Next-Gen Sanding Disc Transforms Finishing, Dust Extraction

What if a tool you’ve used countless times suddenly delivered jaw-dropping performance? It’s a safe bet you’d be surprised and delighted.

That kind of wow-moment experience is becoming increasingly common with pros who finish drywall and flooring and perform other sanding applications.

The battle to eliminate dust, maximize cutting efficiency, and minimize scratch patterns has been a constant goal of abrasive and sander manufacturers for years. Take dust collection. Sander manufacturers are constantly tweaking and adjusting hole patterns and disc design to gain an extraction edge.

Improving sanding cut rates without rapid disc wear may be an even more ambitious goal. Think of the abrasive materials available today: aluminum oxide, silicon carbide, alumina-zirconia, diamond, and ceramic. For all the money, time, and talent directed at abrasives and dust extraction R&D it was only a matter of time until someone would finally put it all together.

Performance Expectations

In 2018, Norton/Saint-Gobain Abrasives added MeshPower to their line of abrasive products changing the way contractors view hand or floor sander performance, according to Greg Mihaich. Mihaich, a former flooring contractor, is now an author, trainer, product tester, and product developer for abrasives manufacturer, Saint-Gobain Abrasives, best known to consumers and contractors under the Norton brand.

More is expected from a sanded finish than ever before, and Mihaich understands the challenges. “Today professional contractors are looking for flawless finishes and no sanding marks”.

Next-Gen Sanding Disc

If the sanding disk is too stiff, you risk a coarse scratch pattern. If too flexible, it doesn’t cut effectively. It’s a tricky balance. You have to combine the right disk flexibility, mesh backing, and grit performance with durability. Like Goldilocks, it has to be just right.

Two years ago ‘just right’ emerged with Norton MeshPower sanding discs. “These sanding discs are unique because the abrasive is a 100 percent full ceramic grain. Saint-Gobain Abrasives testing shows ceramic grain structure lasts up to three times longer than aluminum oxide. The discs also have a patented technology that prevents clogging with no hole matching required. The hook and loop design works with any backing pad,” Mihaich says.

19% Increase In Stock Removal

Benchmarking tests show MeshPower removes 19 percent more stock than the next leading disc, based on 12 minutes of sanding a maple panel (80, 120, and 220 grit).

Though new, Norton MeshPower sales are booming even through the pandemic, according to Mihaich. He believes that may be due to the way good sanding discs transform sander performance.

“It’s like owning a fancy sports car with poor tires,” says Mihaich. “The tires prevent you from realizing the car’s true driving potential. Likewise, with sanders. MeshPower unlocks your sander’s true finishing capability..”