Hardwood Floor Refinishing: The Comprehensive Guide

We've tried to create the most comprehensive guide that answers as many questions about hardwood floor refinishing that we could think of without becoming redundant. This guide chooses to answer most questions in a general fashion that the average homeowner can understand without getting into the weeds. Just general answers to the most asked questions regarding hardwood floor refinishing. So here goes:

How much should it cost to refinish hardwood floors?

$2400-$4000 is the average cost of a hardwood refinishing job. Hardwood floor refinishing is normally priced by the sq. ft. so the size of the job will have the biggest impact on price. There are always extras involved that will increase the overall price such as: removing and replacing the shoe molding along the base of the walls, removing old flooring such as carpet, repairing or replacing damaged areas in the existing wood floors etc. The species of wood could also affect the process and final price (species such as red oak, white oak, walnut and maple are just some of the types of hardwood that could affect the final price). 

The only way to get an exact price of course is to have a hardwood floor refinishing professional come out to your home and inspect the conditions of your existing floor and provide a quote based on what you actually need. 

Below is a chart representing the average price of refinishing a hardwood floor. Incidentals include such things as: shoe molding replacement and incidental moldings. Misc charges represent miscellaneous charges that most jobs will have such as: light floor repair, some furniture moving etc.

Is it better to recoat or refinish hardwood floors?

This depends upon why you want to refinish your hardwood flooring. If you have surface scratches or a dull finish and you would like it restored, then screening the surface of your wood flooring and recoating should provide you with the desired results. You will have a new surface finish and all the surface scratches should be gone. If you have deeper scratches, wear that has worn completely through the clear surface finish, cracks or other damaged wood planks or just would like to change the color of your existing floor then sanding them down and hardwood floor refinishing would be the best option. 

Is refinishing hardwood floors worth it?

Yes, refinishing your existing hardwood floors is well worth the investment. Hardwood floors are considered "lifetime" floors. They should last for years and years and provide lasting value to your home. If you have hardwood floors in your home then you have a floor that increases the value of your home. Through time, hardwood floors will start to show wear. They'll accumulate surface scratches and even deeper scratches. The finish will lose it's luster. Sometimes, just the color of the floor itself will become dated. These are all reasons to have your hardwood floor refinished. Once you have your floors refinished, you will have in essence a "new" floor. Having your hardwood flooring refinished will, on average, cost less than half of what it would cost to replace the wood flooring!

Can I refinish hardwood floors myself?

If you have the ability, time and inclination you could probably refinish your hardwood floors yourself. That being said, hardwood floor refinishing is a time consuming, laborious job. You will need specialized sanding equipment and tools among other specialized supplies. The work can be arduous, time consuming and difficult to do a good job. Even though a homeowner can do this job themselves, in our opinion, this is one job best left to the professionals. 

Is it better to buff or sand hardwood floors?

Buffing a hardwood floor can be the best option when you are only dealing with minor surface scratches and a dull finish. Buffing can help to restore the original shine and hide/cover up the surface scratches.

Sanding a hardwood floor will remove the top layer of clear finish, the stain color and a small portion of the top layer of wood. This will get the wood to it's original, unstained and unfinished condition. Once that's been done, you can now stain, seal and finish the surface to produce a "brand new" floor. You also have the option of change to a custom color to more closely conform to the newest trends in style and color. Plus you can change the sheen at this point in the process. (Flat, satin, semi-gloss or even gloss can be applied). Hardwood floor refinishing can accomplish all of these things for you.

Deciding whether to buff or sand your hardwood floors is an individual decision based on individual circumstances. Each option can be a good choice depending upon your specific needs. Either process should achieve a beautiful end result! 

Can I stay in my house while floors are refinished?

You can stay in your home while the hardwood floor refinishing is going on but some people don't. While you can stay in your home their will be restrictions and issues that you will have to deal with. You won't be able to walk on the floor that is being refinished until later on in the evening when the surface is dry to the touch, and even then you should only walk on it with stocking feet. Nothing that can scratch or abrade the surface should be worn on your feet. One reason why most people will leave the house during the process is because of the smell. Most hardwood floor finishing products have a strong smell that can/will permeate the whole house. 

How long does it take to refinish 1000 square feet of hardwood floors?

Obviously the size of the job is a large factor in how long it takes to finish the job. Using 1000 sq. ft. as a base, it can take about 5 to 7 days to complete a hardwood floor refinish job. There are various factors that can affect the time it takes to complete a hardwood floor refinishing job. These factors include: furniture and old carpet removal, wood damage that needs to be repaired or replaced, high humidity will affect the drying time thus delaying recoat times along with other unknown factors that can affect the final refinish timeline. The normal process for refinishing a hardwood floor includes the following processes: 

1. Remove old flooring such as carpet if needed.
2. Tape off areas to keep the dust in a confined area.
3. Repair or replace any boards that are cracked, warped or damaged.
4. Sand down the existing finish.
5. Apply a sealer or wood stain (different colors can be applies such as: grey, dark brown, whitewash gunstock etc) to the surface of the hardwood floor.
6. Then 2 or 3 coats of a quality hardwood floor finish (including dry time and rescreening between coats).
7. Depending on the finish used you then have final dry time. You can walk on the floors the following day. You can put the furniture back within 36 to 72 hours. All finish has a 30-day full cure, but you are still able to use the floors fully.

What is the best time of year to refinish hardwood floors?

Hardwood floor refinishing can be done year round. Most homes are air conditioned these days so the humidity levels are pretty constant inside the home where the job is actually being done. Outside humidity may be higher in the summer but inside an air conditioned home, the humidity level is fairly constant so the time of year is really no issue at all. Same can be said for the winter. So you can really have your hardwood floors refinished whenever is best for you and for your individual needs. The time of year should really have no bearing on when you have your hardwood floors refinished. 

How long do you have to stay off hardwood floors after refinishing?

A lot depends on what type of finish you have applied to your hardwood floor. The two most common types of hardwood floor finishes are water base and oil base. 

• Water base: will dry in 4 to 6 hours. You should stay off the floor for 24 to 36 hours. Most people can actually walk on the flooring the next day with stocking feet. Furniture can be put back also in 36 to 48 hours.
• Oil base: will dry in 16 to 20 hours. You should stay off the floor for 24 to 36 hours. Furniture can be moved back into the room in 36 to 48 hours.

Felt pads should be used on the feet of your furniture to protect the new hardwood floor finish from scratching. Area rugs should be kept off the floor for 3 to 4 weeks. Most wood floor finishes will completely cure in about 30 days.  

Do you have to remove all furniture to refinish hardwood floors?

Yes, all furniture needs to be out of the area that is to be refinished. Ideally, all wall hangings should be moved out of the room also to keep them from getting covered in dust from the sanding process.

How to tell if hardwood floors can be refinished?

All solid hardwood floors can be refinished. How many times a solid hardwood floor can be refinished depends upon how much of the wood surface was sanded off each time the floor was refinished. An average is that most solid 3/4" thick hardwood flooring can be refinished 3 times. What limits the number of times a solid 3/4" wood floor can be refinished is the fact that you can only sand down to the "tongue". Solid wood flooring uses the tongue and groove system and once you sand down to the tongue, you can't sand down any further.

Engineered hardwood flooring is typically thinner. You can only sand down an engineered hardwood floor down through it's top layer of hardwood. Engineered hardwood flooring has layers of wood glued together, like plywood, with the top layer being the hardwood which can be very thin. 1/8" or less is typical for the top layer on an engineered hardwood floor. This being the case, it limits the number of times you can refinish it and determines whether you can actually refinish it or not. Some hardwood floor refinishing companies won't sand down an engineered floor because the chances of sanding down too far can be great.

One way to find out whether your hardwood flooring is solid or engineered is to pull a heat register out of the floor. Look down into the opening and check out the exposed sides of your wood flooring. You should be able to see whether your floor is solid wood or an engineered plied wood floor product.

How can I make my hardwood floors look better without sanding?

Depending on what your actual issue is there are a few ways to improve the look of your existing hardwood floors without sanding them down and refinishing. 

• Deep cleaning: Can potentially restore the shine.
• Buffing with a microfiber pad: Can restore the shine.
• Apply a rejuvenating hardwood floor cleaner or refresher: Can help hide surface scratches and restore the shine. (Not recommended. This procedure can form build up that can make future screening and recoating difficult. This can also cause the orange peel look.)
• Screen the surface: Probably the best way to improve the look of your hardwood flooring depending on the current condition of your flooring. Will screen the top layer, clean the floor then apply one coat of finish providing you with a new top coat. This will guarantee a surface restore and get rid of all the surface scratches.

Is it better to screen or sand hardwood floors?

For minor wear and tear, "screening" your hardwood floors is generally considered better than sanding as it's a less invasive, faster, and more cost-effective option, only removing the top layer of finish while sanding removes a layer of wood itself, making it ideal for deeper scratches or significant damage.

Screening:

• Best for light scratches, scuffs and general maintenance.
• Only removes the top layer of finish, preserving more wood.
• Screening is a quicker process with less dust and disruption.
• Is more cost effective.

Sanding:

• Necessary for deep scratches, major damage or significant aesthetic changes.
• Removes a layer of wood, allowing for deeper restoration.
• Job takes longer to finish.
• You can change the color of your floor along with the sheen.
  
  

Will buffing remove scratches on a hardwood floor?

Yes, buffing can remove surface scratches. Buffing (or screening) will lightly abrade the surface of the existing finish which will buff or remove the minor surface scratches. Applying a finish coat at that time will restore the original look of the floor. Deep scratches, dents or floor damage will not be corrected by buffing or screening.

Is it necessary to remove baseboards when refinishing hardwood floors?

In most cases it is not necessary to remove the baseboards during hardwood floor refinishing. If you have shoe molding or quarter round installed up to the baseboards then those should be removed and replaced to get the best results. If you don't have shoe molding or quarter round then the baseboards will have a slight line at the bottom which will need to be touched up. Removal of the baseboards can cause numerous issues. You'll have to cut the caulk away from the top of the baseboards, then pry them off the wall without damaging them. Once the wood floor is refinished, you must re-install the old baseboards or replace with new (which can be very expensive). Then re-caulk the tops and there will be a good chance that the walls will have to be repainted due to removing the baseboards. Because of all of the issues, removing the baseboards is not recommended. 

How long does a house smell after refinishing hardwood floors?

How long the house will smell after refinishing depends largely upon what type of finish is used and how much ventilation you have. Water based wood floor finishes will smell for a day or two whereas oil based finishes can last up to 2 or 3 days. Good ventilation will greatly reduce the offensiveness of the odors created by the wood floor refinishing process. 

Okay, well, there you have it. The comprehensive guide to hardwood floor refinishing. If you have any other questions about the process of refinishing your hardwood floors and we haven't answered them here, then we encourage you to reach out to us and we'll be more than happy to answer any questions that you may have (and we just might answer and post it here on our comprehensive guide!). 

Contact us here or call us at 248-854-2027.