How to Build a Sandpaper Organizer With Sander Storage

Keep sandpaper organized with this wall-mounted DIY sander organizer. This easy project will take less than 60 minutes and make your sandpaper and sander storage easy to reach and use.

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How do you store your sandpaper?

I have been storing it in a drawer.

It started out pretty well but over the years, it has been the most frustrating part of my workshop organization.

And then I ended up with the “lost sandpaper” dilemma –

• I throw half-used sanding discs into the drawer all the time to use them later but when it is time to use them, I can usually never find them.
• Sometimes, various packages open and mix up, and then I spend a long time trying to find the grit I needed.

Not just sanding discs or sandpaper, I also have sanding blocks, sanding belts for a belt sander, and other smaller sanding solutions – all mixed into that one single drawer – and sometimes, when they don’t fit, they are in various parts of the workshop.

Oh and not to mention the sanders that were always on various shelves with tangled wires.

Sanding is in itself the most boring part of a project and the added frustration with the sanding storage only makes it worse.

It was high time I addressed this situation.

The Plan

I started out by making a list of what I wanted to store in that organizer.

Here is what I wanted to store in the organizer –

• Sanding disc – in at least 6 different grits
• Sanding blocks
• Sanding sponges
• Sanding sheets
• Sanding belts
• Random orbital sander
• Belt Sander

I also have a corner sander but I rarely use it. It would be nice to have space for it but I decided not to worry. I can store it in its bag like do right now.

Based on this list and my frustrations with the storage, I decided the sandpaper organizer needed to include the following –

• Easy to reach
• Well organized – easy to find what I need in the middle of the project
• Up on the wall and out of deep drawers.
• Shelves to store the sanders, sanding blocks and various sizes of sandpaper
• Divided compartments for the sanding discs.

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How to Build the Sandpaper Organizer

Step 1: Make the Cuts

The plans detail all the cuts that are needed.

I used 3/4″ birch plywood for this project.

You can easily accommodate all the cuts needed in one single 2×4 sheet of plywood. Or, you might have enough scrap plywood to build this.

At the top of the sides, I decided to add a little angle which I cut using a jigsaw.

Step 2: Attach the Shelves

For this step, I used pocket holes to attach the bottom piece to the sides for maximum strength.

It is also a lot easier to make sure that the boards are perpendicular.

Once the bottom was in place, I measured the spacing and added the shelves using wood glue and trim head screws.

Optionally, you can also use a dado stack and mill rabbets into the side of the plywood and use 1/4″ plywood shelves. I wanted to make this as beginner-friendly to build as possible.

Step 3: Attach the Front and Back Aprons

At the top, I attached two aprons to the front using wood glue and trim head screws.

The back apron is inset and attached using pocket hole screws.

Alternatively, if you would like to use a french cleat system, the back apron becomes a french cleat and is attached to the outside of the organizer.

At this point, you can also add a backing if you like. I decided to only add it to the top sanding disc storage area and not to the rest of the organizer.

Step 4: Add Dividers.

I cut dividers out of 3/4″ and 1/4″ pieces of plywood.

I cut them such that they fit really tightly and I didn’t attach them.

This will help me move them around if I needed to re-organize.

Step 5: Attach to the Wall.

I attached the sandpaper organizer onto the wall by screwing it directly into the wall studs using 3″ screws.

As I mentioned previously, you can also use french cleats to attach.

RELATED: How to Make a French Cleat – 2 Easy Ways

Step 6: Organize!

I added labels for each of the grits on the sanding disc storage and added all my sanding discs, sheets, blocks, and even the random orbital sander and belt sander.

I am so glad I finally decided to build this organizer.

All my sandpaper is within reach.

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After I use a disc, if I need to reuse it, I can place it back in the sandpaper holder so I can pick it up again when needed…at least that’s the plan 🙂

To be honest, it’s almost freeing to see this organized stack of sandpaper and sanding blocks. It takes away at least half of my anxiety when it comes to sanding

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Sandpaper and Sander Organizer Plans

You can download the plans for the sandpaper organizer by clicking the button below.

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