Most worn hardwood floors don't need to be replaced. Scratches, a dull finish and gray traffic paths usually come out with sanding and refinishing, which costs less and takes less time than tearing out the floor. Here's how to tell which job you need.
Signs refinishing will fix it
- Scratches and scuffs, even ones you can feel with a fingernail
- A dull, cloudy or yellowed finish
- Gray or bare paths where people walk most
- Small surface stains
- You want a different color: sanding to bare wood lets you change the stain
Signs you may need repair or replacement
- Boards that feel soft or spongy, or move when you step on them
- Boards that are cupped or warped from a leak that's still wet underneath
- Dark stains that go deep into the wood, such as old pet stains (often fixed by replacing just those boards)
- Boards sanded so many times that nails or the tongue-and-groove edges show
- Engineered wood with a top layer too thin to sand again
Check what kind of wood floor you have
Solid hardwood is one piece of wood all the way through, and it can usually be sanded and refinished several times over its life.
Engineered hardwood is a thin layer of real wood glued on top of plywood or another core. Some engineered floors can be sanded once or twice; some have a layer too thin to sand at all.
To check, take off a floor vent cover and look at the edge of the board. If you see layers, it's engineered. A refinisher can also tell you during the estimate.
Repair plus refinish is often the middle ground
If only a few boards are damaged, a refinisher can often cut out those boards, weave in new ones, then sand and finish the whole room so the patch blends in. Ask whether the company does board repair. Many listings in this directory show it under services.
Common questions
Can every hardwood floor be refinished?
No. Solid hardwood usually can, several times. Engineered hardwood depends on how thick its top layer of real wood is. Floors with soft, rotting or badly warped boards need those boards repaired first.
Is it cheaper to refinish or replace hardwood floors?
Refinishing is usually much cheaper than replacing, because you keep the wood you already have. Prices vary by company and job size, so get two or three written estimates.
Can I refinish only part of a floor?
Usually the whole room is sanded and finished so the color and sheen match. Spot repairs often look patchy once the new finish dries.
Find a refinisher near you
Compare ratings, services and service areas for every refinisher in your region.