The belt sander is a machine used for quick sanding of wood and other materials. It consists of an electric motor that rotates a pair of drums on which a piece of continuous sandpaper is mounted. It can be both portable (where the sander moves over the material) and stationary (fixed), in the latter the material moves over the sandpaper.

They vary in size, from small transportable units to large devices located in important factories. Sanding wood produces a lot of sawdust, which is why most belt sanders come equipped with some type of dust collection system.