There are two main ways to refresh a hardwood floor. A full sand-and-refinish takes the floor down to bare wood. A recoat, often called a screen and recoat, only roughs up the old finish and adds a fresh coat on top. The right choice depends on how worn your floor is.
Full sanding and refinishing
- Removes the old finish and a thin layer of wood
- Takes out scratches that go into the wood and most surface stains
- Lets you change the stain color
- Makes more dust and takes longer than a recoat
- Uses up some of the wood each time, so it can only be done a limited number of times
Recoating (screen and recoat)
- Lightly scuffs the existing finish, then adds one or more new coats
- Brings back shine and protection on floors where only the finish is worn
- Little dust and usually a shorter job
- Can't fix scratches in the wood, gray worn spots or color you don't like
- May not stick over some floor polishes and wax, so the refinisher may test first
The water drop test
Put a few drops of water on a worn spot, such as a busy walkway. If the water beads up, the finish is still sealing the wood, and a recoat may be enough. If the water soaks in and darkens the wood within a few minutes, the finish is worn through there, and that area likely needs sanding.
This is a rough guide. A refinisher will look at the whole floor before recommending one or the other.
What about "dustless" and "sandless" refinishing?
"Dustless" or dust-contained sanding is still a full sand. The sanders are hooked to strong vacuums that catch most of the dust. It's less mess, not zero mess.
"Sandless" refinishing usually means cleaning and scuffing the old finish without sanding to bare wood, then applying new finish. It has the same limits as a recoat. The comparison tables in this directory show which companies list each option.
Common questions
How often should hardwood floors be recoated?
It depends on traffic, pets and the finish. Many homeowners recoat when the finish starts to look dull in walkways, before it wears through to bare wood. Recoating in time can delay the need for a full sanding.
Can a recoat change the color of my floor?
No. Changing the color means sanding to bare wood and applying new stain.
Does full sanding make a lot of dust?
Sanding to bare wood creates fine dust. Companies that list dust-contained sanding use vacuum systems that catch most of it. Ask how they protect the rest of your home.
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