How Much Does Hardwood Floor Installation and Refinishing Cost?

If you have thought about getting brand new hardwood floors installed in your home or getting your current hardwood floors refinished, you’ve almost certainly wondered how much a project like that would cost. In this article, we’ll break down how we price our hardwood floor installation and refinishing, so you can know what you can expect to pay – before you even get an estimate.

Pricing for Hardwood Floor Installation

When you get a quote on hardwood floor installation, you will receive the overall, dollar-amount cost of the project, and an itemized list of everything that is included in that overall cost. This includes a per-square-foot cost of hardwood floor installation, materials for your project, and any other additional costs that may apply. Materials for a new installation include the hardwood itself and this price varies depending on the type and quality the homeowner chooses but can range from $3.00-$3.50 per square foot. The typical range you can expect to pay for floor installation labor is $3.50 to $4.50 per square foot. Here are some factors that can contribute to a

higher price per-square-foot for your hardwood floor installation:

● Wider floor boards (5 in or wider) may need to be glued down to stay in place over time

● Patterned floors, like herringbone

● Oddly shaped rooms or spaces with many objects to work around

● Customer provides wood that is milled poorly and difficult to install

All of these situations will increase the labor for your project, which can lead to your floors being on the higher end of that price per square-foot range.

In addition to the price per square foot, here are some other services we offer

that can be an additional cost to your hardwood floor installation:

● Lacing in new flooring to be uniform with old flooring

● Subfloor waterproofing (if needed)

● Subfloor leveling (if needed)

● Gluing down boards (if needed, to keep the flooring in place)

● Carpet removal – priced at roughly $1/square foot

● Trim removal and reinstallation – this is optional, but plan to touch up the paint if you choose to leave your trim on

When we prepare to install hardwood floors into a home, sometimes problems with the subfloor or other structural issues may be brought to light that need to be resolved before we can begin our work, which can add to the cost of the project.

What about Engineered Hardwood?

Engineered hardwood costs about the same to install as any other milled

hardwood. However, if the customer opts to glue down the boards, that will cost more (for labor and materials).

What about Stairs?

If you are having stairs installed, those are priced differently than a regular floor installation. We price stairs at roughly $150 per step for labor, which includes installing the tread and risers. Materials are priced separately. Skirt boards are an additional cost.

What about Hallways and Closets?

Most of the time, hallways and closets are priced the same as the rest of the

install, by square foot. If your hallway is the only thing you are having installed, it may fall under our minimum charge of $1,000.

Pricing for Hardwood Floor Refinishing

Just like installation, when you get your quote for hardwood floor refinishing, you will get an overall price, as well as an itemized list of everything included in that price, so you can know exactly what you are paying for. This includes a price-per-square-foot for the refinish and any other costs added to your project.

There is no one-size-fits-all price for hardwood floor refinishing. We charge

anywhere from $3.50 to $6.50 per square foot to refinish and this price includes labor and all materials. It is a wide price range because every floor is different. Some floors, especially older ones, have a gummier finish, which requires more time and materials to sand off. Prefinished floors are also difficult to sand and will cost more. Other floors have a thinner finish that is much easier to sand off, so those will be priced at a lower

price per-square-foot.

Coming to your home for an estimate is the best way for us to give you an

accurate price on your refinishing project. An in-home visit lets us take a real look at your floors to determine how much time, labor, and materials it will cost to refinish, to ultimately give you the most accurate price.

In addition to the condition of the floor, here are some other things that can

increase the cost of your refinishing project:

● Staples in the floor that need to be removed

● Nail or other holes that need to be filled

● Floors are very dirty

● Any repairs needed to the floors are priced separately – usually around $100 per hour

Our standard procedure for refinishing a floor is the customer’s choice of stain, a coat of sealer, and two coats of Bona’s High Traffic Go Finish – a premium, water-based finish, and one of the very best that Bona offers.

These are all included in the price per square foot on your estimate.

Sometimes the customer opts for a higher grade

of finish or more than two coats of finish, which increases the price.

Are Water Damage Repairs Included in Refinishing?

No, we price any repairs separately from the refinishing cost. Repair work is

usually priced at around $100 per hour, plus the cost of materials.

Does Filling Gaps Cost Extra?

We rarely recommend filling gaps. All floors have seasonal movement – they

expand and contract throughout the year as the weather changes. Because of this, the filling is very likely to fall out or crack over time. It is also easily broken during the refinishing process.

Do Pet Stains Require Extra Work?

It depends on what the homeowner wants. Most pet stains will not sand out. We can replace the problem boards with new wood, or we can stain the area darker to even out the discoloration.

Are Multiple Coats of Finish Standard?

Yes, our standard procedure is the customer’s choice of stain, a coat of sealer,

and two coats of Bona’s High Traffic Go – a premium, high-quality water-based finish – one of the best on the market.

Can Every Hardwood Floor be Refinished?

Hardwood floors can typically be refinished 3-4 times in their lifetime. We rarely see one that we can’t refinish. However, sometimes there is not enough wood surface on the top of the boards to be resanded, either due to improper refinishing earlier in its life, or simply because they have been sanded too many times. In these cases, if you want a new look for your floors, you may have to get new hardwood installed.

Is it Better to Refinish or Replace my Hardwood Floors?

It depends. In some situations with severe damage to the floors, it may be more cost-effective to replace the affected area with new wood. But most of the time, we recommend refinishing. Refinishing your hardwood floors is a gold mine for your house – it can give you a brand new look for an incredible value. Getting your hardwood refinished is just as good as getting new floors, and it cuts down on cost. Replacing old floors with new wood costs around $12 to $15 per square foot, whereas refinishing costs only $3.50 to $6.50.

How Long do Hardwood Floors Last?

How long your floors last depends largely on how much daily wear they get and how well they are cared for. If you give them the proper care and maintenance, they will last for the life of the house. We have refinished 20-30 year old floors where all we have to do is lightly sand them, and they look brand new again. We’ve also refinished floors that are over 120 years old with amazing results.

Conclusion

So, how much does it cost to install or refinish hardwood floors? The true answer is: it varies! Every floor is different. One of the greatest things about hardwood flooring is that you are able to customize it and find a look that you love. Whether you are thinking about having new hardwood installed or getting your current hardwood flooring refinished, we want to give you all the information you need to make the right decision for your home and feel confident in your choice. If you’re ready to give your floors a new look, call our office at (417) 742-2048 to schedule an estimate and get your own price!