Tricks for Sanding Louvered Doors

Here's a solution to the time consuming task of sanding slats in louvered doors. All that's required is a simple device on your palm sander.

Sanding slats in louvered doors Take a wooden paint stir stick and cut it about 9" long, measuring from the handle end. Form indentations similar to those on the handle end 2" from the cut end. Cut strips of sandpaper the width of the stir stick and about 6" long. Then fold the sandpaper over one end of the stick, and secure it with duct tape.

Sanding slats in louvered doors Hold the stick against the pad of your palm sander. Next, place a size 84 rubber band (available at office supply stores) onto the handle indentation of the stick and pull the rubber band up and over the edges of your sander. 

Hook it onto the other end of the stick. When you turn on your sander, the stir stick acts as a thin extension and fits perfectly between the louvered slats and into the corners, eliminating hours of tedious hand sanding.

A couple of hints: Keep several large (size 84) rubber bands handy, because they do break. And when the sandpaper wears out on one side of the stick, just flip the stick over to the new side.

Submitted by c.bruce