After my blog post about how to restore teak outdoor furniture, I mentioned that I was going to work on my acacia wood bench next. That bench was a bit trickier because it has a carved floral design and spindle legs. So now weeks later, I can finally share the newly refinished bench with you and also how to sand spindles of any size. Most people always prefer to grab a power tool to do the work for you but in this case, if you don’t have a super steady hand, you can actually do a lot of damage to the wood with a power tool and it might be better just to sand those spindles by hand. Let me show you what I mean.

How to sand spindles without power tools

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My favorite power tool to grab for detail sanding will always be a Dremel. On my bench, I did use it in certain areas like the carved flower to remove the old stain. It just wouldn’t have been doable without it. But… I did try it with a sanding drum attachment on the spindles. In one area it accidentally removed one of the delicate contours of the spindle details. So I figured it would be best to sand the spindle legs without power tools. Or some of you want to maybe refinish an old piece of furniture but don’t feel like buying an expensive power sander just for spindles. So don’t worry if you don’t have the right tools, you can do this by hand too. Let me show you what methods I tested.

On another note, if you are wondering about other power tools besides a Dremel to use for the spindle sanding process. A belt sander is about the worst option for these types of delicate spindles and I do not recommend it. There are different types of electric sanders like a small palm sander, sheet sander, or an oscillating spindle sander that work a bit better but are still quite hard to use for detail sanding. You can also try a power drill and attach different types of rotary tools like abrasive flap wheels/brush wheels which are also manufactured in small for your Dremel.

To make your sanding a bit easier, you can also add some chemical stripper to your spindles first to remove the old finish (old paint, old varnish, or old stain). You can use an old toothbrush or steel wool while wearing chemical gloves and safety goggles to remove some of the old varnish or layers of paint. But regardless you will have to sand eventually.

teak bench with spindle legs before makeover

Video instructions

I made a video to give you a better idea of what I did. If it doesn’t load for you on my blog then you can head to my YouTube channel instead to watch it there.

3 different methods to sand spindles without power tools

Here are the links to the different types of specialized sandpapers that I used for the following methods. Just like other sanding projects you should start with a coarse piece of sandpaper and finish with fine-grit sandpaper.

various sheets of sandpaper from finer grits to coarse and duck tape
abrasive cord
3M stretchable/ultra-flexible sanding sheets

Duct tape-backed sheets of sandpaper for larger spindle areas

This is a great hack for sanding rounded edges and spindles and is so simple. Whether prepping for painting or removing an existing finish, you only need sheets of sandpaper (in different grits), duct tape, and sharp scissors. Cut strips of duct tape that are longer than your sheet of sand paper. Stick those duct tape strips to the back of the sheet of sandpaper. I also like adding duct tape to the sticky part that overlaps the sandpaper on the front so I can grip it better with my hands while sanding.
Now cut the sandpaper into strips that are different widths. The duct tape strengthens the sandpaper and makes it easier to grip while wrapping around the spindles. Pull the strip of sandpaper from both ends to sand around the round areas of the spindles.

Here you can see in visual steps what I mean:

sandpaper and duct tape hack for sanding spindles

And below you can see what I mean when I said that you should wrap it around the spindles and pull from both sides which you can also see in my video.

sanding a spindle with duct taped sandpaper

Using an abrasive cord to sand in tight grooves

When it comes to sanding tight grooves and details, using an abrasive cord can be a game-changer. It is perfect for sanding rounded intricate details/ridges like spindles. Simply wrap the cord around the spindle and pull it back and forth to sand away any finish, rough spots, or imperfections. With a little patience and practice, you’ll be amazed at the smooth, even finish you can achieve with an abrasive cord. I find a coarse grit abrasive cord more effective.

using an abrasive cord to sand spindle details

Using ultra-flexible sanding sheets to conform to spindle shape

Ultra-flexible sanding sheets are a versatile and effective tool for sanding larger intricate areas of the spindles. Made from a special blend of materials, these sheets are designed to be extra flexible, allowing you to sand around curves and corners with ease. They come in a variety of grits, so you can choose the right one for your particular project.

I cut the sheets into different widths for sanding in specific areas of the spindles.

Here you can see how the flexible sandpaper conforms to the spindle shape which is pretty cool.

close-up of flexible sandpaper wrapped around spindle leg

pulling on both sides of the stretchable sandpaper on spindle legs

NOTE: You get the best results if you use a combination of all three methods to successfully sand your spindles. If I’d have to pick one method out of all three, then I’d choose the flexible sandpaper because it kind of is a mix of all three methods together. It really works great and gets good results.

Finished spindle leg bench

Here is a close-up of the bench spindle legs all clean and unfinished.

I recently wrote a tutorial about how to restore teak outdoor furniture and used the same method for this acacia wood bench. It worked great.

side-by-side comparison of refinished teak chair and dirty unfinished teak chair

metal mesh patio table with macrame between two sun lounge chairs with blue accents and a lot of plants in terracotta pots — I also added a little metal patio table makeover to the lounge chairs.

And now you can see the bench with the hardwood & teak protector applied. All the hard work paid off. All my old pieces of outdoor wood furniture look like new again now.

side view of refinished outdoor bench with spindle legs

full view of refinished outdoor bench with spindle legs

refinished outdoor bench with spindle legs

close-up of refinished spindle legs on bench

before and after view of refinished outdoor bench with spindle legs

Also, check out my blog posts about how to mix and match patio furniture, my favorite blue and white French woven bistro chairs, how to measure a patio umbrella replacement canopy, and how to DIY a stock tank swimming pool with pool liner.

refinished spindle leg bench on paver patio with blue and white decor

Whether you have chair spindles, stair spindles, bench spindles, banisters, balusters, or spindle leg tables, these methods work for all of them. So give them a try next time you try to refinish an ornate piece of wood furniture. Good luck!

Tschüß,