How Much Does Hardwood Floor Repair Cost?

Hardwood Flooring Repair Cost

Repairing hardwood floors cost anywhere from $1 to $100 per square foot or $100 to $3,000 or more. In many cases, replacing your floors is less costly than repairing a small section. However, you might prefer to save historic floors. Despite the price tag, major repairs often have a smaller environmental impact.

Actual repair costs depend heavily on what type of repair you're getting. Explore the table below to find common wood floor issues and their associated prices:

Cost to Fix Uneven Hardwood Floors

Uneven floor repairs cost around $3 to $60 per square foot. What you'll pay depends on what the cause is. If your floors need sanding and refinishing to take off spots, you'll pay around $0.50 to $8 per square foot. If you need to level it before refinishing, add about $200 to $800 to that price. If you need to repair the foundation or fix or replace joists, you'll pay between $40 and $60 per square foot. 

Hardwood Floor Scratch Repair Cost

Scratches cost anywhere from $75 to $2,000 or about $1 to $8 per square foot to fix. For a single scratch, you might go with an inexpensive wood filler and stain. For extensive scratches, you'll likely need to refinish the floor completely, costing closer to $2,000.

Hardwood Mold or Mildew Repairs

Mold remediation costs around $1,150 to $3,350 or $10 to $25 per square foot. Repairing mold or mildew means hiring a local mold remediation specialist. They'll remove the mold first, often including the wood planks. Replacing hardwood floors costs an additional $2,500 to $6,700.

Hardwood Floor Cupping Repair Costs

Repairing hardwood floor cupping costs up to $8 per square foot. You'll notice the edges of your planks rising slightly, which happens because of higher humidity in the room than normal. You can reverse cupping by lowering the moisture level in the room.

Here are some other options to repair cupping issues:

• Consider sanding and refinishing: You may need to take this extra step if your cupping problem doesn't right itself after a few days.

• Identify the source of added moisture: Check the plumbing in the area. Plumbing leak fixes cost about $150–$350.

• Dehumidify the area: You can do this with a simple dehumidifier for the room. Or pay for the cost of a whole-house dehumidifier of around $1,300–$2,800, which is less than replacing your floors.

If you notice cupping soon after installation, the wood probably wasn't appropriately acclimated. All solid hardwood floors need to rest in your house in the open air for a few days to acclimate to your home's moisture content. If you don't adjust them, they may absorb moisture and expand, causing cupping. In dry homes, they lose moisture and shrink, causing gaps.

Hardwood Floor Squeaking Repair

The cost to repair squeaking floors will depend on the reason for the sounds. Squeaky floors are often caused by water damage, uneven subflooring, or improper installation. A settling foundation can also cause squeaking. 

Fixing a squeaking floor ranges from $200 to $1,000, depending on the specific cause. 

Replacing Hardwood Sections and Boards

Replacing a section of hardwood flooring will likely cost between $600 and $5,000. The ultimate cost of replacing hardwood sections and boards will depend on the size of the area that needs to be replaced, the type of wood you have, and the specifics of finishing the replaced boards.

Cost to Repair Hardwood Floors per Square Foot

Repairing hardwood floors costs around $0.50 to $100 per square foot. But typically, you'll spend between $3 and $25. For smaller repairs, like 20 square feet of water damage, you'll pay a total cost or per-hour rate rather than per square foot. Per-square-foot costs will go down as the repair area goes up. 

“In many cases, once a small area is repaired, the finish color there no longer will match the rest of the flooring and thus will require a refinish of the entire flooring throughout to maintain a consistent floor,” says Ezra Laniado, Angi Expert Review Board member and owner of Landmark Construction & Development Group, Inc.

Hardwood Floor Water Damage Repair Cost

Repairing water-damaged floors costs about $8 to $100 per square foot. This price is to repair or replace boards as necessary and blend them into your existing room. If the issue is widespread, it's more expensive to repair water damage than to replace your floor. However, it's less intrusive to repair and less environmentally impactful.

You may need to repair joists and subfloors for extensive damage and may want to refinish the entire room.

• Repairing floor joist cost: $40–$60 per sq. ft.

• Refinish hardwood floor cost: $3–$8 per sq. ft.

• Replacing subfloor cost: $500–$750

Labor Cost to Repair Hardwood Floors

You'll pay around $65 to $100 per hour to repair hardwood floors, and projects take anywhere from five to 24 hours. Labor ranges from $330 to $2,400 for most wood floor projects.

DIY Hardwood Floor Repair vs. Hiring a Pro

For some wooden floor issues, like light scratches or cupping, you may try to repair them yourself. Buffing out a top layer or turning on a dehumidifier (or turning off a humidifier) could quickly and easily fix your problem. 

But for deep gouges, water damage, and mold, always call a professional. It's likely that a shoddy DIY fix can quickly lead to a complete wood floor replacement later down the line. A local hardwood floor repair company can inspect your damage before making suggestions and providing a quote.