You may not find refinishing prices this low, but the cost to polish hardwood floors can cost as low as $100 for small spaces, especially if you rent the polisher yourself. Company skill: Sometimes, you will be able to find companies offering hardwood refinishing services at extremely low prices. Hiring a Pro. Speak with your prospective floor professionals about how supply chain issues can affect the cost of hardwood floorboard replacement, stain and topcoat, and necessary tools for the refinishing process. The topcoat is applied with a brush and roller or finish pad, and it usually includes two or even three coats. There can also be a purely regional factor at work; for example, labor in the Northeast is often more expensive than it is in the South. Ask a refinishing pro. This involves sanding down the surface past any finish or blemishes, reapplying color treatments, and sealing it with a top-coat finish. Keep in mind that the floors underneath carpeting may require an extra pass with the sander or even some repairs, so this may push the cost higher. You can, however, replace individual floorboards in the case of: Between the sander, finishing materials, and all the necessary tools, DIY hardwood floor refinishing will run you between $500 and $1000. For best results: Always choose the best cleaner for your specific type of finish, Avoid saturating your wood with too much water. Regions with larger homesand therefore more square footagemay see higher prices in the end than those with one-bedroom apartments in Manhattan. Refinishing parquet floors costs $2 to $6 per square foot, depending on the type of refinishing and if any repairs are needed. Home Depot offers N-Hance hardwood floor resurfacing, which uses a screening and recoating technique instead of sanding, followed by a UV-light treatment to cure the finish quickly. Refinish an entire apartment or more than one room in your house once you go over $2,500. However, eventually, even solid hardwood is going to wear down to the point where it's too thin to be sanded again safely. Refinish hardwood floors every seven to 10 years, depending on the amount of wear and tear they receive during this time. Sandless refinishing uses chemicals to etch the old finish off, followed by a tinted finish that hides scuff marks and restores the wood's color and sheen. Refinishing hardwood stairs costs $25 to $85 per step. This may mean that the project stretches out over more days, making the rooms inaccessible for long periods of time while they dry. Be sure to chat with a flooring specialist when choosing the right finish for your floors. Pine, bamboo, and parquet floors require special care while sanding or staining, but costs the same to refinish. Its better to hire a flooring pro near you. The cost comes with a caveat, however. Can you provide references and testimonials? Solid Hardwood Flooring: Which Is Better? One of the great things about having a hardwood floor is that, even when it eventually starts to show its age by developing scratches and dings, you have the option of refinishing the material to revitalize the floor completely. When chatting with potential pros, ask: Do you have experience refinishing my specific type of flooring? Overall, professional floor refinishers will charge anywhere from $3 to $8 per square foot. Polyurethanes come in both water-based and oil-based (alkyd-based) forms. *The cost of labor increases for smaller spaces due to minimum job fees. How Much Do Hardwood Stairs Cost? Rent a drum floor sander from your local hardware store or flooring company for between $50 and $80 per day. They cost slightly less per day to rent than the upright sanders. Recoating removes minor scuffs and scratches on the surface and adds a new sheen to dull floors. Compare refinishing estimates for free before DIY. Will you remove the baseboards? Urine-stained planks must be removed and replaced, or homeowners may select a dark wood stain to cover the pet stains. There are four major labor parts of a hardwood refinishing project that need to be accounted for in any estimate. Preparation:This involves getting the floor ready to be refinished and consists of repairing damaged areas, cleaning the floor thoroughly, and then ensuring that the surface is completely dry and free of dust and particles before proceeding. How long will the refinishing project take? *Look for discounted weekend rates. How soon can I walk on the floor afterward, and how soon can furniture and area rugs be moved back into the room? Laminate vs. Vacuum or use a dry dust mop regularly to prevent surface grit from scratching the finish. Otherwise, skipping a step causes rough-looking floors and uneven staining. Generally, you'll be able to refinish engineered hardwood only once or twice before the core layers are exposed. Protecting the longevity of your hardwood floors is a long-term investment, and DIY refinishing can easily go wrong. DIY cost to refinish hardwood floors yourself - chart. A number of factors can affect the overall cost of refinishing: Size of the floor: Generally, smaller rooms are going to be more expensive to refinish per square foot. Enter a zip below and get matched to top-rated pros near you. Deane Biermeier is an expert contractor with nearly 30 years of experience in all types of home repair, maintenance, and remodeling. Some complex jobs, such as those involving stairs, can also reach this price range. ScreeningAKA buffinguses a thinner sanding disk to remove the thin topcoat of your floors without affecting the wood below. For example, screening and buffering take off the top layer of polyurethane but don't cut into the wood below. Whether you try to refinish your hardwood floors yourself or have a professional contractor do it (often the better choice), the process will follow a logical sequence. Unfortunately, you usually get exactly what you pay for, and bargain-basement offers may lead to shoddy work or jobs that take longer than they should. The cost for refinishing wood stairs averages about $40 to $75 per stair tread. Your refinishing project also presents a great opportunity to repair any underlying structural issues, scratches, or stains, so remember to budget for the cost of hardwood floor repairs into your final total. The polyurethane will not protect against ongoing water damage or structure issues. This is because the equipment used to sand down a hardwood floor is usually quite large, and it is not easy to get it into or maneuver it through tight areas. Oil- or water-based wood stain is the standard material used for coloring, applied by rubbing it into the wood with cloths or staining pads. You will likely find that doing this work yourself is a good way to save money. When their projects are done, they fill out a short cost survey. Are You Considering Hardwood Flooring for Your Bathroom? Upright sanders are available with belt-action or orbital-action heads. Wear breathing protection, such as a particle mask, when sanding and cleaning up the dust. A DIYer, on the other hand, can expect to give up the better part of a weekend to do a good job when refinishing a floor. How do you handle damages that happen on the job? Discovering stunning hardwood floorboards beneath old carpeting opens your home to new possibilities. You'll see prices ranging from $1 to $2.50 per square foot. Cleanup: Refinishing a hardwood floor can be a messy process, and unless the cleanup is specified in the contractor's bid, you may need to factor in the cost of a cleaning service when determining the total expense of the project. Homes built before the 1920s often have thinner wood flooring. The average cost to replace hardwood floors ranges between $2,500 and $6,800 depending on the type of wood, availability of supply, and labor costs. Water-based topcoat dries clear but costs a bit more, at $25 to $50 a gallon, and only takes between two and four hours to dry. Expect higher prices if your floors are made of pine, maple, or mahogany. This can not only prolong the project but can also inflate the cost. Here are some general price ranges depending on the size of your space: The average cost to refinish floors may not look the same in a large city as it does in the countryside, but perhaps not in the way you expect. Staining requires sanding first, applying two coats of stain, then adding a clear finish. When leaving baseboards or shoe moldings in place, cover them with a layer of tape-backed foam to avoid scuffing the trim. Cost to resurface or redo hardwood floors, Refinishing hardwood floors vs. replacing with new floors cost, Hiring a professional hardwood flooring contractor. Consider the floor's current condition when deciding whether to refinish or replace it: Refinishing hardwood floors cost $2 to $6 per square foot on average, while carpet installation costs $2 to $8 per square foot. Follow these steps to protect hardwood floors after refinishing: Get free estimates on HomeGuide from trusted floor refinishing contractors: Get free estimates on HomeGuide from trusted pros: Let us know about your needs so we can bring you the right pros. Stairways with spindles take longer to sand and are priced at the higher end of the range. On a per-square-foot basis, average costs run about $3 to $8 per square foot, but these costs can vary depending on the complexity of the work and the total size of the area you want to have refinished. What You Should Know When Considering Wood Parquet Flooring, Learn How to Sand Hardwood Floors Yourself, Here's a Side-By-Side Comparison of Bamboo and Hardwood Flooring, Refurbish Your Table Top so It Looks Like New, Learn How to Clean Wood Floors to Keep Them Looking Great. Get free custom quotes from qualified pros in your area. Sanding is followed by the application of stains and finishes, which can smell terrible and be toxic to the interior air quality of the space for short periods of time. Adding a topcoat of polyurethane protects your floor from future damage while providing that high-quality shine. Cookies collect information about your preferences and your device and are used to make the site work as you expect it to, to understand how you interact with the site, and to show advertisements that are targeted to your interests. Topcoating: The final step is to apply a tough, durable topcoat finish, usually a water- or oil-based polyurethane. Many stores charge only a 1-day fee to rent a drum sander on Saturday and return it Monday. Paint will seep through the cracks between the planks and prevents the polyurethane sealer from adhering to the wood. Like most home renovation jobs, nailing down your specific price will depend on your unique home. ), Finish application brushes and rollers: $50. Workers also appreciate being offered access to a bathroom in the home throughout the day. DIY sanding voids the warranty. Recoating: An oil or water-based topcoat protects the floors from scratches and stains in the future. Sandless floor refinishing costs $1.50 to $4.00 per square foot. You may be able to save money by doing the furniture-moving yourself. However, you may receive a more affordable per-square-foot quote for larger spacesa bit like buying in bulk. Sanding: A drum sander removes the topcoat of stain and levels any remaining minor scratches, stains, or inconsistencies. The cost to screen, buff, and recoat hardwood floors is $1.00 to $2.50 per square foot. For example, full refinishing costs between $3 to $8 per square foot, while a simple recoating runs $1 to $2 per square foot. Wood Dust. In general, for a basic refinishing job, it will take a contractor about four to five hours per 100 square feet of space. Wood Stains and Finishes. Help your neighbors make an informed decision. Your floor will look much better, but it may not be quite as pristine as a new installation. Refinishing hardwood stairs costs $25 to $85 per step, depending on the stairway style and if the treads and risers are refinished. Sanding removes the old finish and the surface layer of the wood to eliminate scratches, dings, and discoloration. *Based on 369 project costs reported by HomeGuide members. The average cost to sand, restain, and refinish wood floors is $2 to $7 per square foot. If the wood beneath your floor's finish is in great shape but has simply lost its luster, you may be able to skip the full refinishing process. Refinishing hardwood floors vs replacing new floors cost - chart. The better the structural condition of the floor, the more cost-effective the refinishing job will be. Dustless finishing requires higher-tech equipment and, therefore, costs between $5 and $8 per square foot. Some wood styles are softer and therefore easier to dent such as pine. Renting a floor sander costs $60 to $70 per day or $230 to $270 per week. Since labor plays a significant role in the cost of refinishing hardwood floorsas much as 80% or $2 to $5 per square footbe sure to get a few estimates to compare prices. Most refinishers will gladly do this work but for an additional fee that may be higher than that charged by a handyman or carpenter. Broken or missing boards will need to be replaced. Refinishing is a chance to address underlying subfloor repairs and protect the floorboards from the elements. Sanding incorrectly may cause uneven floors or deep gouges in the wood, requiring the replacement of individual planks or the entire floor. DIY hardwood floor refinishing costs $600 to $1,100 for equipment rental and supplies. Joseph Lewitin is a flooring expert who grew up in the industry. If you oversand the top layer or incorrectly apply the stain or topcoat, repairs can be costlyand even require replacement. Wood refinishing jobs typically removes pet stains, water damage, scratches, dings, fading, sun damage, discoloration. They aren't capable of sanding past deep blemishes. Prices to refinish hardwood floors are higher than the national average in major cities or areas with a high cost of living. Recoating costs between $1 and $2 per square foot and ranges based on labor cost and the type of coating you choose. When returning furniture, drapes, and area rugs to the space, you'll want to make sure they come back as clean as possible. Refinishing your hardwood floors will also cost two to three times less than replacing them. Follow a payment plan instead. The final coat may be buffed to increase its sheen and smoothness. Hardwood floor refinishing costs $2 to $6 per square foot on average, which is cheaper than the cost to install new hardwood floors at $6 to $15 per square foot. The cost to refinish hardwood floors varies widely based on several factors, from the size of the room to how much TLC your floorboards need to restore them to their original beauty. Here are some examples of common price ranges to refinish hardwood floors across the country. After sanding, contractors apply multiple coats of clear finish seal and protect the floor. Set at least two to three days aside for the refinishing process and up to a week if you need to add several layers of finish or make major repairs. If you're up for moving it yourself, this will cut down your final bill. DIY costs to redo and resurface wood floors yourself is $600 to $1,100. Get at least three free quotes in-person from flooring pros to compare. Looking for a hardwood floor refinisher near you? Hardwood Floor Refinishing Cost Calculator, Cost to Refinish Hardwood Floors Yourself, DIY Hardwood Refinishing vs. Enter the wood floor's length and width in the calculator below to estimate the cost of refinishing. Repairs: If a floor is damaged beyond a certain point, refinishing it won't be effective. Refinishing bamboo floors cost $2 to $6 per square foot, which is cheaper than the cost to install new bamboo flooring at $5 to $10 per square foot. What are your payment terms and schedule. On the other hand, not every floor requires all three steps. Refinishing your hardwood floors cost two to three times less than replacing them. But while this floor favorite is both beautiful and sturdy, it can get scratched, warped, and faded over the years from typical wear and tear. Floor polishing is an easy DIY project that restores the wood's sheen without sanding but will not remove scratches or discoloration. Belt-action sanders are regarded as more heavy-duty tools, but they can be hard to handle and beginners sometimes have problems with gouging the floor when using them. Where are you located? Incorrect sanding or sanding too often could lead to having your hardwood floors replaceda much costlier undertaking. Remember that it will take a professional about five hours total to refinish 100 square feet of flooring, so factor in the time commitment when deciding whether to do this project yourself. How Much Does It Cost to Refinish Hardwood Floors. Let's say you have a whole home filled with elegant hardwood floors. For example, sanding may not be necessary, cutting down one of the trickiest parts of the process. You can take a different route with lightly worn floorboards by cutting out the sanding and staining process. Engineered hardwood flooring living room after refinishing process. Sanding parquet floors requires special care from a professional because the wood grain runs in several directions. Polyurethane finish costs around $40 to $100 per gallon depending on the thickness of the finish and the quality of the product. Cost data is based on actual project costs as reported by 18,379 HomeAdvisor members. Removing wall-to-wall carpeting runs from $.25 to $1.50 per square foot, including the cost of disposal. It will look like a new hardwood floor and can be achieved for a fraction of the price of a new installation. We've updated our Privacy Policy, which will go in to effect on September 1, 2022. several types of sanders used for refinishing, enter into the work with a full understanding of what's involved. For exotic hardwood floors, look for professionals with experience refinishing that species of wood. Refinishing your floors costs between $600 and $4,000. You'll pay between $7 and $25 per square foot for replacement and just $3 to $8 per square foot for refinishing. Staining is only necessary to change the wood color. Now that you have a better sense of the floor refinishing process, it's easier to wrap your head around the quote you'll receive from your local wood flooring refinishing professional. Original hardwood floors can last over a century when well-cared-for and properly finished. Never pay in full before the project starts. Hardwood floor refinishing in kitchen - before and after. How much do you charge to move the furniture? How Much Does it Cost to Install or Replace Kitchen Cabinets? You can find out more and change our default settings with Cookies Settings. The effects of UV rays through your window can also cause inconsistencies in the color of your floors. The machinery used to do the sanding can often be rented from your local hardware store, along with the purchase of sanding pads, for about $300 to $400 in total cost. Hardwoods such as pine, bamboo, and parquet require special care while sanding or staining, but the total cost is the same to refinish. Also, keep in mind that smaller projects must cover the cost of overhead such as materials, transportation, and material shipping costs, so they may not look as cost-effective as refinishing larger spaces. What steps will you take to protect the rest of my home from the dust? Standard tipping rates for floor refinishers are $10 to $30 per person if their work quality exceeds your expectations. On the other hand, you can often get a discount on a project to refinish a larger space or multiple rooms on the same visit. Visible scratches, structural issues, or stains from sun and water indicate it's time to refinish your hardwood floors. Even if you hire a professional, you'll still play a role in getting the refinishing process rolling. As you'll notice from our state averages above, this is the most common price range for refinishing floors. Here are some important details to note: Oak: Most common and durable type of hardwood floors and easy to refinish, Cherry: Common, durable, and the wood's smooth service makes it a simple refinishing project to refinish, Parquet: Requires specialty sanding due to the inconsistent grain, Engineered Hardwood: A professional should handle the specialty sanding of the thin top layer, Pine: Softer than other woods and require special sanding care, Maple: Can be difficult to stain without a blotchy result, Mahogany: Require slow, delicate sanding to avoid damaging dark hue, Bamboo: Must be sanded at an angle in the first round to prevent splintering. Flooring professionals will include the cost of tools and materials in their price, which is important to know when weighing the pros and cons of doing this yourself. Environmental Working Group. Tackling floor refinishing yourself is not recommended for those new to DIY home repairs. Let's calculate cost data for you. Other than the sanders and sandpaper, the biggest additional DIY cost is the finish material. Solid Wood vs. Make a home cleaning checklist to complete once the floors are dry. Expert Home Building and Remodeling Contributor. Removing the baseboards to refinish hardwood floors is optional but protects the trim from being nicked by the sanding equipment. Larger projects that involve multiple floors may require several days of work, in which case you'll pay between $100 and $200 for a weekend or around $250 for the whole week. It may look a bit like painting a room at first glance, but the hardwood sanding process adds a complicated layer that requires a professional eye. Hardwood floors should be refinished every 7 to 10 years, depending on thickness, species, and age. All in all, refinishing hardwood floors yourself breaks down into two main costs. Search for licensed contractors with hardwood floor refinishing experience. Oak is the most common hardwood for flooring. Floor pros will use the size of your space as one of the most important factors in your estimate. DIY refinishing projects typically take several days, depending on the home's size. Screening only works on floors with a non-waxed polyurethane finish. The team will top everything off with a coat of finish, running you $1 to $2 per square foot. By contrast, you can refinish most solid hardwood floors several times over the course of their life. Moving furniture, removing wax build-up, removing carpet, or refinishing stairs increases the cost. Carpet removal and disposal costs $0.25 to $1.00 per square foot alone, plus $2 to $7 per square foot for hardwood floor refinishing. Refinishing small rooms like bedrooms, studio apartments, and small side roomsthink offices, small dining spaceswill likely fall in this range. Laminate floors feature a top layer of veneer that is too thin for sanding. What kind of finish or stain is best for my floor? Find top-rated wood refinishing pros near you. Whitewashing hardwood floors costs $2 to $7 per square foot and requires sanding to remove the old finish and then applying a light wash and clear polyurethane topcoat instead of a darker stain. Sandless methods are not effective for floors with scratches, stains, or damage. Screening uses a thin buffing disc to remove the old finish without sanding the wood beneath. The high cost is because these are small surfaces that require skilled, time-consuming detail work. By using HomeAdvisor, you agree to our Terms & Conditions, Copyright 1999 - 2022 HomeAdvisor, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Some companies offer discount rates for larger spaces to encourage larger jobs. Removing carpet from stairs adds $7 to $10 per step. The average cost to refinish hardwood floors is $2 to $6 per square foot or $1,200 to $2,400. Refinishing wood floors costs $1,200 to $2,400 for the average home, regardless of wood type. Hardwood floor refinishing costs by option - sand, stain, and finish vs. buff and recoat - chart. Polyurethane finishes come in several different gloss finishes, from flat to high-sheen. All this being said, you'll likely pay between $500 to $1,000 to refinish hardwood floors yourself after renting or purchasing all the necessary materials and equipment. This will cover most mid-sized spaces like dining and living rooms. Refinishing hardwood floors yourself is not a recommended DIY project. When it's time to refinish, restain, or simply freshen up your hardwood floors, you'll pay between $1,076 and $2,523or about $1,799 on average for the job. Repairs to these mistakes can end up costing more than the original project. During application of finishes, wear whatever breathing protection is recommended by the manufacturer, and provide as much ventilation as you can. DIY costs to redo and resurface wood floors is $600 to $1,100. Refinishing ahardwood flooris a very messy and chaotic endeavor. If you have allergy sensitivities or breathing difficulties, the dustless refinishing method uses a vacuum fan to reroute the dust as it sands. For example, sanding alone costs $0.50 to $3 per square foot, while staining adds $1 to $3 per square foot. Here's how they break down. You'll pay between $1 to $2.50 per square foot for this step. The cost of labor, bulk prices for large rooms, and the current state of your floorboards all play an important role in the final price tag. Once the refinishing process is complete, your fresh new floors may spark your drive to make the rest of your home as clean and shiny. If you take on the job yourselfwhich is very doableexpect to pay between $20 to $50 a gallon for hardwood floor polish, about $20 for the sponge mop to spread the polish, and between $15 and $30 for the microfiber mop to finish it off. No matter the type of wood you're working with, the cost to sand and refinish hardwood floors remains about the same. He also owned a flooring materials store specializing in natural stone floors. How many workers will there be on the team? Moving furniture: The room you refinish will need to be cleared of any furniture or furnishings before starting the project. Can you provide a list of references from your past projects? Wood floor refinishing in bedroom - before and after. Oak and cherry wood, on the other hand, are the most commonly found materials, so you don't have to search as far to find pros familiar with how to handle it. The cost to buff and recoat hardwood floors is $1.00 to $2.50 per square foot. We recommend speaking to at least three flooring contractors to compare estimates and the team's background. Let's start by breaking down the three main steps of refinishing hardwood floors: sanding, staining, and recoating. However, you do not need to sand if you are simply recoating or polishing floors without underlying damage. Lowe's does not offer hardwood floor refinishing services but rents floor sanders for DIY refinishing. Pine is softer than oak and requires extra care when sanding to prevent grooves or chatter marks in the wood. Nationally, the average cost for refinishing a hardwood floor is $1,783, within a typical range of $1,075 to $2,503. When the time comes to fully refinish your floor, expect to pay an average of $1,800 depending on the size, shape, and style of your hardwood. In his youth, he began working in his family's tile import business, learning every aspect of the flooring industry, from design and fabrication to maintenance and repair. Get free estimates from contractors near you or view our hardwood floor refinishing cost calculator below. On top of your square-foot base price, expect extra costs for factors like labor costs, overhead, travel, and specialty options such as buffing, dust-free refinishing, or a special coat for an older wood. The second they switch on that sander, a good amount of dust from the finish and top layer of wood kick up into the air. You may also get away with a thorough polishinga great DIY job without the risk of floor damage. Edgework is generally done with an edging sander or belt sander. Make sure you get an estimate on those costs. If you're feeling brave and confident enough to take on the project yourself, keep a few things in mind when refinishing your floors. Refinishing floors yourself without experience can easily ruin hardwood floors. Check with the contractor to confirm the wood will absorb the stain evenly. We take great pride in a well-preserved, richly-hued hardwood floor to add a touch of classic coziness to our home. Depending on the wood species, some people prefer to apply a surface finish directly over the bare wood. For best results: Between polishes and refinishing, properly cleaning your floors will lengthen the time between visits from the flooring team. Read our, Average Costs for Refinishing Hardwood Floors, Solid Hardwood vs. Get daily tips and tricks for making your best home. Select companies that are insured, bonded, and have been in business for longer than five years. Some companies will charge between $20 and $50 per room to move it for you. Refinishing the floors is typically cheaper than installing new carpet, depending on the wood flooring condition. Receive quotes from multiple pros that meet your exact needs. Whitewashing is also known as pickling. Homeowners use HomeAdvisor to find pros for home projects. You need to remove the original topcoat to remove scratches and inconsistencies before refinishing.
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