It’s no secret that sanding is a necessary part of any furniture makeover project. But did you know there’s a tool designed specifically for this task? The Surfprep sander is the perfect choice for anyone looking to speed up the sanding process while getting superior results.

Get our honest review, see how it compares to a budget friendly sander, and see what our SurfPrep sander setup is! At A Ray of Sunlight, we paint a lot of furniture, and sanding is a huge part of that, unfortunately.

photo of surfprep sander with text overlay

This professional-grade sanding tool is designed to be lightweight and easy to use, even for novice DIYers.

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The ergonomic design allows you to work with ease in tight spaces, while the variable speed setting lets you adjust the power according to the task at hand.

Plus, the dust collection system eliminates dust in your workspace and clean up time when your project is complete.

As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. I also may earn from other qualifying purchases with other companies or get free product to review and use. All opinions are my own.

I’m a pretty big fan of my SurfPrep 3×4 Electric Ray sander and want to tell the world about it. You can even use the code RAY10 to get 10% off your order!

surfprep sanding coupon code RAY10

I used to sand all of our furniture by hand or with a sanding sponge. If I was sanding the wood down to bare wood, I would use a Dewalt orbital sander.

  • But I absolutely hated how long it took to sand everything by hand.
  • And I hated all of the dust that was left behind.
  • Not to mention, I was always fighting sanding swirls after sanding with the orbital sander.
  • And I could only sand flat surfaces with the orbital.

I bet you know what I’m talking about. And then I heard about this SurfPrep Electric Ray 3×4′′ Sander and I was super intrigued!

I was in awe at a sander that can sand over trim and details without ruining it. And that it sucks up the dust so I can actually sand indoors!

Yep. That was me. And then I saw the price tag. I’m not going to lie; it was hard for me to swallow. These sanders aren’t cheap. So I researched. A lot. And I wondered if it was even worth it.

Long story short, I bought one in early 2020 and the rest is history. Now I want to help you with your decision and research before potentially making a big purchase.

Surfprep sander with 1/2" foam pad sanding furniture

Is a SurfPrep Sander Worth It?

Only you can answer that for yourself. In my opinion, it totally is! It’s a

  • time saver
  • hand saver
  • back saver
  • lung saver

And I don’t hate sanding anymore. Read my full and completely honest SurfPrep sander review here. I also made a review on the SurfPrep 5″ orbital sander.

But I didn’t want to stop there. I also tested it out, compared to my old orbital sander when I sanded the top of a dresser down to bare wood.

hand sanding vs sanding with surfprep sander

I also tested it out compared to sanding by hand. You can see what happened when we put the SurfPrep sander to the test here. Check out this video I made about my SurfPrep sander.

SurfPrep Sanding POV-8 Vacuum

in 2022, SurfPrep came out with a dust collection system (or vacuum) that rival’s Festool’s dust collection systems.

Of course I had to buy a SurfPrep vacuum to see how good it was compared to my normal setup with a shop vacuum.

And so I could let you know if it really is worth it to buy the SurfPrep POV-8 vacuum or not.

Check out my SurfPrep vacuum POV-8 review here to learn all about it and if it’s the right investment for you… cuz it ain’t cheap!

Is There a Budget-Friendly SurfPrep Sander Alternative?

As much as I love my SurfPrep, I know that not everyone can or wants to spend that much on a sander. Especially if you aren’t using it to make money.

Good news is that SurfPrep sells foam pads for other types of sanders too! Check out our post on the different types of sanders for furniture to learn more about your other options.

Here’s our blog post about foam sanding pads for electric sanders to learn more why foam sanding pads are a must have if you are sanding furniture.

And there are other sanders that you can easily attach a shop vac to! Check out this SurfPrep sander alternative to get my favorite SurfPrep features for a quarter of the price!

There are a few other sanders that I would recommend for sanding furniture. Check out the best sanders for furniture here.

Check out my honest SurfPrep vs Festool sander reviews to help your decision.

What to Buy to Get Started with a SurfPrep Sander

Man, it’s so overwhelming to figure out everything you need when you get a shiny new toy. So I put together a list of all of the things I bought to get started with a SurfPrep sander and why I bought them.

SurfPrep sander accessories

Where to Buy SurfPrep Sander

Honestly, it’s best to go directly with the company. They have amazing customer service. Seriously.

When I ordered, they let me know that I actually ordered more vacuum hose accessories than I needed to.

Another time I ordered foam pads with and without holes. They called me to double check that I meant to order that, because it’s a common mistake people make when ordering!

And I’ve heard other painters tell similar stories! Head over to the SurfPrep website to start shopping!

Since I love them so much, I asked them for a SurfPrep sanding coupon code for you! Just use the code RAY10 at checkout to get 10% off your order!

surfprep sanding coupon code RAY10

They also actually have a great FAQ section that I was reading through the other day. There is so much information in there that I had no idea about!

So, is a SurfPrep sander worth it? In my opinion, absolutely! I love mine and wouldn’t trade it for the world. It’s saved me so much time and energy (not to mention elbow grease).

If you’re on the fence about purchasing one, I hope this article has helped you make up your mind. And if you decide to take the plunge, use code RAY10 at checkout to get 10% off your order!

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surfprep sander sanding furniture