How Much Does It Cost to Refinish Hardwood Floors in 2025?

Hardwood Flooring Refinishing Cost Factors

The average cost to refinish hardwood floors depends on several factors, including materials, labor, moving furniture, dustless options, and the type of hardwood floors you currently have. 

You may also want to consider refinishing other areas of your home at the same time to save on equipment and labor costs. For example, refinishing a deck runs about $3 to $6.80 per square foot. 

Cost per Square Foot

The average cost to refinish wood floors is around $3 to $8 per square foot. As a result, the size of your space serves as one of the most important factors in your cost estimate. 

Refinishing a smaller room is not as cost-effective as refinishing a larger area because flooring pros need to account for materials, transportation, shipping, and equipment costs. The larger the project, the higher the total price but with a lower price per square foot. Also, some companies offer discount rates for larger spaces to encourage larger jobs. 

If you’re looking to refinish your stairs or railings, you can expect the cost to refinish stairs to come in between $4.50 and $8 per square foot.

For reference, these are the average cost ranges for some common home sizes:

• Small house or apartment: At roughly 1,000 sq. ft, expect to pay $3,000–$5,000 for hardwood floor refinishing.

• Medium house: The average cost range for wood floor refinishing for a 2,000 sq. ft. home is $6,000–$10,000.

• Large house: A 3,000 sq. ft. house will cost between $9,000–$15,000 for hardwood floor refinishing.

Materials

Flooring professionals include the cost of tools and materials in their price. When working with a pro, material costs vary by the room size, the type of stain, the topcoat you choose, and local prices. 

Labor

The average cost for labor is between $2 and $8 per square foot or $60 to $160 per hour. Labor plays a significant role in the cost of refinishing hardwood floors. You can expect to pay as much as 80% of the overall project price. 

Be sure to get a few estimates to compare prices. The cost comes down to:

• Labor prices where you live, with metropolitan areas and the Northeast corridor charging more for labor

• The extent of the refinishing process

• The size of the room

• Other factors affecting the project length, like drying time, local humidity, and type of wood

Flooring Type

No matter the type of wood you’re working with, the cost to sand and finish hardwood floors remains about the same, typically from about $3 to $8 per square foot. 

The price fluctuations come down to the unique needs of each wood or manufactured material. Local hardwood floor refinishing pros may also have more experience with common materials like oak. Working with these materials might cost less than the cost to refinish bamboo floors.

It’s also worth noting that solid hardwood flooring can withstand several refinishes over its lifetime. In contrast, engineered hardwood floors can only take one or two refinishes before the lower layers are exposed and the flooring needs to be replaced. 

Oak 

Expect to pay between $3 and $5 per square foot for oak refinishing. Oak is one of the most common and durable hardwood flooring types. It’s easy to finish and can withstand a lot of foot traffic. Installing oak floors costs around $1,320 to $6,840 for a 250-square-foot space. 

Cherry Wood

Cherry wood refinishing costs between $3 and $5 per square foot. Cherry wood is also a common and durable type of hardwood with a smooth surface, making it easy to refinish. You can expect the color of this wood to deepen over time, so factor that into your stain and finishing options. 

Parquet

Parquet floor sanding costs between $3 and $5 per square foot. Parquet flooring requires specialty sanding due to the inconsistent grain, meaning the flooring runs in different directions. Parquet hardwood floor installation costs $15 to $45 per square foot, decidedly more than sanding and refinishing. 

Engineered Hardwood

Expect to pay between $3 and $5 per square foot to refinish engineered hardwood. A professional should handle the specialty sanding of the thin top layer of hardwood to ensure you don’t grind too deep into the flooring. For context, engineered hardwood costs $5 to $20 per square foot to install, a bit less than the $10 to $25 per square foot for solid hardwood. 

Pine

Pine flooring requires special care when sanding, so you can expect to pay between $4 and $7 per square foot to refinish it. Pine is a softer wood that’s more prone to dents and scratches. 

Maple

Incorrectly staining maple can result in imperfections, so expect to pay between $6 and $8 per square foot to have it refinished. Maple is more costly yet very durable. It’s also more difficult to stain. 

Mahogany

Refinishing mahogany flooring costs between $6 and $8 per square foot. Mahogany requires slow, delicate sanding to avoid damaging its dark hue. 

Bamboo

Expect to pay between $2 and $6 per square foot to refinish bamboo floors. To prevent splintering, you must sand bamboo flooring at an angle in the first round. Bamboo floors cost around $1,500 to $15,000 to install. 

Traditional vs. Dustless

A fair amount of dust accumulates during a hardwood refinishing project. Dustless vacuuming options can be much tidier than traditional refinishing techniques, pulling a lot of dust and debris out of the air. The cost of refinishing hardwood floors with a dustless method is higher at $5 to $8 per square foot as it requires higher-tech equipment. 

Even with a dustless technique, there is no such thing as a dust-free sanding process. Ensure all furniture and fixtures are out of the room. Tape plastic drop cloths around the perimeter of your walls to keep dust out of vents and other surfaces. 

Prep Work

Before you can refinish your hardwood floors, you’ll need to prepare the space. Move all furniture, decor, and other furnishings out of the room. If you don’t handle this task yourself, expect to pay $20 to $50 per room for this service. 

As you start this project, you may encounter additional expenses. Hardwood floor repair costs up to $80 per square foot for severe damage, while basic carpet removal costs about $180 for a typical 12-by-12-foot room. Just as hardwood stair installation costs more per square foot than a completely flat floor, preparing stairs for refinishing can require more labor.

Cost by Task

The process of refinishing hardwood floors consists of several steps, and each task carries its own estimated cost. 

Sanding

The average cost to sand hardwood floors is $0.50 to $3 per square foot. Sanding is the process of removing the top layer of wood and smoothing out any imperfections and blemishes in your hardwood flooring. More significant damage can add significant flooring repair costs to your overall budget. 

Sanding hardwood floors requires a large drum sander with sandpaper and a belt sander for the perimeter. Your local pro runs the sander across the floor several times, changing to lower-grit sandpaper along the way, before vacuuming and cleaning the floor to prep the hardwood for the next step. 

Staining

After sanding, the process of staining hardwood floors adds between $1 and $3 per square foot to the final cost, including labor and materials. Once sanded, you may want to skip staining your floors and apply a finishing coat directly over the untreated wood. Staining is only necessary if you want to change or reinvigorate the color of your floors. 

Like any other design choice, the wood stain comes down to aesthetics. The most popular options are oil-based or water-based stains. Much like painting a room, the per-gallon price range depends on type and quality, typically between $30 and $100 per gallon. 

Finishing and Coating

Once your floors are sanded and stained, the final step is adding a long-lasting topcoat finish of oil-based or water-based polyurethane. Recoating costs between $1 and $2 per square foot and ranges based on labor cost and the type of coating you choose (oil or water-based).

• Oil-based topcoats cost around $20–$40 per gallon, add a slight amber hue to your floor, and take up to 10 hours to dry.

• Water-based topcoats dry clear but cost a bit more at around $25–$50 per gallon and only take two to four hours to dry. 

Your hired contractor typically applies two or three topcoat layers with a brush or roller. Topcoat finishes run the gamut from flat to high-gloss. They may also buff the final coat for added shine. 

Adding a topcoat of polyurethane finish protects your floor from future damage and provides a high-quality shine. Depending on the initial state of your floors, recoating is either the final step in the larger process or the only step you need. 

Alternatives to Refinishing Hardwood Floors

If your hardwood floors are in good condition, you may alternatively decide to screen, buff, or polish to breathe new life into them. 

Screening or Buffing

With slightly worn floorboards, you may be able to cut out the sanding and staining process. Instead, screening (also called buffing) uses a thinner sanding disk to remove the thin topcoat of your floors without affecting the wood below. For this step, you’ll pay between $1 and $2.50 per square foot. 

Polishing

Polishing hardwood keeps your floors looking new between coats and refinishes. If you take the job on yourself, expect to pay between $20 and $50 per gallon for hardwood floor polish, about $20 for the sponge mop, and between $15 and $30 for the microfiber mop to finish it off. 

Hardwood Floor Refinishing vs. Replacement

If your hardwood floors look worse for wear, it may be time to refinish them. Signs to look out for when deciding whether to refinish your hardwood floors include:

• Visible scratches

• Stains from sunlight 

• Water damage

• Inconsistent coloration 

• Separation from the walls or crown molding

Original hardwood floors can last over a century when well-cared-for and properly finished. Refinishing your hardwood floors costs two to three times less than replacing them.

Depending on the condition of your hardwood flooring, you may need to replace it entirely. It might be time for a total replacement if you notice extensive damage, such as severe water damage, deep scratches or dents, extreme fading, warping, dullness, or board separation.

Installing new hardwood flooring averages $6 to $12 per square foot, plus $1 to $13 per square foot to remove the original boards. Expect to pay approximately $13 to $25 per square foot or more for higher-end wood styles. This adds up to between $2,500 and $6,800, depending on the type of wood, supply availability, and labor costs. 

Does Refinishing Hardwood Floors Increase Home Value?

While it can be difficult to pinpoint a precise return on investment (ROI), refinishing hardwood floors can greatly increase the perceived value of your home in the eyes of potential buyers. Freshly sanded and refinished hardwood floors can add that “wow” factor to a home listing, signaling to prospective buyers that the home is well-maintained and offers higher-end finishes. If your existing hardwood floors look worse for wear, it may be worth the investment to freshen them up before listing your home for sale. 

Budgeting for Refinishing Hardwood Floors

To reduce your overall cost of refinishing hardwood floors in your home, keep these budget-friendly strategies in mind:

• Request detailed quotes from at least three local pros to compare pricing and service levels.

• Remove all furniture and other decor items from the area yourself to save on labor costs.

• If it’s time to replace your hardwood floors, consider cost-effective alternatives. In some cases, wood tile flooring costs less than large planks of real hardwood. 

• Bundle your hardwood refinishing projects with other related home improvement tasks.

• Consider talking to your neighbors about bulk purchasing wood stains and other materials.

• Think about screening or polishing your hardwood floors instead of fully refinishing them if wear and damage levels are minimal. 

How HomeAdvisor Gets Its Cost Data

No place is more important than your home, which is why HomeAdvisor connects homeowners with local pros to transform their houses into homes they love. To help homeowners prepare for their next project, HomeAdvisor provides readers with accurate cost data and follows strict editorial guidelines. We surveyed over 10,000 real customers about their project costs to develop the pricing data you see, so you can make the best decisions for you and your home. We pair this data with research from reputable sources, including the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, academic journals, market studies, and interviews with industry experts—all to ensure our prices reflect real-world projects.