Below you’ll find a price guide for wooden floor sanding, repairs and surface finishing with either an oil, wax or lacquer.
The cost of a project like this will vary and depends on the condition of the existing floor, how many rooms there are and how much preparation work is required.
Please consider the prices on this page as guidelines, we last checked the going rate for this type of work in 2022 but prices have shot up recently due to a shortage of skilled labour and other factors.
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Prices for wooden flooring repairs, sanding and staining will vary and depend on where you live in the UK.
We have extensive experience of renovating properties in the south of the UK, so if you live outside of this area you may find that prices from your local tradespeople are a little cheaper – the south and London areas are almost always more expensive.
Floor Sanding and Staining/Finishing Price List
The prices below were last updated during April 2022:
| Item: | Price inc VAT: |
|---|---|
| Sanding Only | £18.00 per square metre |
| Sanding and 3 Coats of Lacquer | £23.00 per square metre |
| Swap Regular Lacquer for Extra Strength Lacquer | +£5.00 per square metre |
| Sanding and 2 Coats of Coloured or Clear Hardwax | £27.00 per square metre |
| Sanding and 3 Coats of Oil | £27.00 per square metre |
| Staining and Dyeing | £8.00 per square metre |
| Get a Custom Price Here | Get a Custom Price Here |
Wooden Floor Repair Price List
If your wooden floor needs repairs prior to sanding, then consider the following prices:
| Item: | Price inc VAT: |
|---|---|
| Gap Filling With Resin (small gaps less than 3mm) | £6.00 per square metre |
| Gap Filling With Slivers (wider gaps up to 6mm) | £7.00 per square metre |
| Gap Filler Sealant/Mastic (for larger gaps) | £30.00 per square metre |
| Minor Gap Filling (nail holes, imperfections etc) | £3 per square metre |
| Get a Custom Price Here | Get a Custom Price Here |
How to Save Money
If your funds are limited there are two ways you can save money:
- Hire a sander and apply the oil/wax yourself.
- Get a professional to sand the floor and apply the wax/oil yourself.
- Don’t sand the floor at all but apply a coloured lacquer instead*
Image source: HSS
Cost to Hire a Floor Sander
The following prices were sourced in 2019, we only considered large national tool hire companies, don’t forget to check smaller, local firms; you could get a better deal.
HSS Hire – £35+VAT per day (+ £35+VAT per day for an edging sander)
Jewson Hire – £60+VAT per day (for both sander and edging sander)
Best Oil For Wooden Flooring
There are tons of different products on the market but if you’re considering DIY, do look into these options:
Bona Hardwax oil is a popular product and is currently sold on Amazon for £66 for a 2.5-litre tin. This product is from a well-known brand with a good reputation, the product s extremely easy to apply and the finish looks professional.
Woca is a respected brand within the trade industry, their products are suitable for either manual or machine use. Like Bona, their prices are mid-range at £30 per a 0.75-litre tin but the quality of the product is excellent.
Can You Stain a Floor Without First Sanding it?
In general; it’s not a good idea to apply a stain to an existing wooden floor that’s been waxed or lacquered without first sanding it as the liquid won’t penetrate into the wood.
Lacquers are different as they stick to the surface so can, in most cases, be applied without the need for excessive sanding.
Ultimately, it will depend on the condition of the floor and the type of stain, oil or wax you wish to apply.
Any existing dents, grooves and other imperfections, including variations in colour, may transfer through the new stain.
If the floor is in good condition you could try these steps to save money:
- Lightly buff the floor.
- Hoover it to remove any dust.
- Apply a coloured lacquer directly to the surface.
How Often Does a Floor Need to be Sanded and Refinished?
This depends on the quality of the original finishing, the level of foot traffic over the floor and how much sunlight reaches the floor.
As a very rough guide; keep your floors looking great by refinishing them every ten to 12 years. Every fifteen years for low traffic areas. Areas receiving plenty of sunlight may need refinishing more frequently.
How Long Does it Take to Sand and Refinish a Floor?
Allow a day for furniture removal, sanding, repairing and refinishing. Then add 2-3 days for drying.
In most cases, you should allow around 4 days to complete the work.
I’m Thinking About Doing This DIY – How Easy is it?
Many people choose to stain floors DIY. We suggest hiring a good floor sander and practising staining on a discreet area first. There is plenty of instructional video on YouTube worth watching.
Where Did The Prices On This Page Come From?
Job Prices is a home improvement cost guide website.
We share our knowledge of home repair, renovation and improvement so you can get an idea of how much certain home improvement projects will cost.
The prices on this page were sourced from a selection of flooring companies based in the south of the UK during 2022.
While many of our website’s visitors have benefitted from our price guides and we’ve received hundreds of messages of thanks, we recommend getting a fixed price from a local contractor as the figures on this page are guidelines only.
Further Reading
Our guide to replacement wooden flooring costs is a great resource and covers both laminate and solid wood.
Floor tiling costs are displayed on this page.
Get a Quote
To get a fixed price for wooden flooring repairs, sanding, oiling and waxing, just hit the button below to see how we can help you:
This guide was written by Danny Woodley and was last updated in April 2022.
Don’t forget; we have price guides for hundreds of home improvement projects.
Explore our full list of detailed price guides here.
