We’ve refinished hardwood floors in five of the six homes we’ve owned. That doesn’t make us professional refinishers, but as homeowners and consistent DIYers we’ve learned what to expect, what pitfalls to avoid, and roughly how much to budget. In this article we answer common hardwood floor refinishing questions and share before-and-after photos from our projects to help you decide if refinishing is right for your home.
Refinishing hardwood floors can feel disruptive, but for us it has always paid off. It removes scratches and discoloration, brings back the wood’s richness, and can even change the color to better suit your décor. A refinished floor can dramatically refresh a room — often making a house feel like new — so consider this a practical nudge toward tackling the project.
Hardwood Floor Refinishing FAQs
Key questions covered in this guide:
- Can I refinish my hardwood floor myself?
- How much does refinishing hardwood floors cost?
- Is refinishing hardwood floors worth it?
- What is the process like?
- Do I have to move all of my furniture?
- Can I stay in my home while refinishing?
- How long does refinishing take?
- What should I ask my floor refinisher?
The advice here is drawn from our experience across six houses in three cities; each job presented slightly different challenges and trade-offs.
Can I Refinish My Hardwood Floor Myself?
Yes — refinishing hardwood floors is a doable DIY project if you have the time, patience, and willingness to learn. The basic steps are sanding and sealing, but professionals bring specialized equipment, experience, and efficiency that most DIYers won’t have. Operating large sanders is tiring and the work is repetitive, so hiring a skilled refinish crew often saves time and delivers a cleaner result.
If budget constraints push you toward DIY, here’s an outline of typical steps for refinishing hardwood floors yourself:
- Clear the rooms of furniture, decor, window treatments, and appliances.
- Remove quarter-round and baseboard molding with a pry bar.
- Seal off doorways, vents, and adjacent rooms with plastic sheeting and painter’s tape.
- Repair damaged boards or use wood filler where needed.
- Sand the floor in multiple passes (typically 3–4), progressing to finer grit with each pass. Use a belt or drum sander for open areas and an edge sander for perimeters. Always sand with the grain.
- Buff the floor for a smooth final surface.
- Vacuum thoroughly to remove all dust.
- Apply stain if desired, following the manufacturer’s instructions and allowing adequate drying time between coats.
- Apply a protective sealer and follow the recommended curing times before walking on or moving furniture back in.
- Reinstall and caulk baseboards and quarter-round, then paint or touch up as needed.
The process demands attention to detail and physical effort. For projects with special challenges — for example, matching new boards to old or removing tile and laminate before installing wood — professionals are often better equipped and faster.
In one of our homes we hired pros to refinish an entire first floor that required inserting new boards and feathering them into existing flooring for a seamless look. They also removed slate and laminate in separate rooms — tasks that took an experienced crew a full day with demolition equipment. Those steps would have been much slower for us to do on our own.
How much does refinishing hardwood floors cost?
Typical refinishing costs range from about $3 to $8 per square foot. That means a 200-square-foot room could cost roughly $600–$1,600. Prices vary by region, project size, and any special work such as demolition, repairs, or replacing unsalvageable sections.
Our projects ranged from about $900 to nearly $10,000. The lowest cost was an outlier because we agreed to handle some prep and molding repairs ourselves. For whole-house jobs or projects involving extensive repairs, the total can be much higher. On average, we’ve paid roughly $5 per square foot.
Is refinishing hardwood floors worth it?
Yes. Refinishing hardwood floors is a high-impact home improvement for both enjoyment and resale. Industry reports consistently show that refinishing is among the top interior projects for cost recovery, and homeowners frequently report high satisfaction with the results.
Beyond resale value, refinished floors dramatically improve how a home looks and feels. From our experience — having done the work multiple times — the transformation is consistently impressive. Worn, faded, or dated flooring can detract from an otherwise well-maintained interior, and refinishing often restores a sense of newness.
The inconvenience and cost are meaningful, but every time we refinish floors we find ourselves wishing we had done it sooner. The visual impact is consistently worth the effort.
What is the process like?
If you hire professionals, here’s what homeowners can typically expect. (See the DIY steps above for a concise summary of the tasks if you plan to do it yourself.)
Finding a floor refinishing professional
Ask friends, neighbors, or other contractors for recommendations — that’s how we found our best refinishers. Community message boards can also point you to reputable professionals. Get referrals and check local reviews when possible.
Getting an estimate
A contractor should visit your home to measure and discuss the scope. This on-site meeting is a chance to assess their communication and understand their process. We typically get two or three estimates to compare not just price but professionalism and approach.
Acclimating the wood
If new boards are being added, they should acclimate to your home’s humidity before installation. Delivery and indoor storage for at least three days is common; some professionals recommend up to two weeks. Proper acclimation helps prevent later swelling or shrinking.
Emptying your space
Remove furniture, rugs, appliances, and any items blocking access to the floors. You may also need to remove plumbing fixtures or cabinetry in some rooms. Protect or remove artwork and window coverings to avoid dust exposure. For whole-house projects consider a storage POD or temporary storage; for a single room, nearby rooms can often store the items.
Picking a stain color
Work with your refinisher to choose a stain. We recommend testing a few large sample spots directly on the floor so you can see the color under your home’s lighting and next to your furnishings. Small test patches are the most reliable way to know the final result.
Waiting and more waiting
Refinishing takes multiple days. Stains and sealers generally need at least 24 hours to dry per coat, and curing may take several more days before you move heavy furniture back. On one major job we slept elsewhere for six nights and waited ten days before fully moving furniture back in to ensure the finish cured and fumes dissipated.
Cleaning & touch-ups
Contractors often control most of the dust, but there will usually be residual dust to clean. Reinstalling and caulking baseboards, painting touch-ups, or reinstalling appliances and fixtures are tasks you or the contractor can handle depending on your agreement. Doing some of this yourself can reduce costs.
Do I have to move all of my furniture out?
Yes. Remove everything from rooms where floors will be refinished, including furniture, rugs, and appliances. You should also take down or protect artwork and window treatments to avoid dust. For whole-house refinish jobs you will likely need off-site storage or to move out temporarily.
Refinishing is easiest before you move in or while other renovations are happening. Unfortunately, unlike painting, you can’t simply cover furniture — unobstructed access is essential for a high-quality, efficient result.
How long does refinishing hardwood floors take?
Most jobs take between 3 and 14 days, depending on size and complexity. General time estimates:
- Prep (demo, remove molding, uninstall fixtures): 0–2 days
- Repairs or installing new wood sections: 0–2 days
- Sanding: 1–2 days (roughly 1,000 sq ft per day)
- Staining: 1–2 days
- Sealing: 3–6 days (one coat per day for some finishes)
- Curing time: 1 day or more
Our quickest project was 600 square feet completed in four days, followed by three additional days of waiting to allow the finish to cure and odors to clear. To speed projects, you can skip staining and use a clear coat, or choose faster-drying water-based finishes that may allow multiple coats in a single day. Discuss timelines and finish options with your contractor so you balance speed and durability.
What questions should I ask my floor refinisher?
Before the job begins, clarify scope, timeline, and responsibilities. Useful questions include:
- Are my floors good candidates for refinishing?
- Do any areas need replacement rather than repair?
- How long must new wood acclimate before installation?
- What must be removed from rooms and who is responsible?
- What will you seal or protect with plastic, and who does that?
- What should I prepare before you arrive?
- Will you remove and reinstall baseboard molding?
- Can I do anything to reduce cost or speed up the project?
- How long will the project take and how much time will I need to be out of the home?
- How will stain color be selected and can I see test spots in my home?
- What type of sealer do you recommend and why?
- When is it safe to walk on the floors, let pets on them, and return furniture?
Get clear answers from your on-site pro so expectations are aligned on timeline, budget, and scope. That clarity reduces surprises and helps ensure a successful outcome.
Our Hardwood Floor Refinishing Projects
We’ve documented several of our projects in detail, from matching new and old hardwood to restoring century-old pine floors. Examples include refinishing mid-century oak, matching new and original boards, restoring heart pine, and clear-sealing light-refinished pine floors.
- Refinishing mid-century oak floors in our first house
- Matching new and old hardwood floors in our third house
- Restoring historic heart pine floors in our beach house
- Repairing historic oak and pine floors in our duplex
- Clear-sealing refinished floors in our Florida house
More flooring projects
We also have guides on related flooring topics such as installing hardwood, choosing flooring, installing without nails, click-and-lock cork, painting floors, staining concrete, and removing carpet.
- How to install hardwood flooring yourself
- How to select hardwood flooring
- How to install hardwood floors without nails
- How to install click-and-lock cork flooring
- How to paint a floor
- How to stain a concrete floor
- How to remove carpet
NOTE: This guide was originally published in 2009 after our first refinishing experience. We updated it with additional information and photos in 2024 to reflect a wider range of projects.