for leveling (flatten) out minor humps on plywood or other types of wood subfloors. In cases where plywood subfloors may have been exposed to a lot of moisture or rained on heavily during the early stages of having a home built, plywood edges can sometimes raise, curl, and swell. Failure to correct is likely to cause squeaking at a later date because the boards will have voids under them.

Some may think, "why bother, we can just use a regular belt sander." Belt

sanders do not compare to the power output of a flooring edger. Using an example, a common belt sander usually takes 3-4 times longer than this great addition to your possible floor prep tool list. It will also require more sanding belts to do the same job.

Words of caution when using an edger. Always set any nails or screws that may protrude from the subfloor. Setting can be easily accomplished not with a nail set, but a large regular screwdriver laid on edge on the subfloor and a few whacks with a hammer. The edger can knock nails down in quick fashion and throw off sparks, but you'll find yourself buying more and more sanding discs, once they get caught on a nail the wrong way. Edgers are not a difficult tool to operate. All come with a dust vacuum attachment but do not remove all the dust.