ceramic, zirconia and surface conditioning belts.
• Edge sanders – 6x80, 6x89, 6x108 and longer; open-coat aluminum oxide resists loading on edge work.

Not sure what you have? Measure the width and the full circumference and read how to measure a sanding belt. Custom sizes ship in about three business days with no minimum.

Stock sizes run from 9" x 48" up to 52" x 138", including the most common machine sizes: 25" x 60", 25" x 75", 36" x 60", 37" x 60", 37" x 75", 43" x 75", 43" x 85" and 52" x 103".

Choosing a wide belt

Grain. Open-coat aluminum oxide is the workhorse for solid wood, plywood and veneer. Zirconia and ceramic are for steel, stainless and aluminum on Timesaver-style metal finishing machines, and for high-production hardwood lines where belt life matters more than cost.

Backing. X-weight cloth is standard for wide belts; heavier Y-weight polyester for wet or high-pressure metal work.

Joint. We convert wide belts on a bi-directional butt splice with a tape joint, so there's no bump in the finish and no need to track direction. Our guide to lap vs. butt splices explains the difference.

Use our sanding-belt size chart by machine to confirm fit before ordering.

If your machine breaks belts or leaves chatter marks, read Common Wide Belt Sander Problems before ordering – it's usually tracking or tension, not the belt.

Those sizes are 8" x 19" for the Clarke EZ-8, 7-7/8" x 29-1/2" for the American Sanders and Clarke 8" drums, 9-7/8" x 29-1/2", 11-7/8" x 29-1/2" and 11-7/8" x 31-1/2" for 10" and 12" drum machines. Open-coat aluminum oxide is the standard for hardwood flooring; zirconia is available for heavy cuts on old finish.

Grit sequence for refinishing a floor

Start at 36 grit to remove old finish and level boards, move to 60, then 80, then finish at 100 or 120 before stain or sealer. Don't skip grits – the scratches from 36 grit won't come out with 100. Our guide on how to sand a floor with a drum sander covers technique and edge work.