Automated surface finishing using industrial robots requires good understanding of the pressure distribution between the compliant tools and workpieces. For abrasive belts, the contact is essentially between the rubber contact wheel and the workpiece surface. This paper investigates the pressure distribution with respect to different applying loads and wheel hardness values for such contact. The study compares pressure data among those measured from experiments and across with those calculated from Hertzian model. To facilitate the analysis, the experimental data in discrete values is fitted into smooth continuous elliptical profiles. In general, the pressure results from experiments and from Hertzian prediction both display similar correlation with the varying load and hardness, although experimental results suggest more significant changes in terms of contact area. Moreover, Herzian model tends to underestimate the contact area while overestimate the pressure values. The model provides better prediction at low applying load and high hardness value, at which it can be implemented as a suitable prediction model for pressure distribution.