Hardwood floor refinishing typically costs about $1,300. While the wood floor refinishing costs often range from about $1,200 to $1,400, a high-end project can cost around $1,600. Ultimately, the total cost of your refinishing project will depend on the size of the space, the condition of your wood floors and the finishing materials you choose.

• How much does it cost to refinish hardwood floors?
• How much does it cost to refinish wood flooring in different rooms?
• What other factors can affect the cost of refinishing floors?

One of the major benefits of having solid wood flooring is that it can be refinished over time, which makes it a lasting investment. And because the price of refinishing hardwood floors is usually about half that of installing new hardwood floors, it’s a wise choice for homeowners to make. When it’s time to refinish hardwood floors, it’s important that this time-consuming job is done correctly and with care, so it’s a good idea to call a wood floor refinishing professional to assist with your project.

Refinishing hardwood involves sanding it down before putting on a new coat of finish, so it’s important to make sure that your floors are still thick enough for the job. Solid hardwood floors can usually go through several rounds of refinishing, but you should have just under an inch of thickness remaining before embarking on a project. If you have engineered wood flooring, you might be unable to refinish it, as it is not one homogenous piece of wood. If the veneer is thick enough, however, it’s possible that you may be able to complete one or two refinishing jobs on it.

For more information: What to Know Before Refinishing Your Floors

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It typically costs about $2 to $3 per square foot to refinish wood floors, including labor and materials. That means average project costs vary widely depending on the square footage that you’re dealing with. For a typical 300-square-foot kitchen, it could cost roughly $600 to $900 to refinish your wood floors. For a larger space, like a 1,000-square-foot bottom floor of a house, the total refinishing cost could be around $2,000 to $3,000. Keep in mind that particularly small spaces like closets or staircases can actually be more costly per square foot to refinish than large, easy-to-access spaces. Staircases cannot be refinished with the help of a machine, so they require extra labor time and skill.

You should also consider the additional cost to hire a professional mover to get your furniture out of the way. Wood floor refinishing jobs often take a few days, which includes time to let the new finish dry and for the fumes to dissipate. To avoid these fumes, you’ll likely want to stay somewhere else during the project.

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Like all home improvement projects, the cost of refinishing will be affected by the location of your home and the labor costs of local flooring professionals. Additionally, the condition of your floor and the finish materials you choose can determine the ultimate cost of your project. It’s important to assess all of these possible factors so that you can set a realistic budget going into the project.

If your wood flooring is in need of extensive repairs, this can easily increase the cost of your project. Before any refinishing work is done, a contractor will need to fix any cracks or dents, and depending on the extent of the damage, this can be a big job in itself. Stains that have been left to penetrate the wood for some time can present some difficulty when cleaning. Similarly, if you want to have old flooring or carpet that was installed over hardwood floor removed, it will add a considerable amount of work to the project and raise the price.

On the flip side, if your floor is in adequate condition, you might need only a recoat rather than a full refinish. This simply involves adding another protective coating on top of your current flooring. Because this process doesn’t involve sanding down your floor, it’s usually much cheaper. Some homeowners might choose to do a recoat every few years as part of hardwood floor maintenance, so that they don’t need to do a full refinish as often.

Finally, if you wish to change the shade of your hardwood flooring, this can add to the overall cost. While staining hardwood flooring a darker shade is not all that difficult, lightening the shade of your wood flooring can be an intensive task. With multiple coats of finish, lightening your hardwood could end up costing you more than just refinishing it.

There are a number of options when it comes to picking out finishes, sealants and waxes for your hardwood floors. Top-of-the-line products will cost more than cheaper versions but might do a significantly better job. Finishes commonly come in polyurethane-based varieties as well as more natural solutions.

Polyurethane Finishes: These are the most widely used, and come in water- or oil-based solutions.

• Water-Based Polyurethane: This type of finish dries in just a few hours, which makes it possible to apply multiple coats in one day. A water-based finish will also be clear on your hardwood flooring, which lets the natural color show through. It is typically more expensive than an oil-based finish.
• Oil-Based Finish: This type of finish will give your wood floors an amber hue. Oil-based finishes usually take a full 24 hours to dry and have a strong odor that takes some time to ventilate.

Finishes Made From Natural Oils: Natural finishes have a water base rather than a polyurethane base and are a more environmentally friendly option. For homeowners concerned with dealing with strong, toxic fumes, natural finishes are a great option. The downside is that they don’t provide as durable a finish as other varieties.

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Note: Costs are estimated at the U.S. national level. Variations depend on factors such as the quality of materials, type of products installed and labor costs. The typical range is assumed to be between the 20th and 80th percentiles. The high-end and low-end costs are the maximum and minimum, respectively. Costs assume that the homeowner manages the project and hires subcontractors as needed. They include a subcontractor markup of 10% for materials and labor. Costs can be higher if a general contractor is managing the project. All numbers are rounded.

Source: 2019 Houzz Remodel Costs Database