How to Attach a Sanding Pad to a Buffer

An electric floor buffer can do more than polish your hardwood floor. These powerful devices can also be used to lightly sand the surface, removing the layer of built-up wax and ground-in dirt that dulls the finish. The process is called screening, and uses open-weave pads of various grits to scrub away the grime. Floor buffers can be a bit tricky to operate, but once the pad is attached and you find the rhythm of the machine, the process is a lot like dancing.

Floor buffer screening pads in a variety of grits

Instructions

- 1
  Ensure that the buffer is unplugged before attaching a new pad.
- 2
  Place the buffer handle in the upright position and secure it with the locking lever near the base.
- 3
  Tilt the buffer backward onto its support wheels. Hold the buffer in this position with one hand. Grasp a buffer pad with the other hand and affix it to the pad holder with a slapping motion. This allows the small hooks on the pad holder to grasp the woven pad more firmly.
- 4
  Tilt the buffer forward until it settles on the pad. Check the pad alignment to ensure it is reasonably centered on the pad holder.
- 5
  Plug in the buffer. Loosen the handle lock and place the handle in the desired operating position, approximately even with your hips. Ensure that the buffer will move freely without the support wheels touching the floor. Lock the handle in this position.
- 6
  Grasp the handle firmly. Depress the handle trigger and the safety interlock simultaneously to operate the buffer. Keep the buffer moving continuously as long as the pad is rotating.

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