Hardwood floor refinishing cost calculator

Enter the floor area and the method, add a stain, and enter your ZIP. Per square foot prices come from Fixr, HomeAdvisor and Today's Homeowner.

$3 to $8A sq ft (Fixr, HomeAdvisor)

$1,463Typical 300 sq ft sand and refinish

$1 to $3A sq ft to stain (HomeAdvisor)

Hardwood floor refinishing cost

$900 to $2,025

Typical $1,463 (US average)

$4.88Per sq ft, all in, typical

$900Low

$2,025High

Free. Your numbers become an estimate you can send from your phone.

How we got this

Sand and refinish, installed$3.00 to $6.75 a sq ft (typical $4.88)Fixr $3 to $5.50 for sand and refinish, Fixr and HomeAdvisor $3 to $8 overall. Middle of the two.
Floor area300 sq ftLow, typical and high each times 300.
RegionUS average prices (no ZIP entered)Enter a ZIP to scale the labor part of the price to your state's wages.
Total$900 to $2,025, typical $1,463

Item	Qty	Low	Typical	High
Hardwood floor: sand and refinish	300 sq ft	$900	$1,463	$2,025
Total		$900	$1,463	$2,025

Sources: Fixr, hardwood floor refinishing cost; HomeAdvisor, hardwood floor refinishing cost; Today's Homeowner, hardwood floor refinishing cost; BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 (state and national files); US Census Bureau, 2020 ZIP Code Tabulation Area to county relationship file. Checked 2026-10-09.

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Key takeaways

Sanding and refinishing usually costs $3 to $8 a square foot on Fixr's and HomeAdvisor's numbers.
A buff and recoat is far cheaper when the finish is worn but the wood is not.
Dustless systems cost more, $6 to $8 a square foot on Fixr's table.
Changing the color adds a stain coat at $1 to $3 a square foot.

Refinishing cost by method

Method	A sq ft	Source
Buffing	$1 to $2.50	Today's Homeowner
Recoating	$1 to $2	Today's Homeowner
Sand and refinish	$3 to $5.50	Fixr
Full refinish, overall	$3 to $8	Fixr, HomeAdvisor
Dustless refinishing	$6 to $8	Fixr

Wood species

Species changes the price a little. Fixr lists oak and cherry at $3 to $5 a square foot and maple at $5 to $8; HomeAdvisor puts maple at $6 to $8. Hard, dense woods and exotic species take more sanding passes.

Recoat or full refinish

If the wear is in the finish only, a buff and new topcoat restores the shine for much less. If there are scratches into the wood, gray spots or bare wood in traffic paths, the floor needs sanding to bare wood. Fixr and Today's Homeowner both price the materials, but most of the bill is labor.

A worked example

A 300 square foot living room, sanded and refinished, comes to $900 to $2,025, about $1,463 typical. Add a new stain color and the typical is about $2,063. A buff and recoat on 400 square feet is about $650. Enter a ZIP to scale the 75% labor share.

Quoting refinishing

Measure every room and closet.
Price stairs separately. HomeAdvisor puts stair refinishing at $4.50 to $8 a square foot.
Set the dry time. Tell the customer when they can walk on it and move furniture back.

Send it as an estimate from Koira.

Last checked October 9, 2026. More for your trade: how trades run on Koira.

FAQ

How much does it cost to refinish hardwood floors?

Fixr and HomeAdvisor both say $3 to $8 a square foot. HomeAdvisor's average job is $1,892.

Is a buff and recoat worth it?

Yes, if the scratches are only in the finish. Today's Homeowner puts buffing at $1 to $2.50 a square foot.

How much does it cost to stain hardwood floors?

HomeAdvisor and Today's Homeowner say $1 to $3 a square foot.

How much is dustless refinishing?

Fixr says $6 to $8 a square foot.

How long does refinishing take?

A few days for most rooms, including drying time between coats.

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