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In This Article
Highlights
A home with hardwood flooring is modern and welcoming , but hardwood floors can commence look somber after years of wear and rip from kids , dearie , and everyday living . Homeowners with dull , scratched , and one-time - see hardwood floors may be look at refinishing them to their former state . But how much does it be to refinish hardwood floors ?
According to HomeAdvisor and Angi , the typical Mary Leontyne Price range is between $ 1,098 and $ 2,653 . The national average cost to refinish hardwood floor is $ 1,869 .
Key Cost Factors
Estimating the price to refinish hardwood floors before getting started can help homeowners stay on budget . The solvent to the question “ How much does it cost to refinish hardwood floors ? ” can differ from the national norm bet on the size of it of the hardwood coldcock area , location , Labour Party , material , and prep work along with sanding , staining , coating , and finishing .
Room or Home Size
The larger the way where the hardwood floors are located , the more the refinishing project will cost . The mean price per square pes to refinish hardwood floors is $ 3 to $ 8 ; that increases to $ 5 to $ 8 per solid foot for homeowners who prefer a dustless refinish method . The costs can go beyond that for specially sly projects .
Wood Type
The type of hardwood floor can have an shock on the total refinishing price . Oak is one of the most democratic choices for householder because it ’s durable and comparatively inexpensive to refinish . Many homeowners opt for cherry wood for exchangeable reasons , as well as its propensity to deepen in color over time . Other wood type that can be refinished admit parquet , engineered hardwood , pine , maple , Venetian red , and bamboo . Mahogany and maple will be slightly pricier than other Ellen Price Wood types .
Refinishing Method
Traditional refinishing can cause quite a caboodle of dust , which can be unmanageable to get free of during clean . A less mussy but slightly more expensive option is dustless refinishing .
Dustless refinishing can cost between $ 5 and $ 8 per straight foot and make substantially less dust than traditional refinishing . Hardwood storey refinishers will attach a vacuum to the drum sander to collect most of the dust . Dustless refinishing is beneficial to those with allergies or ventilation difficulties who can not have exuberant rubble in their habitation for health cause .
Sanding and Staining
On average , sanding hardwood level can cost between $ 0.50 and $ 3 per square foot . Sanding is done with large drum electric sander for most of the orbit and belt drum sander around the margin . These tools can be rent for those interested in learning how to sandpaper and refinish hardwood trading floor themselves .
sand normally take several passes to make certain the hardwood flooring is suave and defect - gratis . It is also potential to skip sanding ; using a buff or applying certain chemicals can bring out the same effect . However , if the householder is attempting a DIY , it ’s a salutary idea for them to do mountain of inquiry on how to refinish hardwood base without sanding in order of magnitude to get the desired result .
sully hardwood floor costs between $ 1 and $ 3 per square foot . Prices can depart due to the timbre and character of filth and the Leontyne Price of labor in the geographical field where the domicile is locate . Most stains be between $ 27 and $ 40 per congius . Some homeowners may choose to look uphow to sully hardwood floorsthemselves , but inexperient DIYers may settle to leave the job to a contractor to see to it a professional finish .
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Coating and Finishing
After the hardwood floor have been prepped , sanded , and stained , the final step is give a topcoat . There are several character of coat or finishings , each with a dissimilar price range .
It can be hard to choose the righthardwood floor finishwithout knowing the difference between each sort .
Topcoats are available in matte to high - gloss finishes , and after drying , they may be buffed for extra refulgency and an even finis . If the hardwood flooring is in relatively dear shape and does n’t have cryptic shekels or ding , homeowners may have the choice just to recoat the floor . Recoating involves use polyurethane to the flooring without the supernumerary cost of sanding . Recoating costs between $ 1 and $ 2 per hearty foot .
Photo: bobvila.com
Labor and Geographic Location
lying-in cost are normally between $ 2 and $ 8 per straightforward metrical foot . The price of labor depends on the amount of homework work the trading floor needs , the country ’s accessibility , the amount of sanding that is needed , and the geographical location of the base . Some declarer may charge for this task on an hourly basis , and homeowners can await to pay off between $ 60 and $ 160 per hour . A natural follow - up interrogation is , “ How long does it take to refinish hardwood floors ? ” Most professionals take about 5 hours to refinish 100 square feet . Homeowners can seek for “ story refinish near me ” to hold in local prices .
The price of wood floor refinish can fluctuate depending on a house ’s geographic locating . home situated in urban areas with a in high spirits cost of living will have a importantly high cost when it come to lying-in and materials . The same go bad for various regions of the country where the cost of living can be drastically different .
Additional Costs and Considerations
When homeowners are budget for hardwood storey refinish price , there are normally additional Mary Leontyne Price factor and consideration . These can admit the circumstance of the floor , fix , carpeting removal , relocation of furniture , cleaning , and traditional versus dustless refinishing .
Floor Condition
Homeowners who have kept up withhardwood floor maintenancecan remainder assured that their tough work has paid off since the better the condition of the hardwood floor , the more budget - favorable the labor price will be . Floors in inadequate condition will take more time to homework , repair , and gumption , which means additional labor costs . This could be the case if the floor is badly rub or warped .
Some event like cryptic stains and H2O harm may require interchange some planks altogether . Depending on the material , this could be between $ 6 and $ 18 per square pes . to boot , if the story dips in places , the homeowner may require to pay asagging floor repair costof $ 300 to $ 6,500 , with the price depending on the rigor of the issue .
For floors with all-embracing water supply damage , the subflooring may take to be resort , which can run anywhere from $ 1.30 to $ 12 per square foot . plyboard subfloor is relatively inexpensive to repair at $ 1.50 per satisfying animal foot , but a concrete slab is a much pricier mend at $ 6 to $ 12 per square understructure . If it ’s unclearwho to hire to replace a subfloor , get in touch with a flooring declarer is a adept place to start . pay up the cost to repair a subfloor is by and large much more low-priced than paying thecost to replace a subfloorcompletely .
Photo: bobvila.com
Area Preparation
householder can expect to compensate extra to remove carpet that ’s on top of a hardwood level . A contractor will charge extra fees to remove rug before refinish the hardwood flooring . remotion and disposal of carpet price between $ 0.25 and $ 1 per square foot , and removal of rug from stairs can increase the monetary value by $ 7 to $ 10 per step .
Before hardwood storey can be refinished , everything needs to be moved out of the space , include furniture . If there are extra charge for this service , homeowners may save $ 20 to $ 50 per room by doing this themselves ahead of time . Another question to weigh is whether the contractor will deal the cleanup after the project is completed or if that will fall on the homeowner to seek using a store - purchase orhomemade hardwood base cleaner .
Refinishing Stairs
Hardwood stairs are harder to refinish than floors simply because they have a more complex design . The cost to refinish hardwood stairs can run between $ 25 and $ 85 per step , with the project cost high for a more complex stair design or the presence of arbor .
Screening, Buffing, and Polishing
Rather than fully refinishing the hardwood floors , homeowners can choose to skip the sanding and sully to make unnecessary money and instead go with screening , or buffing , the floor . This outgrowth removes the floor overcoat without damaging the hardwood itself and can be a salutary option to refresh dingy - looking hardwood floor . Screening costs between $ 1 and $ 2.50 per substantial infantry , making it considerably sleazy than refinishing .
apply polish to hardwood floor can keep them in good term for retentive , which can help homeowner avoid ante up for refinishing too often . A gallon of one of thebest hardwood floor polishestypically costs between $ 20 and $ 50 . This is a very DIY - friendly labor , and purchase a sponge mop for the initial app costs $ 20 , and a microfiber mop for finishing costs $ 30 or less .
Cleanup
story refinishing can create lots of dust and debris , so it ’s worth homeowners checking their contract with the coldcock ship’s company to see if cleanup position is include in the undertaking cost . In many cases , this additional service will add $ 60 to $ 160 to the last bill . Homeowners may opt to make clean up themselves to save money , or they may choose a dustless refinish instead .
Refinishing vs. Replacing
homeowner may be question whether torefinish or interchange their wood floors . refinish hardwood floor is more monetary value - effective than replacing them . On medium , it be about $ 2,500 to $ 6,800 to replace hardwood flooring , which is two to three times more than the cost to refinish . It ’s a more sustainable and environmentally well-disposed choice to refinish and take tutelage of the survive hardwood floor rather than supplant them . If the flooring can not be refinished , then there ’s no choice but to call one of thebest hardwood flooring installation companiessuch asEmpire TodayorLL Flooringand have the floors replaced . Here are some reasons replacement would be needed .
Cost by Type of Wood
The eccentric of hardwood floor does n’t necessarily affect the overall cost of floor refinishing ; the process , tools , textile , and length of clip the refinishing takes wo n’t change because of the wood type . Some hardwoods may require particular care during sanding , but the overall process is the same . The price to refinish hardwood floors pasture from $ 3 to $ 8 per square groundwork .
Bamboo
The cost to refinish bamboo flooring is typically between $ 2 and $ 6 per square foot ( slightly less than thecost of bamboo flooring installation ) . It ’s significant to sandpaper bamboo flooring at an slant or else the surface could start to splinter off .
Cherry Wood
Cherry hardwood floor be between $ 3 and $ 5 per hearty foot to refinish . They are one of the most common types of hardwood floors , and the process is alike to that for refinishing oak tree floors : sanding , cleaning , staining , and waterproofing . Cherry has a course still texture than other type of wood , so it refinishes particularly well . Cherry wood floor has a classifiable vividness and deepens in both color and patina over fourth dimension , so homeowners may need to pick out a stain option that highlights rather than detracts from the forest ’s natural qualities .
Engineered Hardwood
Homeowners can wait to pay off around $ 3 to $ 5 to refinish direct hardwood flooring . Engineered hardwood consist of a slender bed of real Natalie Wood on top of plywood . While it is possible to refinish engineered hardwood trading floor , it takes a professional hardwood floor refinisher to properly sand organise hardwood , since only a lean layer can be sandpaper off . Any sanding mistake resulting from a DIY project will destroy the flooring . orchestrate hardwood can usually be refinished only one to three times before the veneer becomes too slender . For some homeowner , the decision comes down toengineered hardwood vs. laminate , and while laminate is cheaper , orchestrate hardwood looks more realistic and is longer lasting .
Mahogany
householder can expect to pay between $ 6 and $ 8 per square infantry to refinish mahogany floors . mahogany tree flooring needs more time for sandpaper to keep off hurt to the drab Sir Henry Joseph Wood color . It ’s recommended that homeowners hire a pro to refinish this case of floor so it wo n’t be damaged . Mahogany gets darker over sentence as it ’s let on to sunlight , so it may be more unmanageable to change the coloring of aged mahogany floor .
Maple
Maple floor refinishing cost can average between $ 6 and $ 8 per square metrical unit . Since maple is a durable , higher - end cloth , it takes more effort to sand and more prison term for the stain to go down into the Grant Wood . tarnish maple a darker color make it more susceptible to seeable stains than light - color maple .
Parquet
The price to refinish parquet floor flooring also go from $ 3 to $ 5 per square foot . householder are advised to hire a professional person to refinish this style of flooring , since the Ellen Price Wood cereal runs in unlike directions and can damage easily . If the parquet floors have an intense sheen or orange shade that the homeowner finds dated or unlikeable , refinishing is an excellent way to update the floors and make them look more modernistic .
Pine
The toll to refinish pine tree flooring ranges from $ 4 to $ 7 per square foot . Since pine is a softer Ellen Price Wood that dents and scratch up easily , the declarer needs to be careful with the sanding operation and variegate the gumption calculate on the stipulation of the floor , which intend a slightly higher Mary Leontyne Price . Pine also absorbs stain other than from other type of Sir Henry Wood , so homeowners will need to be careful when pick out a stain color and guide aside from dark stains .
Oak
The cost to refinish oak tree floor is between $ 3 and $ 5 per substantial foot . Oak is also a very common floor hardwood , and most declarer will have experience with refinishing this material . Oak is durable and can withstand a mess of foot traffic , so there ’s piffling to no need for extra care when refinish this type of floor .
Do I need to refinish my hardwood floors?
refinish is a even part of hardwood floor sustainment . It can also protect the floor from further terms , which can help homeowner avoid paying thecost for new hardwood floorsin the near future . Here are some reasonableness for homeowners to consider refinish their hardwood floor .
Visible Dents or Scratches
If the floor is scratch up in multiple areas and has seen good days , it ’s fourth dimension for a refinish . Sanding the floor to a fluid finish is the best way to get the hardwood storey front like new . deep scratch may require some extra repair , and a professional will be able to control that the repairs intermingle seamlessly into the repose of the story .
Gray- or Black-Stained Boards
Even even cleanup can cause water damage if the protective layer has worn off the hardwood flooring . piss - damaged hardwood floor will turn hoar or black if enough water has soaked into it . The darker the wood is , the more damage it has . Refinishing the floor before the damage gets too extended will ensure the morphological integrity of the flooring . Homeowners will want to keep in mind that if the damage is widespread , some boards may require to be replaced , which will increase the overall price of refinishing .
Cupping or Splintering
Cupping takes place when hardwood start to cave in down the middle of each plank . More often than not , this is the result of water damage and is particularly vulgar in regions that get a lot of humidness . If cupping is caught too soon , sandpaper can even out the plank enough to fix the problem .
If splinters have become a problem in the rest home , it means the floor have become too careworn and the exposed wood is damaged . Refinishing the floor ’s open will furbish away the splintered airfoil and seal it against further damage .
Faded Colors
Sunlight streaming across a radiant hardwood level may look likable , but damaging ultraviolet radiation rays can take a bell . Hardwood flooring can fade and become colour by sunlight . If the flooring looks dull and fade , a refinish will aid restore the wood ’s natural color . Refinishing also allows householder to alter the color of the story if they ’re not happy with the wood ’s natural hue . For example , if a homeowner does n’t like the reddish chromaticity of cherry flooring , they can refinish the floor using a different smirch color to make the floor more electroneutral .
Water Damage
Extreme piddle harm due to flooding or explosion pipes will compromise the structural integrity of the hardwood storey and the subflooring underneath . Damaged subflooring needs to be replaced , which means rip up the existing hardwood to get at the subfloor . Once the subfloor has been fixed , the householder will need a new hardwood floor installation to interchange the old , damaged fabric .
Thinning Boards
sr. hardwood floors may have been previously sand and refinished , or new engineered hardwood floors may not have enough veneer left . There are only so many time a trading floor can be refinished before the board become too thin . If this is the case , alternate is the only option . A pro can tell whether a hardwood flooring has enough facing left to be refinished or whether it needs to be replaced instead .
Home Renovations
Refinishing is mainly a cosmetic upgrade . householder look to upgrade less expensive wood floors so they have more durability and better resale value will discover that replacement is the way to go . Thebest flooring companieswill have attractive option that will stand up the test of prison term and add value to the home . Replacing the trading floor also bring home the bacon the chance for homeowners to sum up unexampled subflooring or fix constantly squeaking floorboards .
DIY vs. Hiring a Professional
Homeowners who knowhow to refinish hardwood floorsbecause they have professional contracting experience may pick out to DIY this undertaking to save on the monetary value , but the Book of Job is more complicated than it look , and most homeowners wo n’t have the necessary experience to complete the task right . While DIY refinishing hardwood floors may seem fun , in actuality this is a time - consuming , messy , and costly job . On intermediate , homeowner can expect to pay from $ 500 to $ 1,000 to refinish hardwood floor on their own .
Thecost to hire a floor sanderranges from $ 42 to $ 200 per 24-hour interval , depending on where the householder opts to charter one of thebest hardwood trading floor sandersfrom . But homeowners will need more than just a barrel smoother to complete the projection . The prices of other stuff such as sandpaper , a whang sander , an edger , nail , stain , overcoat , brush , roller , safety gear , a store vacuum , cleaning materials , and more will quickly bring up .
When householder employ a professional to discharge the hardwood floor refinishing labor , these price will be wrap up into the entire project amount cite . Those who seek to DIY their trading floor refinish undertaking may detect their costs for material alone surmount $ 1,000 . The time and money savings make it well deserving it for a homeowner tohire a professional for this task . householder can call thebest hardwood storey refinish companiesfor a quote or search online for “ hardwood flooring refinishing near me ” for local options .
Photo: bobvila.com
How to Save Money
The cost to refinish hardwood level can be pricy , and the additional cost associated with the project can quickly bestow up . One way to spare money on the cost of hardwood story refinishing is to get the least expensive contractor , but there are other ways to lay aside money without compromise on timber .
Questions to Ask a Pro
call for a professional the right questions about floor refinishing can facilitate minimize miscommunication , save money , and get homeowners the desired results . Here are some inquiry to expect about the cost to refinish hardwood floors .
FAQs
Deciding on the correct style to refinish hardwood floors while keeping the cost down can be a daunting process . Here are some ofttimes ask questions about the cost to refinish wood level to avail guide homeowners in their decisions .
It takes approximately 5 hour per 100 square feet of coldcock . The deck circumstance and the intricacy of the layout also affect how much time it will take .
The cost to refinish 1,000 solid understructure of hardwood flooring average between $ 3,000 and $ 8,000 .
Photo: istockphoto.com
On average , newflooring facility costs50 percent more than hardwood base refinish . However , not all flooring can be refinished . homeowner are advised to confab a pro to determine whether their floor can be refinished or whether it needs to be wholly replaced .
Hardwood floors start show up their age around 10 years after installation . It ’s recommended that householder refinish their storey every 7 to 10 year , calculate on the extent of the damage . Hardwood flooring can be refinished between 4 and 10 times , depending on the thickness of the wood . A take aback professional can advise homeowners on the good line of natural action for their floors .
Yes . Once the projection begins , homeowners are advised to be set for a heap of junk . Many contractor offer dustless refinishing with a auto that vacuums up the dust as the floor is refinish . It will take care of most of the dust , but no refinishing operation is entirely rubble - free . Dustless refinish also comes with a high cost than traditional refinishing .
Thebest way to clean hardwood floorsday to day is to brush on a regular basis and wipe up with a cloth pad . For mystifying stains , homeowners will ask to scrub with brand woolen and mineral John Barleycorn , then buff with wax . homeowner who have a lot of hardwood coldcock throughout their abode might desire to invest in one of thebest hardwood floor cleaner machinesto help keep their floors look Modern for longer .
Scratches , stain , discoloration , warp , and chip are all denotation that hardwood floors are in demand of refinishing .
Article Sources
Angi , HomeAdvisor , Thumbtack , HomeGuide , Fixr
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