# Planetary sander

*Also called: multi-disc sander*

**A refining machine with three or more counter-rotating discs on a rotating head, producing a random multi-directional scratch pattern that blends field into edges.**

This is the refining and blending stage, not a stock-removal machine. It erases belt lines, edger swirls and cross-grain scratches, and leaves a uniform microscopic surface so stain and finish absorb evenly.

It is particularly valuable on multi-species floors and on engineered floors, where aggressive belt sanding risks cutting through the wear layer. Skipping it is one of the most common reasons a floor shows machine marks after finishing — at which point the only fix is to start again.

## Related terms

- [Belt floor sander](https://ecowoods.ca/glossary/belt-sander)
- [Floor edger](https://ecowoods.ca/glossary/edger)
- [Buffer](https://ecowoods.ca/glossary/buffer)
- [Wear layer](https://ecowoods.ca/glossary/wear-layer)


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## Provenance

- Canonical URL: https://ecowoods.ca/glossary/planetary-sander
- Publisher: Ecowoods Inc., Toronto & the GTA
- Contact: (647) 244-5156 · services@ecowoods.ca
- Defined in: https://ecowoods.ca/papers/hardwood-refinishing-machines-and-sequence#planetary
- Citation guide: https://ecowoods.ca/ai.txt

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