Cost to Repair Hardwood Flooring – 2024 Price Guide
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Compared to the cost of new hardwood flooring, repairs are a cost-effective option, especially if most of the floor is in good shape. The cost of repairs will vary based on the extent of the repair, the type of wood, and the cost of labor in your region.
Hardwood Floor Repair Cost Calculator
Configure your project below to estimate the cost using 2024 price data. Continue reading below to learn more about what to expect for a hardwood floor repair project.
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How Much Do Hardwood Flooring Repairs Cost?
The national average to repair a hardwood floor is $900. However, it depends on what repairs need to get completed. In most cases, the entire floor will need to be refinished to avoid uneven results.
Type of Damage & Repairs to Hardwood Floors
Damage to hardwood floors can be quite common, regardless of the type of wood used. Discolored areas due to high traffic, deep scratches from rearranging furniture, water damage, buckled flooring caused by moisture, and pet scratches can all mar the beauty of your floor.
Spot repairs, when possible, cost $200 – $500 to replace boards, sand, match stains, and varnish, and seal the area. A common area of concern is often under the refrigerator. The high heat from the motor and water drips that go unnoticed for months or years can cause the boards to warp and buckle.
The dimensions of the area you need to get repaired are very relevant. The typical labor charge by professional flooring contractors is $50 – $100 per hour. Replacing boards, sanding, and refinishing might take two professionals three and one-half hours to complete. Without the cost of materials, that’s $350 – $700 for labor.
If you’re repairing a large area of the floor, try our flooring calculator to estimate the square feet of material needed.
Refinish a Hardwood Floor
Adding a fresh coat of polyurethane could brighten fading floors and costs as little as
Keep in mind, though, that hardwood floors given a factory finish may have a variety of materials used for the top coat. You cannot mix materials, so always be sure what your floor is finished with before you attempt to refinish for the best results.
Hardwood Floor Maintenance
Although hardwood floors are amazingly beautiful and durable, they are not indestructible. The best floor maintenance plan for hardwood floors includes regular vacuuming or sweeping with a soft bristle broom, especially in high-traffic areas.
Removing dirt or grit from your floors will help reduce scratches. Vacuums with rotary brush heads can also scratch your floors, so always turn off beater bars when moving from carpet to wood.
To further help prevent scratches, put down mats near entryways to help keep sand and mud off your hardwood. Mats in the winter can also help prevent snow and rain from soaking your floor and causing issues with warping or discoloration over time.
Wipe up spills promptly and use a specialized hardwood floor cleaner. Avoid using water, oils, and paste wax, as these build up a residue. Also, chlorine, silicon, or ammonia-based cleaners or full-strength vinegar can damage your varnished surfaces.
Keeping your pets groomed, particularly pedicures, will help prevent scratching to your floor. Furniture movement may cause scratches and grooves too. Always use felt under furniture legs, lift and carry, or use a dolly when moving furniture.
Other countermeasures can include covering your windows with UV-Ray protective films to prevent fading, periodically rearranging furniture to ensure your floors wear evenly, and using a whole-house humidifier to maintain a consistent humidity and reduce wood shrinkage and floor buckling.
Professional Cleaning
To prolong the lifespan of your wood floors and make it less likely you will need repairs, hardwood floors should be well maintained. A good maintenance routine includes cleaning up spills and dirt immediately.
Pet accidents on hardwood floors, if not cared for right away, may discolor the varnish. Hard-bristled brushes can cause even more problems if used to clean up the mess, so always use a soft cloth or soft-bristled brush instead.
If not dried thoroughly, moisture can leak down between the boards, and rot or mold could start. Moisture can also cause solid wood planks to swell or warp over time if not dried thoroughly.
Hiring a Professional
Seamless flooring repairs require specialized skill and some tools such as a circular saw, flush-cut saw, air compressor, and pneumatic nailer. In most cases, hiring a talented flooring installer or carpenter for the repair will result in a nearly invisible repair.
We suggest getting several estimates for the project, as contractors have varying skill levels and might be able to complete the work in different amounts of time. The cost of the project could vary widely among different contractors as well.
All pricing information on this page is based on average industry costs, and is subject to variance for project-specific materials, labor rates, and requirements.