Screen and recoat
$800–$2.5k
- Deep clean to remove wax and oils
- Buffing with a fine abrasive screen
- Adhesion test on your old finish
- One coat of water-based finish
- Edges hand-abraded along walls
- Furniture pads and care guide
Hardwood floor refinishing · Licensed & insured
Hardwood floor refinishing that starts with the condition of your boards.
We sand scratched, gray or orange floors to bare wood with a dust-contained system, sample stains on your own boards and lay three coats of commercial-grade finish. Before any of that, we check the boards are thick enough to sand. You get three written prices the day after we look at the floor.
Send two photos: one of the whole room, one close up of the worst spot. A licensed supervisor tells you within 5 minutes during business hours if it looks refinishable.
- $3–$6Per sq ft, refinish
- 3–5 daysFull refinish
- 4.9410 reviews
- 24hWritten estimate
What happens after you text us
A refinishing supervisor answers. The first check is whether your boards can take a sanding.
A typical first exchange. You say what bothers you about the floor, the supervisor asks for a close-up and a look at a floor vent, and you end with a visit time and an estimate date.
- A floor vent shows how thick the wood above the tongue is
- Dark stains get a close look before we promise they sand out
- Visit and estimate date confirmed in the same thread
Hi, we have oak floors that have gone orange and scratched. Can they be sanded and made lighter, more natural?
Hi Linda, this is Carlos, I run refinishing for ProBuild Remodeling. Usually, yes, oak takes a natural or white look well. Could you lift a floor vent cover and send a photo of the board edge?
Here it is. There are also a couple of dark spots by the back door.
Good thickness above the tongue, plenty for a full sand. The dark spots look like water or pet stains, which often go deeper than sanding reaches. Can you send a close-up of those?
Sent. The dog used to sleep there.
Those likely need three or four boards replaced and woven in, I will price that separately. I can come Wednesday at 3 and sample colors on your floor, with three written prices Thursday. Does that work?
What floor refinishing costs
Hardwood floor refinishing costs $800 to $16,000. How deep we go sets the price.
A full sand and refinish runs about $3 to $6 a square foot with stain and three coats of finish. A screen and recoat costs a third of that when the wear is only in the finish. Most homeowners with gray, scratched or orange floors need the Full refinish tier.
Full refinish
$3k–$7.5k
- Dust-contained sanding system
- Three sanding passes, coarse to fine
- Nail holes and small gaps filled
- Stain sampled on your own boards
- Three coats of Bona water-based finish
- Shoe molding removed and reset
Restore and repair
$7k–$16k
- Stained or broken boards replaced
- New boards woven in, not patched
- Stairs and landing refinished
- Dark to natural color change
- Squeaks fixed from above
- Extra coat for high-traffic areas
See a refinishing range for your floors
Choose the tier, how much floor and the kind of house. The range comes from the per-project numbers our refinishing supervisors quote, sanding, finish and trim included.
A range, not a quote. Your written estimate comes after the visit and does not change once you approve it.
Typical range for your answers
Turn this range into a written refinishing estimateWhere the money goes
Most of a refinish is skilled labor. The finish you pick is the next biggest line.
Typical split for a full refinish of 800 square feet. The finish line is where commercial-grade coatings like Bona Traffic HD differ from hardware-store polyurethane, and it decides how long the floor looks new.
Get my itemized refinishing estimate
Refinish or replace
Refinish when there is wood left to sand. Replace when there is not.
A refinish costs about a third of new hardwood and keeps original floors. It only works if the wear layer above the tongue is thick enough and the boards are sound. We measure six things at the visit and put the answer in writing.
| If this is true | We recommend |
|---|---|
| Solid boards with at least 1/8 inch of wood above the tongue | Refinish |
| Nail heads or the tongue show on the board surface | Replace |
| Engineered floor with a wear layer under 2 mm | Replace |
| Scratches, gray wear and orange color across the room | Refinish |
| Black pet or water stains in a few spots | Refinish |
| Boards cupped or soft over a large area from a leak | Replace |
How long it takes
A full refinish takes three to five days, and you need to stay off the floor for part of it.
Screen and recoat is one day. With water-based finish you can walk on the floor in socks after 24 hours, return furniture after three days and lay rugs after two weeks. Oil-based finish needs longer and a stronger smell.
Before day one
Inspect and sample
We check board thickness and stains, sample colors on your floor and plan which rooms close when.
Day one
Contain and sand
Rooms sealed, vacuum-attached sanders take the floor to bare wood in three passes, edges by hand.
Days two to three
Stain and coats
Floor vacuumed and tacked, stain applied, then sealer and finish coats with drying time between.
Final days
Cure and walkthrough
Last coat cures, shoe molding goes back, furniture pads handed over and care explained on site.
Remodeling concepts
Hardwood floor refinishing: conditions and possibilities.
AI-generated examples of existing conditions and remodeling possibilities. Each image is a separate concept, not a documented transformation of the same home.
What goes on your floor
Every sander, stain and finish is named in your estimate, coat by coat.
Refinishing quotes look alike until you ask which finish and how many coats. Ours lists the product, the sheen and the number of coats, because that is what decides how long the floor looks new.
Dust-contained sanding
Sanders connected to a HEPA vacuum system, like Bona DCS or similar, capture most dust at the drum, so it does not settle on your shelves.
Water-based finish
Bona Traffic HD and Bona Mega: clear, low odor and dry to walk on in hours. They stay light and do not yellow the wood over time.
Oil-modified finish
Oil-based polyurethane gives a warm amber tone and a thick film. It smells strong, needs a day between coats and deepens in color.
Hardwax oil
Rubio Monocoat and Bona Craft Oil soak into the wood for a matte, natural look. Easy to spot-repair, needs periodic maintenance coats.
Wood stain
Minwax and DuraSeal stains in dozens of colors, sampled on a sanded patch of your own floor, since the same stain looks different on red oak.
Wood filler and sealer
Trowel-applied filler tinted to your wood and a sealer coat that keeps white oak from turning orange and evens out the finish.
Written into every contract
Six promises you can hold us to.
The approved price is the final price. Change orders only with your written approval.
A credit for every working day of delay we cause. Weather and inspections excepted, in writing.
Dust barriers, floor protection and a clean-up before we leave. Your home stays livable.
A text or email every working day with photos and tomorrow's plan, or the day is free.
Workmanship warranty in writing, transferable to the next owner, backed by a fixed address.
A small deposit, then you pay only for work that is already completed, inspected and photographed.
Who is in your house
Two or three refinishers, the same faces every day of the job.
Every person is background-checked and introduced by name. They seal the rooms they work in and leave the rest of the house clean enough to live in.
Refinishing supervisor
Checks board thickness, samples stains and sends daily updates.
Lead sander
Runs the drum and edger so the floor comes out flat and even.
Finish coater
Applies sealer, stain and every finish coat without lap marks.
Illustrative project scopes
Hardwood floor refinishing: scope and budget examples.
Planning examples with illustrative budgets and durations. These are not completed customer jobs, invoices or promises about your project.
Living room screen and recoat
- Example budget
- $1,300
- Example duration
- 1 day
- Record type
- Illustrative scope
Main floor full refinish
- Example budget
- $5,600
- Example duration
- 4 days
- Record type
- Illustrative scope
Whole floor plus stair restore
- Example budget
- $11,800
- Example duration
- 6 days
- Record type
- Illustrative scope
Your floor is not average
Every wood floor has a history. Here is how yours changes the estimate.
The three tiers are the starting point. These are the cases that change the process, the finish or the price most often in refinishing.
Hardwood found under the carpet
Many houses hide original oak under old carpet. We pull a corner, check it, and price the carpet removal, staple pulling and refinish together. It usually costs less than the new carpet you were going to buy.
Price my floor under the carpetDogs and pet stains
Dog nails scratch finish more than wood. We lay an extra coat of a commercial finish like Bona Traffic HD, pick a satin or matte sheen that hides marks, and replace boards with urine stains instead of sanding forever.
Price a pet-proof refinishYou cannot leave the house
We refinish in two halves, so you always have a path to the kitchen and a bedroom. Water-based finish means low odor and sleeping at home, though small children and pets are best kept out of the work rooms.
Price a refinish we can live throughAn original older floor
Old floors may have shellac, wax, and layers of past repairs. We test the finish, sand gently to keep as much wood as we can, and follow EPA lead-safe rules if any painted borders or trim will be sanded.
Price refinishing my original floorA big color change
Going from dark espresso to a natural or white oak look takes full sanding to clean wood and sometimes a whitening sealer. We sample three options on your own boards before choosing, so there is no surprise.
Price a new floor colorA move-in deadline
The weeks between closing and move-in are the best time to refinish, with an empty house. We can often sand and coat in three to four days, and furniture can come in on day five under a water-based finish.
Price a refinish before move-inAllergies or asthma at home
A dust-contained system with HEPA vacuums and a low-odor water-based finish keep dust and fumes down. We also seal the vents in the work rooms and run air scrubbers when someone at home has allergies or asthma.
Price a low-dust refinishSelling the house
Refinished floors are among the cheapest updates buyers notice. A neutral, clear finish on the main floor photographs well, and a screen and recoat can freshen floors that are only dull, in a single day.
Price a refinish before I listWhat this service is
Hardwood floor refinishing, defined the way we quote it.
Hardwood floor refinishing is the process of sanding an existing wood floor down to bare wood, repairing and filling it, optionally staining it, and applying new coats of protective finish, or, for lighter wear, buffing and recoating the existing finish. ProBuild Remodeling performs it as a licensed contractor with dust-contained sanding equipment and named finishes.
The service covers a screen and recoat, a full sand and refinish with a stain color of your choice, and a restoration that includes board replacement and stairs. It covers solid floors and engineered floors with enough wear layer. It does not cover installing new hardwood, which has its own page, or painting walls and trim around the floor.
It is for homeowners with scratched, gray, orange or dated wood floors, buyers who found oak under carpet, and sellers who want the cheapest visible update. It is not for vinyl, laminate or floors worn through to the tongue, which need replacement, and it is not for a single scratch, which a touch-up kit handles.
The words you will see on your refinishing estimate
- Screen and recoat
- Buffing the existing finish with a fine screen and adding a fresh coat. Works only when the wear has not reached bare wood.
- Full refinish
- Sanding to bare wood, filling, optional stain and new finish coats. Removes most scratches, color and dullness.
- Dust containment
- Sanders connected to a HEPA vacuum that captures dust at the drum, instead of letting it drift through the house.
- Water-based finish
- A clear, low-odor polyurethane that dries fast and stays light. Commercial versions like Bona Traffic HD are very hard.
- Oil-based finish
- A polyurethane with an amber tone and strong odor. Slower drying, and it gets darker and more yellow as it ages.
- Sheen
- How shiny the finish is: matte, satin, semi-gloss or gloss. Lower sheens hide scratches and dust better.
- Wear layer
- The wood above the tongue that can be sanded. When it is gone, the tongue or nails show and boards must be replaced.
- Weaving in
- Replacing damaged boards by staggering new ones into the old pattern, so no straight patch line shows.
Refinishing questions
Eight questions we get before every floor refinish.
How much does it cost to refinish hardwood floors?
A full sand and refinish costs about $3 to $6 a square foot, so $3,000 to $7,500 for most main floors. A screen and recoat costs $800 to $2,500. Restorations with board replacement, stairs or a big color change run $7,000 to $16,000.
How many times can hardwood floors be refinished?
A solid three-quarter inch floor can usually be fully sanded five to eight times, since each sanding removes a small amount of wood. Engineered floors depend on the wear layer: 4 mm or more allows one or two sandings, 2 mm or less usually none.
How do I know if my floors are too thin to refinish?
Lift a floor vent and look at the board edge. If there is at least about an eighth of an inch of wood above the tongue, it can be sanded. If nail heads or the tongue show on the surface, those boards are done and need replacing.
Is water-based or oil-based finish better?
Water-based finish is clear, low odor, dries in hours and does not yellow, so it suits natural and light floors. Oil-based finish gives a warm amber tone and a thick film but smells strong for days. Commercial water-based finishes are now as durable.
Can I stay in the house while the floors are refinished?
Most families do. We seal the work area, use dust-contained sanders and low-odor water-based finish, and work in sections so you keep a path to the kitchen and a bedroom. With oil-based finish, we recommend staying elsewhere for a night or two.
How long after refinishing can I walk on the floor?
With water-based finish, socks after about 24 hours, furniture after about three days and rugs after about two weeks while the finish fully cures. Oil-based finish needs roughly twice as long for each step.
Is dustless floor sanding really dustless?
Not completely, but close. Sanders connected to a HEPA vacuum capture most of the dust at the drum. Hand work along edges makes a little more, which is why we still seal doorways and vents and clean before the finish goes on.
Can refinishing remove dark pet or water stains?
Light surface stains sand out. Black stains from pet urine or long-standing water usually go through the board, so sanding only lightens them. The lasting fix is replacing those boards and weaving new ones in before the whole floor is finished.
Hardwood floor refinishing near you
Your remodeling address, within our service area.
Your floors are sanded and finished by a local refinishing crew working under the contractor license for your state, listed below.
- Maine
- New Hampshire
- Massachusetts
- Rhode Island
- Connecticut
- New York
- New Jersey
- Pennsylvania
- Delaware
- Maryland
- Virginia
- North Carolina
- South Carolina
- Georgia
- Florida
- Check your remodeling address
Free refinishing estimate
Send two photos and your answers. Three refinishing prices follow the visit.
A refinishing supervisor reviews your photos and answers, texts back within 5 minutes during business hours, and brings stain samples to test on your own boards.