A sanding disc that fits your pad but covers half its dust holes will still sand, just badly. The disc runs hotter, clogs faster and leaves more dust in the air and on the work. This guide explains the common hole patterns, how to tell which one your sander uses, and which discs to buy for it.
Not sure what you have? Count the holes on your pad and call us at 403-250-3399, or send us a photo, and we’ll match it.
Three things to match before you buy
- Diameter: 5 in (125 mm) and 6 in (150 mm) are the common random orbital sizes. Delta and rectangular sanders use their own sheet shapes.
- Attachment: hook and loop or PSA (stick-on). See our guide to hook and loop vs PSA discs.
- Hole pattern: how many dust holes the disc has and where they sit. This is the one people get wrong, and it is what the rest of this guide is about.
Why the hole pattern matters
On a dust-extracting sander, air is pulled through holes in the pad and out to the bag or extractor. The disc’s holes have to line up with the pad’s holes, or the disc blocks them.
- Fewer disc holes than pad holes is the bad case. Some of the pad’s holes are covered, suction drops, and dust builds up under the disc. The disc loads up, cuts slower and wears out sooner.
- More disc holes than pad holes is fine. The extra holes are simply open over solid pad.
- A solid disc on an extraction pad blocks all of it. Only use solid discs where you don’t need extraction, such as wet sanding or polishing with foam-backed discs.
Sanding disc hole pattern chart
These are the patterns we stock, what they fit, and the discs to buy.
| Pattern | Size | Fits | Discs we stock |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8-hole | 5 in | Most dust-extracting 5 in random orbital sanders with an 8-hole pad | Sia Siaspeed 5 in 8-hole, 40 to 600 grit |
| Festool 5 in (8 holes plus centre) | 5 in / 125 mm | Festool ES 125, ETS 125, ETSC 125, ETSC 2 125 and ETS EC 125 | Sia Siaspeed 5 in Festool pattern, 80 to 320 grit |
| Festool 6 in Multi-Jetstream 2 (48 holes plus centre; we list it as 49-hole) | 6 in / 150 mm | Festool ETS 150, ETS EC 150, LEX 150, WTS 150 and RO 150 FEQ with an MJ2 pad | Sia Siaspeed 6 in 49-hole Festool, 120 to 320 grit |
| Multi-hole (57 or 81 holes) | 6 in | Sold for 6 in hook and loop sanders whatever their hole pattern | Sia Siaspeed 57-hole (40 and 80 grit), siaflex 57-hole (120 to 600), Siaspeed 81-hole (100 to 600) |
| FiboTec (59 holes) | 6 in | Sia says it fits all random orbit sanders without lining up holes | Sia siaflex FiboTec, 100 and 150 grit |
| Delta, 7-hole | 100 x 150 mm triangle | Festool DTS 400 delta sanders | Sia Siaspeed delta sheets, Festool Granat Delta/7 |
| 14-hole rectangle | 80 x 133 mm | Festool RTS 400 and RTSC 400 orbital sanders | Sia Siaspeed 80 x 133 mm sheets, 100 to 400 grit |
| 128-hole | 225 mm | Festool Planex LHS 225 drywall sanders, including earlier Planex models | Festool Granat D225/128, 80 to 220 grit |
| Solid (no holes) | 5 in and 6 in | Sanders without extraction, hand blocks, wet sanding and polishing | Siaspeed latex discs, Siaair foam discs, PSA linkrolls |
How to tell which pattern your sander uses
- Count the holes on the pad, not the old disc. Discs are often mismatched already. Count the outer ring and note whether there is a hole in the centre.
- Measure the pad. 5 in pads are about 125 mm across; 6 in pads about 150 mm.
- Check the pad’s part name. Festool pad names include the size and pattern, for example ST-STF D150/MJ2. For other brands, the sander manual or the pad packaging usually lists it.
- If the pad has lots of small holes (40 or more), it is a multi-hole pad. Use a multi-hole disc so none of them are blocked.
Festool hole patterns explained
Festool has changed its patterns over the years, which is where most of the confusion comes from.
- 5 in (125 mm): 8 holes on a 90 mm circle plus a centre hole. Sellers often call it “9-hole”. Fits the ES, ETS, ETSC and ETS EC 125 sanders.
- 6 in (150 mm) Multi-Jetstream 2: the current pattern, with 48 suction holes plus the centre. Festool names these discs D150/48; some sellers say 49-hole. Same thing.
- Older 6 in pads: Festool’s earlier Jetstream and Multi-Jetstream pads had fewer holes. Discs of either generation fit either pad, but a disc with fewer holes than the pad reduces dust pickup.
- Delta (DTS 400): older pads had 7 holes, the current pad has 9. The current pad fits all DTS and DTSC 400 sanders, but you only get the full benefit with matching paper.
- Planex (225 mm): 128 holes. The 128-hole discs also fit earlier Planex models.
Multi-hole discs: the easy answer for mixed shops
If your shop runs sanders from more than one brand, or you aren’t sure what pads you have, a multi-hole disc saves a lot of guesswork. The holes are spread across the whole disc, so some are always over the pad’s holes no matter how you stick it on.
Sia’s Siaspeed 81-hole and 57-hole discs put more holes in the centre, where most of the dust is made, and fewer near the rim. Sia’s FiboTec pattern spaces its holes on a Fibonacci spiral for the same reason: you don’t have to line it up.
The trade-off is that a disc punched to exactly match your pad gives the best extraction on that pad. If every sander in the shop is the same, buy the matching pattern. If they aren’t, buy multi-hole.
Dynabrade and air sanders
Dynabrade makes both vacuum and non-vacuum pads. Their standard 5 in vacuum pads have 5 holes and their 6 in vacuum pads have 6 holes, and they also make a 6 in multi-hole pad. Check the pad before you order discs: an 8-hole 5 in disc won’t line up fully with a 5-hole pad. On a 6 in vacuum pad, a multi-hole disc is the safe choice. We stock Dynabrade sanders and pads and can help you match discs to them.
Common mistakes
- Buying by brand instead of by pad. Two sanders from the same maker can use different patterns, especially across older and newer models.
- Using up the wrong discs on an extraction sander. It works, but you pay for it in clogged discs and dust.
- Punching your own holes. It is hit and miss, and the edges can tear. A multi-hole disc is the easier fix.
- Ignoring a worn pad. If discs fly off or won’t sit flat, the hook face is worn. A new pad costs less than a box of wasted discs.
Hole pattern questions we get
Is a 49-hole disc the same as a 48-hole Festool disc?
Yes. Festool counts the 48 suction holes; some sellers add the centre hole and call it 49. Both fit Festool’s 150 mm Multi-Jetstream 2 pads.
Can I use a disc with no holes on my extraction sander?
You can, but it blocks the extraction completely, so the disc clogs and the dust goes into the air. Save solid discs for wet sanding, polishing and sanders without extraction.
Is it OK if the disc has more holes than the pad?
Yes. Extra holes over solid pad don’t hurt anything. It is fewer holes than the pad that causes trouble.
Will Festool 5 in discs fit other 5 in sanders?
Festool’s 5 in pattern has 8 holes plus a centre hole. On a pad with a different layout, some holes won’t line up. If you run a mix of 5 in sanders, ask us and we’ll suggest a disc that suits all of them.
Get the right discs from IBEX
We stock Sia and Festool discs in every pattern above in Calgary and ship across Canada, or you can pick up at Unit 208, 2835 23 St NE. Not sure what your pad takes? Call 403-250-3399 or request a quote with your sander model and we’ll match it. For choosing grits, see our sanding grit chart.