See whether renting a commercial drum or orbital floor sander beats buying equipment for hardwood refinishing.
Example calculation
Net advantage of buying over 3 years
Buying saves $1,410
Over 3 years
Buying pays
Buying this equipment pays compared with renting over 3 years. Renting for 10 days per year would cost $2,400. Buying requires $1,290 upfront plus $180 in upkeep, but retaining $480 in resale equity brings your true net purchase cost down to $990, saving you $1,410. You break even at 3.7 usage days per year.
Total rental cost
$2,400
Fees and delivery charges
Net purchase cost
$990
Outlays less resale equity
Break-even usage
3.7 days/yr
Annual days to break even
Ending tool equity
$480
Fair market salvage value
Cumulative cost by year
Compare cumulative rental costs against net ownership costs (outlays minus salvage equity).
View multi-year cost schedule
Year
Cumulative rental
Cumulative purchase outlays
Tool resale equity
Net purchase cost
Net difference
Sensitivities and tradeoffs
Zero resale value ($0)
Buying saves $930 vs now
If equipment is run to failure
5 days/yr usage
Buying saves $285 vs now
If project needs only 5 days/year
Break-even threshold: If you use this tool more than 3.7 days per year, buying pays. If you use it less, renting is cheaper.
Saved scenarios
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How this calculation works
This calculator compares the full life-cycle cost of renting tools or machinery against purchasing, taking into account delivery fees, sales taxes, ongoing maintenance, and residual resale equity.
Key formulas
Total rental outlays: Daily rental rate multiplied by annual usage days, plus delivery or damage waiver fees per rental episode, multiplied by your comparison years.
Total purchase outlays: Initial purchase price plus state and local sales tax, plus annual maintenance, blade replacement, and storage over the horizon.
Ending equipment equity: Estimated fair market resale value of the tool at the end of the ownership horizon.
Net cost to buy: Total purchase outlays minus ending resale equity. This reflects the true economic cost (actual depreciation + maintenance + sales tax).
Break-even usage days: The number of days per year you must use the equipment so that annual rental charges equal your annualized net ownership cost.
Sources and benchmark dates
Rental rates and delivery fees reflect Home Depot Tool Rental and Sunbelt Rentals benchmarks. Equipment resale values and depreciation curves are informed by used machinery market data. Maintenance and storage overhead guidelines reflect American Rental Association (ARA) cost-of-ownership standards. Checked on 2026-10-12.
A planning estimate based on your inputs and the assumptions shown. Actual equipment longevity, repair costs, and local rental rates vary.
Typical wattage, rental rates, and break-even math
Commercial hardwood floor sanders rent for $65 to $95 per day (or $250 to $320 per week), whereas buying a commercial-grade sander costs $600 to $1,500. For a single-room or whole-house DIY refinishing project, renting wins easily; for landlords refinishing turnovers across multiple units, buying breaks even after 6 to 8 rental days.
Enter your lease quote and loan terms. See whether leasing or buying costs less over the same months, and what the car must be worth for buying to win.