Hardwood Floor Refinishing Cost: Per Sq Ft & by Room Size

Bob Vila puts the national average hardwood refinishing job at $1,869, with a typical range of $1,098 to $2,653. HomeGuide lists refinishing at $2 to $8 per sq ft.

Cost by method (per sq ft)

Method	Cost
Screen (buff)	$1 – $2.50
Recoat	$1 – $2
Sanding alone	$0.50 – $3
Traditional sand and refinish	$3 – $8
Dustless refinish	$5 – $8
Staining (add-on)	$1 – $3

Source: Bob Vila.

Cost by room size

Area	Traditional	Dustless
100 sq ft	$300 – $800	$500 – $800
144 sq ft	$450 – $1,152	$720 – $1,152
256 sq ft	$800 – $2,048	$1,280 – $2,048
400 sq ft	$1,200 – $3,200	$2,000 – $3,200
1,000 sq ft	$3,000 – $8,000	$5,000 – $8,000
2,000 sq ft	$6,000 – $16,000	$10,000 – $16,000

Source: Bob Vila.

Recoat or full refinish?

A screen and recoat lightly abrades the top finish and adds a fresh coat of polyurethane. It works when the wear is only in the finish. Deep scratches, bare wood or a color change call for sanding down to raw wood.

Refinishing is far cheaper than new hardwood, which runs $9 to $25 per sq ft installed (HomeGuide).

HomeAdvisor's numbers

HomeAdvisor puts the average refinishing job at $1,892, with most between $1,107 and $2,681, or $3 to $8 per sq ft. Dustless sanding adds about $2 per sq ft.

Room	Cost (HomeAdvisor)
4x10 (40 sq ft)	$80 – $280
10x10 (100 sq ft)	$200 – $800
20x20 (400 sq ft)	$1,000 – $2,500

Cost by wood type (per sq ft)

Wood	Cost (HomeAdvisor)
Bamboo	$2 – $6
Oak, cherry, parquet, engineered	$3 – $5
Pine	$4 – $7
Maple, mahogany	$6 – $8

Labor and finishes

Labor: $2 to $8 per sq ft, or $60 to $160 per hour; up to 80% of the price.
Stain: $30 to $100 per gallon; oil-based topcoat $20 to $45, water-based $25 to $55.
Stair refinishing: $4.50 to $8 per sq ft.

Repairs and prep

Board repairs run $200 to $600, floorboard replacement $6 to $12 per sq ft, carpet removal $120 to $720 plus $75 to $150 to haul it away, and furniture moving $20 to $50 per room (HomeAdvisor).

Signs your floors need refinishing

Deep scratches, gouges or worn spots.
Gray or dark areas where the finish has worn through.
Stains from pets or water.
A dull look that cleaning does not fix.
A desire to change the stain color.

Full refinish vs. screen and recoat

Full refinish: the floor is sanded to bare wood, stained if desired and sealed with new finish.
Screen and recoat: the top layer of finish is lightly buffed and a fresh coat is added. It works only when the wood itself is not damaged.

Finish types

Oil-based polyurethane: durable with a warm amber tone.
Water-based polyurethane: dries faster, has less odor and stays clearer.
Hardwax oils: a natural look and easy spot repairs.

Can every floor be refinished?

Solid hardwood can usually be sanded several times. Engineered hardwood can be sanded only if the top layer is thick enough. Very thin layers may allow only a recoat.

What affects the price

Floor area.
Condition and repairs needed.
Stain and number of finish coats.
Stairs and borders.
Dust containment systems.

Questions to ask

Does my floor need a full sand or just a recoat?
Do you use dust containment?
How long until I can walk on it and move furniture back?

In Texas

Humidity affects how finishes dry. Keep the air conditioning running at steady settings during and after refinishing so the floor cures well.

The refinishing process

A full refinish usually includes:

Clearing the room of furniture and removing base shoe or quarter round if needed.
Sanding in several passes with progressively finer grits, removing the old finish and a thin layer of wood.
Edging along walls and in corners with a smaller sander.
Vacuuming and tacking to remove dust.
Staining, if a color change is wanted.
Applying finish, usually two to three coats, with light buffing between coats.
Curing before furniture goes back.

Dustless sanding systems capture much of the dust with vacuums attached to the sanders, which makes cleanup easier.

Checking whether there is enough wood

Solid hardwood can be refinished many times. Engineered hardwood has a thinner top layer of real wood, which limits how many times it can be sanded. A refinisher can check the thickness by removing a floor vent or looking at an edge. If the wear layer is too thin, a screen and recoat may be the only option.

Water-based vs. oil-based finishes

Water-based polyurethane dries quickly, has less odor and stays clear without yellowing. It may need more coats.

Oil-based polyurethane gives a warm amber tone, is durable, but has strong odors and longer drying times.

Hardwax oils penetrate the wood and give a natural look. They are easy to spot-repair but need more maintenance.

Living through a refinish

Plan to stay off the floors during the work and for a period afterward. Light foot traffic is usually allowed after the finish dries, and furniture can return after a longer cure time. Rugs should wait longer still, often a couple of weeks. Ask your refinisher for the specific times for the finish they use.

Screen and recoat explained

A screen and recoat, sometimes called a buff and coat, lightly abrades the existing finish without sanding into the wood, then applies a fresh coat of finish. It refreshes floors with light surface scratches and dullness, costs less and is faster than a full refinish. It does not remove deep scratches, stains or worn spots where the finish is gone and the wood is exposed. Floors that have been waxed or treated with some polish products may not accept a recoat, because the new finish will not bond. A refinisher can test a small area first.

Repairs before refinishing

Damaged boards, deep pet stains and gaps can be addressed before refinishing. Boards can be replaced with matching wood, and some gaps can be filled. Dark pet stains often go deep into the wood and may need board replacement.

City	Businesses listed	Avg. Google rating	Total reviews
Houston	278	4.6	14,045
Dallas	82	4.6	3,692
San Antonio	118	4.6	7,633
Austin	107	4.6	3,835
Fort Worth	68	4.3	2,797
El Paso	31	4.5	1,909

Hardwood Floor Refinishing Cost