9-7/8" x 29-1/2" Floor Sanding Belts, 10 PACK

Ten-inch belt floor sanders are the machine most flooring contractors run on residential and light commercial jobs, and this is the belt they take: 9-7/8" x 29-1/2", zirconia alumina grain on a heavy poly-cotton cloth backing, sold in packs of 10. Zirconia is the grain we recommend for floor work because it fractures and re-sharpens under the drum pressure of a floor machine, so it keeps cutting through old polyurethane, wax and paint instead of glazing and burnishing the boards.

We stock this size in eight grits from 24 to 120, which covers the whole job from the first cut on a finish-caked oak floor to the final drum pass before the edger and buffer. Buyers are floor refinishers, rental-fleet operators and general contractors who need consistent belts by the case.

• Zirconia alumina self-sharpens under drum pressure: fast, cool cutting through old coatings
• Heavy poly-cotton cloth backing resists tearing at the joint and stretching on the drum
• Eight grits, 24 through 120, cover first cut to final pass on one machine
• Sized for 10-inch belt floor sanders that take a 9-7/8" x 29-1/2" belt
• Pack of 10 of one grit; case pricing available for fleets and rental yards
• Converted in Anaheim, California; free shipping on orders over $200

Which grit should you choose for your floor?

This listing is Zirconia only, and that is deliberate: on a floor machine the drum supplies the pressure zirconia needs to keep fracturing into fresh edges. Choose the grit by the condition of the floor and where you are in the sequence.

• 24 grit: first cut on floors with thick old finish, multiple coats of paint, adhesive residue, heavy cupping or deep stains. Expect to remove a lot of wood; use it only where you must.
• 36 grit: the usual first cut on a previously finished oak or maple floor in reasonable shape, and the second cut after 24.
• 40 grit: a slightly gentler first cut on softer woods (pine, fir) or the step after 36 when you want to keep the progression tight.
• 50 and 60 grit: second or third cut; removes the 36–40 scratch and levels the boards across the room.
• 80 grit: the standard third cut and the point where most of the visible scratch pattern disappears.
• 100 grit: final drum pass for floors that will be stained; leaves enough tooth for even stain take-up.
• 120 grit: final drum pass for a clear-coated floor or for close-grained species that show scratches easily.

A typical previously finished oak floor runs 36 → 60 → 80 → 100. A badly cupped or painted floor runs 24 → 40 → 60 → 80 → 100 or 120. Never jump more than about 20 grit numbers between cuts; the finish will show the scratch you skipped.

Grit guide for belt floor sanding

What machines take a 9-7/8" x 29-1/2" floor sanding belt?

• 10-inch belt floor sanders: the 9-7/8" width and 29-1/2" length is the common belt for this class of machine. Confirm the belt size in your machine's manual or on the plate inside the belt guard before ordering.
• Not for 8-inch machines, which take shorter belts such as 8" x 19" or 7-7/8" x 29-1/2", and not for 12-inch machines, which take 11-7/8" belts. We stock those sizes separately.
• Not for portable or bench belt sanders; the length is wrong for anything but a floor machine.

Mounting: release the belt tension lever, slide the belt on square to the drum, re-tension and rotate the drum by hand to check tracking before starting the motor. Check the inside of the belt for a direction arrow before mounting; if there is one, run it that way so the joint trails and does not lift. Adjust tracking so the belt runs centred on the drum, not against the flange.

If your machine takes a length or width that is not in our floor sanding collection, we make custom belt sizes to order in about 3 days.

How to get the most out of them

1. Feather in and out. Start walking before you lower the drum and lift it before you stop. Dropping or lifting a stationary drum leaves a dish that shows under every coat of finish.
2. Keep a steady pace. The machine sets the cut; your walking speed sets the finish. A slow, hesitant pass burns and dishes; a rushed pass leaves chatter.
3. Sand with the grain once the floor is flat. On a badly cupped floor take the first coarse cut at a slight diagonal, then straighten out on the next grit.
4. Overlap each pass by about a third of the drum width and turn at the wall with the drum raised, then come back on the other half of the room from the opposite direction.
5. Do not jump grits. Each belt removes the scratch of the one before it. 36 to 100 leaves 36 grit scratches under a shiny surface.
6. Change belts before they stop cutting. A dull zirconia belt burnishes the wood and loads with finish. If you see shine on the boards behind the drum, the belt is done.
7. Watch for silicone contamination. Floors treated with silicone-based polish will load belts quickly. Expect to change more often and vacuum thoroughly between cuts.
8. Vacuum between grits so a stray 36 grit particle does not ride under the 100 grit belt.
9. Store belts flat or hanging in a dry room and let a cold belt warm up before you mount it; a cloth belt that has sat kinked will take a set and thump on the drum.

Use it for / don't use it for

Use it for

• Cutting through old polyurethane, varnish, wax and paint on hardwood floors
• Levelling cupped, crowned or uneven boards after repairs
• Removing adhesive and underlayment residue before refinishing
• Sanding new solid oak, maple, hickory, pine and fir floors flat before finish
• Gym floors, stage floors and commercial hardwood that need fast, even stock removal

Don't use it for

• Engineered floors with a thin wear layer at 24–40 grit; you can sand through the veneer in one pass
• Portable or bench belt sanders; the length only fits floor machines
• Finish sanding finer than 120 grit; use the buffer and screens for that
• Metal, concrete or tile; these are wood floor belts

Specifications

Frequently asked questions

Related products and guides

• All floor sanding belts (8, 10 and 12-inch machines)
• 11-7/8" x 29-1/2" Floor Sanding Belts for 12-inch machines
• 8" x 19" Floor Sanding Belts for the Clarke EZ-8
• 7-7/8" x 29-1/2" Floor Sanding Belts for 8-inch machines
• Custom sanding belts made to order in about 3 days