Average price per square foot to refinish hardwood floors

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Hardwood floors add a touch of elegance to any living space and can blend effortlessly into any home decor. But they sustain a ton of traffic on a daily basis, and over time, your beautiful hardwoods can become dull, discolored and pretty dinged up. If that’s the case with your floors, it may be time to consider having them refinished.

This process, which is far cheaper than replacing and reinstalling hardwood floors, involves sanding down the first layer of wood then restaining and sealing it so that you can enjoy many more years with your beloved flooring.

It’s important to note that the refinishing process only applies to actual hardwood floors. Engineered and laminate floors aren’t excellent candidates for refinishing, which is why they have a much shorter life than real hardwood floors. While real wood floors can be refinished several times, engineered floors can only withstand the refinishing process once or twice. And laminate flooring can’t be refinished at all.

Perhaps it’s not in your budget to replace your hardwood floors after years of damage. But you’ll be happy to know that refinishing your floors can restore their surface for a fraction of the price. The average cost to refinish hardwood floors is about $1,850, with a range of $1,150 to $2,500. Of course, that price can vary based on lots of different factors, from the type of finish you’d prefer to the square footage of your hardwood flooring.

One interesting thing to note when it comes to the cost to refinish hardwood floors is that if you have very small spaces, like closets or powder rooms, your price might actually increase rather than decrease. That’s because sanding equipment is often large, and it’ll be more difficult for your professional refinishers to work in a small space.

Here’s a breakdown of the cost to refinish hardwood floors by square footage:

How Do Professionals Refinish Hardwood Floors?

While refinishing hardwood floors isn’t an inherently difficult process, it is tedious, taking time and effort to get it right. So when considering how much it costs to refinish hardwood floors, most of what you’re paying for is a quality job done correctly. Below, we’ll take a look at the process used by refinishing professionals.

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The Process of Refinishing Hardwood Floors

Below, we’ll outline the steps your professional will take in order to restore your floors to a beautiful shine. These are the same steps you would take if you choose to do this job on your own.

Preparing

Before your floors can be refinished, they’ll need to be fully cleaned and prepared. Contractors will clean and dry your floors, paying special attention to any protruding nails or other objects that could impede the refinishing process. If you have shoe molding, it will likely be removed during this step.

Sanding

Next, your contractor will use a large sanding machine to sand the top layer off of your floor, in preparation for the refinishing. Most homeowners find this part of the process to be the most cumbersome, simply because it’s loud and messy; you can expect a fine layer of dust to cover every surface of your home during this step. When sanding, it’s critical to address every inch of flooring; even right up to the wall, to ensure an even finish once the process is complete.

Staining

After your flooring has been stripped and sanded down, it’s time to apply the stain you’ve chosen. This can be done with a brush or a roller, and is the simplest part of the process.

Top Coating

Finally, a top coat will be applied as a protectant for your floors. This will seal your floors, preventing minor damage, scuffs and water stains.

How Much Does It Cost to DIY Refinish Hardwood Floors?

Looking to save money? The cost to refinish hardwood floors is between $600 and $1,000 for a DIY process. But be aware it’s not a simple job for most people. Sanders can be loud and difficult to control, and improper use can quickly cause destruction to wooden floors.

If that happens, you’ll have to pay much more to replace your flooring. But if you’re relatively handy, here are the expenses you can expect if you’re wondering how much does it cost to refinish hardwood floors?

• Floor sander: Can be rented for less than $100 a day.
• Belt sander: Can be rented for about $60 to $100 a day. This should be used if you’re refinishing a room that can’t handle a floor sander (like a powder room or coat closet).
• Sandpaper: Both machines require the use of sandpaper, and you’ll need about $100 worth for an average-sized job.
• Edger: Can be rented for about $37. You’ll need this tool to get right up against walls and in tight, 90-degree corners.
• Stain: You’ll pay between $30 and $45 for your stain for an average refinishing job.
• Clear varnish: You’ll apply varnish after the stain, and that will run you between $165 to $360.
• Miscellaneous supplies: Paintbrushes, rags, mop, dust masks, eye protection and knee pads. Be sure to include a buffer in your budget for any of these items that will make the job easier.

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