Hardwood Floor Refinishing Jobs and When Each Fits
A refinish takes the floor down past the old finish and the scratches, then builds the protection back up. Who calls, and why, varies more than the method does.
Full Sand to Bare Wood
This is the standard job. Fixr describes the sequence:
- Furniture, rugs and anything else on the floor comes out
- Sanding removes the old finish and the damaged top layer of wood
- The floor is cleaned completely
- Optional stain goes on
- A protective topcoat seals it
Sand-and-refinish without stain runs $2 to $7 a square foot in HomeGuide's table and $3 to $5.50 in Fixr's. Ask how many sanding passes are planned. HomeGuide lists that among its questions for refinishers, and it's where cheap bids cut corners. For color, see Hardwood Floor Staining; for dust control, see Dustless Hardwood Floor Refinishing.
Restoring Original 1950s-60s Oak Strip
Many houses in town are from the 1950s and 60s (the homepage has the housing data). That age of house often has solid oak strip under the carpet or under decades of finish. Things that change the job on these floors:
- Old wax: Fixr notes a heavy wax finish takes longer to strip and adds cost
- Earlier sandings: solid floors take 4 to 10 refinishes; a floor too thin to sand is a replacement
- Painted baseboards and trim: in pre-1978 houses, disturbing paint falls under EPA's lead rule; see Hardwood Floor Removal
- Carpet on top: tack strip and staple holes; see Carpet to Hardwood
Sanding Out Gray, Worn Traffic Lanes
The lane from the back door to the kitchen goes first. Once it turns gray, the finish has worn through and the wood itself is weathering. Fixr lists gray or black areas, worn-off spots and deep gouges as damage that needs sanding. A light abrade-and-coat only works on intact, unwaxed polyurethane over undamaged wood (see Screen and Recoat). Dark pet stains are a separate problem, covered on Pet Stain Hardwood Floor Repair.
Refinishing Before a Sale or Move-In
An empty house is the easiest time to refinish. There's no furniture fee (HomeGuide puts it at $20 to $50 a room), nobody walking on wet finish, and the full 2 to 6 days fit between closing and the moving truck. Cure times before rugs and furniture go back depend on the product; see Hardwood Floor Finishes. Book the refinish before the painters if you can, and leave the last wall touch-ups until the floor has cured. In our view, booking the floor last and squeezing it into a weekend is the most common way a good floor gets a rushed finish.
Why Torrance homeowners call Torrance Wood Flooring
- Free to call or use the form; the referral costs you nothing
- Your request goes to one independent contractor, not a bidding list
- Ask for a moisture reading and a written line-item estimate
- California caps the down payment at 10% or $1,000, whichever is less
Hardwood Floor Refinishing Cost by Room Size
HomeGuide's national ranges, without and with stain:
| Area | No stain | With stain |
|---|---|---|
| 10 x 10 ft (100 sq ft) | $200 to $700 | $300 to $800 |
| 12 x 12 ft (144 sq ft) | $290 to $1,000 | $430 to $1,200 |
| 20 x 20 ft (400 sq ft) | $800 to $2,800 | $1,200 to $3,200 |
| Whole house, 1,500 sq ft | $3,000 to $10,500 | $4,500 to $12,000 |
| Whole house, 2,000 sq ft | $4,000 to $14,000 | $6,000 to $16,000 |
Fixr's example is 200 square feet for $800 to $1,600, with most people paying around $1,200. Small jobs often hit a minimum charge, so a single bedroom can cost more per foot than the whole house. Stairs are priced per step on Hardwood Stair Refinishing.
Refinish, Recoat or Replace?
Recoat
the finish is dull or lightly scratched but intact, and has never been waxed. Fixr prices recoating at $1 to $2 a square foot.Refinish
scratches into the wood, gray lanes, dents and minor stains. HomeGuide says this is what refinishing handles well.Replace
extensive water damage, warping, or wood too thin to sand. Engineered floors with a thin veneer may not sand at all; see Engineered Hardwood Refinishing.
If you're unsure which applies, a refinisher can tell in a few minutes on site. That's a better test than photos.