We’ve compiled a list of hardwood flooring tools and equipment everyone should have access to. Whether you’re just starting out as a hardwood floor contractor or outfitting a new van, here are the tools that you need to succeed:
This is an absolutely essential piece of equipment for every hardwood floor contractor to have in their arsenal. This is the machine you will use for the bulk of the stock removal from the floor.
There are two types of floor sanders: a drum floor sander and a belt floor sander.
A drum floor sander is more powerful than a belt sander, and is typically used to remove deep scratches. These sanders are especially helpful for refinishing old and distressed flooring, as they help to remove stains and give an aging surface a new finish. Common belt sanders do not require the high energy drum sanders need. They are less powerful but they are also easier to use in terms of getting the abrasive/sandpaper on and off of the machine.
One of floor sanders we most highly recommend is the Lagler Hummel. This is one of the best pieces of floor sanding equipment you can have. It’s a powerful machine. With thousands of international models in use, our Lagler Hummel belt sanding machine is world-renowned. There’s a reason why it’s been one of the top hardwood floor sanders for decades. The Lagler Hummel is a durable, powerful machine and boasts a belt tensioning device with integrated automatically regulated belt guidance, a three-stage drum pressure regulation system, and an aggressive sanding drum.
A buffer/orbital sander is used to get scratch patterns out of the floor after passing through with the big machine, and for blending the edges with the main part of the floor.
We have a variety of orbital floor sanders for sale, including the Clarke RS-16 DC buffer and the Bona FlexiSand DCS.
Cleat nailers, staplers, and finish nailers
Primatech P250 – Probably the best cleat nailer to have in your arsenal. Thanks to high levels of R&D and extensive field testing, the Primatech P250 Pneumatic Flooring 
Nailer is packed with a variety of advantages to offer its user incredible ease of use, performance, and precision. It features a strong reinforced aluminum head casing, which boosts its reliability, stamina, and smoothness. The 250A model has an adjustable baseplate, negating the use of shims and allowing for telegraphy (dimple effect) control.
Primatech Edge – featuring a unique design that is designed specifically for the finishing process.The EDGE nailer will save you up to 50% of the finishing process on every job. The EDGE is the perfect tool for hallways, closets, end walls, railings, radius, cabinets, stair casings, jambs and trim, custom floors fixtures, appliances and much more.
You will use an edger to sand hard-to-reach areas such as up against walls, underneath toekicks, and other areas.
A few of the edgers we recommend are:
Clarke Super 7R edger. Known for its precision and neatness, this durable machine is built for productivity. The Clarke 7R edger features direct vacuum hookup capabilities, new dust pipe design, 
and a quick release dust bag.
The Galaxy RS 100 radiator edger is a toe kick sander that makes an invaluable asset in any flooring professional’s repertoire. Highlights of this model include its 1.6 inch clearance, making it the perfect alternative to hand-sanding those tight spots. You will never sand by hand underneath a radiator or around a fireplace again! The Galaxy RS100 is balanced for vibration-free delivery and produces a smooth finish with flawless consistency. Even under heavy loads, this machine’s powerful motor won’t let you down.
Other Tools and Accessories
Other hardwood flooring tools we recommend having in your arsenal are:
Moisture meters are crucial to the success of any job. You have to measure the moisture content of 
the wood and subfloor before, during, and after installation to make sure that you don’t have to deal with cupping, gapping, and other issues.
Saws to cut pieces of the wood to fit while installing the floor and power tools, hand sanders/palm sanders for issues that come up on the job that other more specific equipment won’t cover.
With all of this equipment at your fingertips, you will be more than ready to succeed in the field.
