On October 1, 2020, the much-anticipated release of the Festool Planex LHS 2 225 EQI-Plus revolutionized the sanding of walls and ceilings for plasterers, painters, and drywallers in Europe. As of May 18th, 2021, we now have access to this long-awaited tool in the United States! This long-reach sander does much more than offer the quality German craftsmanship we’ve come to expect from Festool. Some of the highlights include:

• An innovative LED light ring, which solves the visibility issue that has long been a headache in overhead sanding projects, especially on job sites where lighting is often inadequate. 
• The advanced sanding motion of the Planex LHS 225, which eliminates the common issue of sanding marks and provides a smooth, flawless finish.
• The improved, weight-supporting extraction system. The new Planex has an upgraded, adjustable extraction feature that relieves the weight of the tool during overhead work with powerful ceiling suction.

Let’s take a closer look at each of these features, and how the modular design of the Planex LHS 225 EQ-Plus makes sanding easier in both form and function.

360 Degrees of Illumination

The LED light ring provides a bright glow to the work surface in the best possible location: conveniently encircling the head of the sander. Festool tested the 360° LED in this ingenious head-mounted ring for over 20,000 hours with no signs of failure. At last, it’s possible to see the fine details of the surface you’re sanding with clear and localized illumination. Flashlights, clip-lights, and tripod floods are a thing of the past—as is the risk of tripping on an extension cord hooked up to your supplementary light.

Eccentric Sanding Motion

In the past, this clever irregular style of motion, which eliminates scuff marks and swirls, was limited to somewhat compact random orbital sanders.  This made it difficult to cover a large area like walls or ceilings unless you used a large, traditional circular sander (or spent a lot of excess time with smaller tools). Now, Festool has brought the desired randomized orbital motion to a sizable 8.5” pad with 4mm strokes.  It’s never been easier to deliver premium, scratch-free surface quality across large walls and ceilings. The Planex LHS 225 even makes fine work of softer fillers and plasters that are now common in the market.

Upgraded Planex LHS 2 Extraction

The new Planex long-reach sander takes the stress off of your arms and back during long hours finishing large interior areas. Festool has developed an adjustable LHS 2 extraction system for this updated Planex generation. As Simon Gröger explained in an October 2020 press release, “With the previous PLANEX models, the perfect extraction setting wasn't very intuitive. We have developed the new PLANEX LHS 2 so that the extraction support is more powerful and can be set with a single switch. This greatly simplifies daily sanding tasks.” In other words, the long-reach sander can help to support its own weight with powerful suction from the dust extraction feature while you work on overhead surfaces. Just flip the switch as you transition to the ceiling and boost the power.

Get the Planex LHS 225 EQ-Plus at US Tool & Fastener

The standard Planex LHS 225 package on our online store comes with a reach extender, medium-density sanding pad, and maxi-systainer for tool storage. The lightweight build, adjustable sliding shaft, and an operator safety harness are all engineered for excellent handling and superior performance. But don’t stop there. Remember to check out our collection of helpful accessories, quality abrasives, and the Planex blast gate that enables deeper cleaning by cutting off incoming air.

Finally, if you’re interested in seeing the tool in action, watch this live recording from the Festool HQ in Germany, where Festool shows off the qualities of their updated long-reach sander.