Factors Influencing the Production of Dust During the Hand Sanding of Wood

Abstract

The effect of wood density and hardness, sandpaper grade, and contact pressure on the production of dust during the sanding of wood was investigated. The hardness and density of the wood correlated so well with each other that it was impossible to distinguish between the effects of each one. Harder woods produced a lower rate of dust production and finer dust, but the quotient of the mass of dust produced and the mass of wood removed varied little with wood type. Fine and coarse sandpaper produced similar concentrations of airborne dust, but coarse sandpaper produced less dust per unit mass of wood removed. Small samples of wood produced less dust per unit mass of wood removed than larger samples, but the benefit of this would be offset by the poorer efficiency of dust extraction systems in this situation.