— Interiors · Flooring
Hardwood refinishing
Bringing worn original hardwood back rather than covering it.
— The problem
What usually brings this call in
A lot of the older housing stock here still has real hardwood under decades of wear, or under a layer of carpet from a previous renovation. Once it is exposed it is usually scratched, sun-faded in patches, or has an old finish that has gone cloudy — and the instinct is often to cover it again rather than restore it.
At a glance
- Trade
- Interiors
- Job type
- Flooring
- Usual timeframe
- 2–4 days depending on room size and dry time between coats.
A representative interiors job of this kind — the sort of call that comes in — not a specific customer’s home or address. The photograph is trade stock imagery.
— How a job like this gets fixed
Step by step
- 01
Pull any remaining carpet, tack strips and staples, and check for movement or squeaks before sanding.
- 02
Sand in stages down to bare wood, working out gouges and old finish without over-thinning the boards.
- 03
Fill gaps and any damaged sections with matched wood filler.
- 04
Stain to match the rest of the house, or leave natural if the wood species suits it.
- 05
Seal with enough coats to survive normal foot traffic, with drying time between each.
— The outcome
Where it ends up
The original floor, level and consistent in colour, without the cost or waste of replacing boards that only needed refinishing.
Why it books as one visit
A job of this kind rarely stays inside one trade once it is open. The same crew carries the plumbing, electrical and carpentry, so what turns up behind the wall is dealt with on the same appointment rather than becoming a second call-out on a later date.
— More interiors
Related jobs
— Next step
Have a interiors job like this one?
Describe it on the phone or in the form. Free written estimate, and most jobs are priced without a survey visit first.
Interiors · Flooring