What type of sander do I need for doing up my hall?

[twinky]

I would like to decorate my hallway and have a lot of woodwork to sand : doors, skirtings, door frames and a staircase over 2 levels. I was thinking of buying a sander of some sort to help but am confused by all the different types. Could anyone advise on a suitable one? Thanks.

Belt sanders are good for biggish flat bits (flat doors, stair treads, even a floor at a push), but they might not get into the recesses of a panelled door, and they'd be a pain in the arse to get around the banisters and stuff. Fiddlier bits, you're better off with an detail sander, which will get into corners and tight places. An orbital sander is somewhere in between in terms of scale and speed.

The detail sander will do the bigger stuff as well, but it just doesn't cover the ground as efficiently, if you see what I mean: it'll take longer, and you'll run through the sanding pads. For sanding curves and fine details, there's no substitute for doing it by hand. If you only plan to buy one sander, I'd make it a detail sander.

Thanks so much Sandthorn that's very helpful of you. My neighbour gave me an orbital sander to try out and I notice that Aldis are having a diy offer with sandpaper next week. I'll stock up and get on with it. Thanks again for replying.