Hardwood floor refinishing cost per square foot
| Type of refinishing | Installed price | Good to know |
|---|---|---|
| Screen and recoat (no full sanding) | $1–$5 | Scuffs the finish and adds a new coat; no full sanding |
| Sand and refinish, natural color | $2–$7 | Sands to bare wood and applies a clear finish |
| Sand, stain and refinish | $3–$8 | The same, with a color stain before the finish |
| Dustless sanding, stain and refinish | $5–$8 | Sanders with vacuum attachments; much less dust |
The guides agree on $3 to $8 per square foot as the headline. HomeGuide runs wider at both ends, at $2 to $7 without stain. Angi puts the national average at $1,892, typically $1,107 to $2,681, and Fixr puts a 200 sq ft oak floor at $1,200. Angi's page also gives $600 to $4,500 for the same job elsewhere, and This Old House's size table contradicts its own whole-home range, so we do not use either size table. Forbes Home puts the average at $1,850, with 400 sq ft at $1,200 to $2,000, in line with the table above.
Cost by floor size
| Floor area | Screen and recoat | Sand and refinish | With stain | Dustless |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 100 sq ft | $100–$500 | $200–$700 | $300–$800 | $500–$800 |
| 200 sq ft | $200–$1,000 | $400–$1,400 | $600–$1,600 | $1,000–$1,600 |
| 400 sq ft | $400–$2,000 | $800–$2,800 | $1,200–$3,200 | $2,000–$3,200 |
| 800 sq ft | $800–$4,000 | $1,600–$5,600 | $2,400–$6,400 | $4,000–$6,400 |
| 1500 sq ft | $1,500–$7,500 | $3,000–$10,500 | $4,500–$12,000 | $7,500–$12,000 |
Small rooms usually pay a minimum charge, so a floor under 100 sq ft can cost more per square foot than the table shows. HomeGuide puts 1,500 sq ft at $3,000 to $10,500 without stain and $4,500 to $12,000 with stain.
What changes the price
- Type of job. A screen and recoat costs a fraction of a full sand and refinish.
- Stain. A stain adds $1 to $3 per square foot, and a color change takes more coats.
- Dust control. Dustless sanding costs more per square foot.
- Condition. Deep scratches, gouges and loose boards are repaired first.
- Stairs. Each step is priced on its own.
- What is on the floor. Furniture and old carpet have to go before the work starts.
- Where you live. The calculator adjusts the labor share for your state's carpenter wages.
Extras to expect
| Item | Typical cost | When it applies |
|---|---|---|
| Moving furniture | $20–$50 per room | When it is not in the quote |
| Refinishing stairs | $300–$1,020 | A flight of 12 steps |
| Repairing damaged boards | $200–$1,500 | Deep scratches, gouges or loose boards |
| Removing carpet first | $0.25–$5 per sq ft | Carpet over the hardwood |
The guides disagree on carpet removal: HomeGuide and Fixr are near the bottom of the range, and Angi and This Old House near the top. If you are replacing a floor instead, see hardwood floor installation cost, vinyl plank flooring installation cost and flooring installation cost. Related jobs: carpet removal cost, baseboard installation cost and interior painting cost. A floor damaged by flooding is covered by water damage restoration cost.
Questions to ask before you hire
- Is the price per square foot, and is there a minimum charge?
- Is it a full sand or a screen and recoat, and how many coats of finish?
- Is the stain, the furniture moving and the cleanup in the price?
- Do you use dustless sanding, and what does it add?
- How long until I can walk on the floor and put furniture back?
Methodology and sources
We price each type of job from published guides, take the middle of their lows, midpoints and highs, and adjust the labor share for your state's wages. Forbes Home is used as an independent cross-check. Read how we estimate costs.
- HomeGuide: cost to refinish hardwood floors — price by method and floor size, extras
- Angi: hardwood floor refinishing cost — national average, price per square foot, extras
- This Old House: cost to refinish hardwood floors — price per square foot by process, labor share
- Fixr: hardwood floor refinishing cost — price by method, stairs, dustless sanding
- Forbes Home: cost to refinish hardwood floors — used as an independent cross-check
- BLS OEWS May 2025, State (SOC 47-2031, Carpenters) — state labor index
What each source reports
Our estimate does not rely on any single page. This table lists each page we used and the figures it reports, so you can see where the ranges come from.
| Source | What it reports |
|---|---|
| HomeGuide |
|
| Angi |
|
| This Old House |
|
| Fixr |
|
Common questions about hardwood floor refinishing costs
How much does hardwood floor refinishing cost?
A typical job (400 sq ft, sand and refinish) comes to about $1,800 nationally, within a range of $800 to $2,800. Use the calculator above to adjust for your state, the options you choose and any extras.
How much does it cost to refinish a 400 sq ft hardwood floor?
About $800–$2,800 to sand and refinish in the natural color and $1,200–$3,200 with stain. HomeGuide puts 400 sq ft at $800 to $2,800 without stain and $1,200 to $3,200 with stain.
How much does it cost to refinish hardwood floors per square foot?
About $2–$7 to sand and refinish, $3–$8 with stain and $1–$5 to screen and recoat. Angi, Fixr and This Old House all put the overall range at $3 to $8.
Is it cheaper to screen and recoat than to sand?
Yes. A screen and recoat costs about $1–$5 per sq ft against $2–$7 for a full sand and refinish. It only works when the finish is worn but the wood is in good shape, not scratched through.
How much does dustless refinishing cost?
About $5–$8 per sq ft. HomeGuide puts dustless sanding as an extra $2 to $4 on top of the standard price.
How much does it cost to refinish stairs?
About $300–$1,020 for a flight of 12 steps. HomeGuide puts stairs at $25 to $85 per step and Fixr at $25 to $45.
Does refinishing include moving the furniture?
Usually not. Moving furniture costs $20 to $50 per room according to HomeGuide, Angi and This Old House.
How much does it cost to repair damaged boards before refinishing?
About $200–$1,500. This Old House gives $6 to $12 per sq ft for deep scratches, gouges and loose boards, and Fixr gives $8 to $32 to repair.
How much of the cost is labor?
Angi, This Old House and Fixr put labor at around 80% of the total. Fixr's own figures give about 58%, so we use 70%.
Is it cheaper to refinish than to replace?
Usually, because the guides price refinishing at $3 to $8 per sq ft. Installing new hardwood costs several times as much; see our hardwood floor installation page.
Where do these prices come from?
They come from 4 published cost pages from 4 publishers, last checked Oct 9, 2026. We report what those pages say and do not invent figures; the table above shows each source.
How does my state change the estimate?
The labor part of the price is scaled by the average wage for the relevant trade in your state, using Bureau of Labor Statistics data. Materials and equipment are not adjusted.
Why might a contractor's quote differ from this estimate?
A quote reflects your specific scope, access, local demand and what the contractor includes. Ask for line items rather than a single total so you can compare bids on the same basis.
All 4 sources behind these prices
Every figure in the calculator comes from one or more of these pages, with the number each one supports in the link text.