Cost factors

The average cost of refinishing a hardwood floor can vary widely. Typically the cost of refinishing a hardwood floor runs anywhere from $1.25 to over $4.00 per square foot. When hiring a professional, labor costs alone average $2.00 to $3.50 per square foot. The overall price will depend on many factors.

• Condition

  The current condition of the floor can greatly impact cost. Often structural repairs must be made before refinishing, and that can get very costly. If the floor is covered by other flooring, such as carpet or linoleum, hiring someone to remove the old flooring will obviously increase the cost as well. Many homeowners choose to do this chore themselves, but it is a dirty and time consuming job.

• Floor type

  Before the floor can be refinished it is important to determine what type of hardwood flooring it really is. Some woods, such as maple, are more difficult to refinish and require professional help. Often what appear to be solid hardwood floors are really engineered wood flooring. This type of flooring has a thin layer of good hardwood on top of glued layers of other wood. These floors can be refinished, but they require special care to make sure that the hardwood is not sanded through to the glued layers.

Buff and recoat. Our special!

Refinishing can often be avoided by refurbishing the old finish instead. This involves screening and recoating the floor. This is easy for homeowners to do themselves and normally costs about $1.50 per square foot. Before this process can take place it is necessary to determine what kind of finish is already on the floor. Certain types of products simply do not mix and accidentally combining them will mean having to sand and refinish the floor.

Refinishing a hardwood floor is expensive, but the results are well worth the cost. The finish on a well-cared-for floor can last as long as 40 years. For those who are planning to sell their home, the increase in value resulting from refinishing hardwood floors can far more than offset the cost of the project. In fact, many investors look for homes with hardwood floors in need of refinishing, because they can increase the value of the home with comparatively little expense by making this improvement.

Refinishing hardwood floors can be a daunting do-it-yourself project. That is why you should call us to schedule an appointment for a free consultation.