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Refinishing Hardwood Floor Cost

How Much Does Refinishing Hardwood Floor Cost?

low cost Recoating: $200-$250 per room
low cost Refinishing: $340-$900+ per room

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Hardwood floors add stylish elegance or folksy charm to a home, depending on the type of wood, layout and condition. Refinishing to remove ground-in dirt while sanding out dents and dings can revive this highly visible portion of your interior decor.
 
Typical costs:
  • It's about$200-$250 (averaging $1/square foot) to recoat a slightly worn 225-square-foot (15x15 feet) room, a process also known as screening. Typically this takes about a day or two, and restores a floor that's in relatively good condition.
  • Expect to pay $340-$900 (about $1.50-$4 a square foot) to completely refinish a 15x15 foot room. That generally includes sanding down to the bare wood and applying at least 2 and sometimes 3 coats of finish. Simple projects average 2-4 days, but the process can take anywhere from 3 days to several weeks, depending on the type of finish, stain and weather conditions.
  • The price range can jump to $850-$1,125 (around $3.75-$5/square foot) or more for a refinishing specialist to do a customized job on a 225-square-foot vintage wood floor, using multiple coats of chemicals, stains and other finishes to create just the right look. Generally this more labor-intensive approach requires at least 8-11 days, or more.
  • Do-it-yourselfers intent on completely refinishing a 225-square-foot floor can rent a commercial sander, also called a drum sander, and buy other needed materials for about $125-$225. Renting a floor buffer and buying needed supplies recoating runs $50-$100. These costs go up the longer it takes to finish the project.
What should be included:
  • Use a drop of water to decide if the floor needs recoating/screening or a complete refinishing. If the water beads up or soaks in slowly, recoating may be all that's needed. However, if the water soaks in immediately, it means the wood fibers are probably exposed and the floor should be refinished.
  • Refinishing a hardwood floor is dusty, dirty, noisy and stinky (lots of strong chemicals). Many people opt to have their floors refinished while they're on vacation.
  • This is a do-it-yourself project only for those with lots of time and patience. ThisOldHouse.com describes the process both for screening floors and for doing a complete refinishing job, and gives tips for spot repairs such as small stains or burns.
Additional costs:
  • Refinishing stairs can add about $25-$45 per step to the total cost.
  • Severely damaged floors may need boards replaced, cracks sealed, stains bleached or other repairs before being refinished; the cost will depend on how extensive the problems areas are.
  • Removing old carpet can be messy and time-consuming, and may not be included in an estimate unless specifically requested. Many commercial refinishers don't remove the furniture from the room, so customers might have to do it themselves or pay others to do it.
Shopping for refinishing hardwood floor:
  • RentalHQ.com lists local rental centers, and Lowe's carries a range of do-it-yourself refinishing supplies.
  • Get estimates from several contractors. For referrals visit the National Wood Flooring Association.
  • Many refinishers require a deposit, but don't pay the full amount until the project is completely finished. Request and check references, verify that the company is licensed and bonded, and check for any complaints with the Better Business Bureau.
Article updated April 2007
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Recent Posts
Amount: $1,500.00 total Buddy Hardwoods
Posted by: unhappy in worcester, MA.Purchased: 2008
Sq Ft of Hardwood: 1500Number of Rooms: 5
Recoat or Refinish: 2Contractor: Buddy Hardwood Floors
I am soooo unhappy with my floors for that amount of money.
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Amount: $2,600.00 total Floor Refinishing
Posted by: Sill and Fawn Nolt in Harrisburg, PA.Purchased: December, 2008
Sq Ft of Hardwood: 1000Number of Rooms: 3
Recoat or Refinish: RefinishContractor: Plan 1 Painting
For the extra $600.00 we spent to have Plan 1 Painting refinish our floors we are extremely satisfied. They look and feel brand new. We chose Plan 1 Painting because of a friend's referral. Glad we did.
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Amount: $2,200.00 total Refinish Hardwood Floors
Posted by: Elizabetta in Crawfordsville, IN.Purchased: June, 2009
Sq Ft of Hardwood: 800Number of Rooms: 3
Recoat or Refinish: 2Contractor: Bob C
I hired a professional instead of trying to refinish my 100 year old maple floors myself because I didn't want to damage the wood. The contractor implied he would do the work himself with a friend to assist. It turns out the friend did all the work, and not very well. He dumped wood dust from the sander all over the patio and parking spaces on the first day, so I gave him a bag and asked him to put his trash in a bag instead. On the fourth day when the floor was finished, it looked wavy in several places where the sander had been allowed to sit in one place for too long and had gouged the floors. The new wood where the floor had been repaired was an entirely different color than the old floor, and several slats of rotted wood had been patched with wood putty instead of replaced. The finish over the entire floor appeared smeared and bumpy because he had not bothered to clean up the wood dust on the floor before applying the finish. It looks awful and I think the only way to make it look alright is to do the entire process all over again,.
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Amount: $600.00 total Hardwood Floor Refinishing
Posted by: Happy Home Owner in Chicago, IL.Purchased: August, 2009
Sq Ft of Hardwood: 600Number of Rooms: 2
Recoat or Refinish: 2 CoatsContractor: Arias Flooring
Since purchasing this townhome in Chicago the folks at Home Depot suggested it was so easy you could do it your self and save. Well think again
This Old House--the do it yourself equipment is not worth the shot in the dark. A neighbor gave me the number for Arias Flooring and these guys were lifesavers. Significantly below other estimates, Carlos and Arturo did a magic job
here is their number 773 447-9094
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Amount: $700.00 total resurface
Posted by: Robert Michaels in Towanda, PA.Purchased: July, 2009
Sq Ft of Hardwood: 1000Number of Rooms: 6
Recoat or Refinish: recoatContractor: Reliable Painting, Towanda Pa.
they sanded my floors back to it's original condition and i was happy with the floor so i decided to keep the natural look. Great job !
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Amount: $3,750.00 total Hardwood Floor Refinishing
Posted by: One Happy Customer in Bensenville, IL.Purchased: December, 2009
Sq Ft of Hardwood: 1000Number of Rooms: 5 Rooms 1 Hall
Recoat or Refinish: 1 coat stain 2 coats finishContractor: Custom Craft Exteriors Inc
I could not be happy with the job I received. The guys were very clean throughout the entire process and some friends of mine told me it was gonna be a dirty job so I was apprehensive of that. I love my hardwood floors again and I would recommend that any needing this type of work to contact them. They have a website address where you can get more info about them. The website address is

http://www.customcraftexteriors.com
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Amount: $1,200.00 total Excellent Job On Floors Refinished
Posted by: Roberty in Worcester, MA.Purchased: December, 2009
Sq Ft of Hardwood: 800Number of Rooms: 3
Recoat or Refinish: 3Contractor: Jame\'s Hardwood Floor
Had 2-3 contractor before, but never feel happy until recently a friend of mine introduce to me James, he has been in business for over 15 years and very professional. He did my floors for a very decent price but it look so professionally done that all my friend praised it and ask for his number to get their floor done.

You can reach him at 617-849-0677
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Amount: $2,750.00 total South Dak Refinishing Expert
Posted by: Happy Floor Owner in Rapid city, SD.Purchased: January, 2010
Sq Ft of Hardwood: 1000Number of Rooms: 3
Recoat or Refinish: refinishContractor: Nate Varilek
I have a 75yr old home and the wood floors were badly worn and damaged in some spots. Nate wasnt the cheapest but the finished product was AMAZING! He and his crew were clean, polite, and professional. I would recommend him to anyone.He can be reached at 605-545-5405
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Amount: $9,000.00 total Hardwood Floor Refinishing
Posted by: Dorothy B in Havre De Grace, MD in Havre De Grace, MD, MD.Purchased: October, 2009
Sq Ft of Hardwood: 1000Number of Rooms: 4
Recoat or Refinish: Install, sand and finishContractor: Sandman Floors
I have a home just purchased and wanted hardwood floors instead of tile. My real estate agent gave me the name of Sandman Floors. They were respectful of my home, professional, did what they were contracted to do tear out old tile and carpeting, install 2 sets of steps,install, sand and finish red oak flooring and delivered a GORGEOUS product. Highly recommend this father and son team!Their number is 410-515-7676. You won't be sorry!
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Amount: $3,800.00 total Refinish Hardwood Floors
Posted by: Paulina Rosero in Fair Heaven, NJ.Purchased: January, 2010
Sq Ft of Hardwood: 2000Number of Rooms: 4
Recoat or Refinish: RefinishContractor: 1z2 Hardwood Floors LLC
They did a great job sanding and refinishing the existing hardwood floors. However they also installed hardwood floors in the 3 bedrooms upstairs and removed the carpeting on the stairs and refinished the stairs.
Best bang for the buck. When the previous contractor was a no-show Juan and his crew got to work the next day. They did a phenominal job with our hardwood floors. I would recommend 1z2 hardwod floors to anyone! Great job guys.
Very impressed with their timeliness, cleaniness, and professional installation of my hardwood floor. Everything turned just as I desired. Would highly recommend them to anyone interested in receiving a good job with excellent service. They know their job. Their number is 7326934098
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Amount: $7,800.00 total Hardwood Refinish / Tiled My Baths
Posted by: Betty G. in Moorestown, NJ.Purchased: February, 2010
Sq Ft of Hardwood: 1800Number of Rooms: 5
Recoat or Refinish: RefinishContractor: Showcase Flooring
I have a victorian home that I am remodeling. Had two contractors bomb on the floors before being referred to, and researching Showcase Flooring. Sam was great, he came right out pointed out the potential issues, and helped me save money by doing the rip out myself. My previous contractor was not insured, and left me without finishing the job. I am so pleased with the bathrooms, and the finish he put on my floors. I promised him I would spread the word. The most important thing that I learned from this is always ask for insurance, and that the cheapest price isn't always the best fit.
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