Hardwood floor refinishing in Palatine, IL
Sand worn, scratched or yellowed hardwood back to bare wood, choose a new color on your own floor, and seal it with a finish made for the way your household lives.
What is included
- Full sand to bare wood
- Stain samples on your floor
- Water-based or oil-based finish
- Screen and recoat
- Gray spot treatment
- Stairs and landings
What a full sand and refinish includes
Rooms are cleared and protected, then the floor is sanded in several passes from coarse to fine grit, with edges and corners detailed by hand. After a thorough vacuum and tack, stain is applied if you want a new color, followed by two to three coats of finish.
Many homes in Palatine, Arlington Heights and Rolling Meadows built from the 1960s through the 1990s have solid oak that has been refinished rarely or never, which leaves plenty of wood to work with.
Choosing a stain color
Red oak and white oak take stain differently. Red oak carries a warm, slightly pink undertone that shows through lighter stains, while white oak reads more neutral and suits natural, greige and modern gray tones.
Samples go down on your actual floor so you can judge them in your own daylight and next to your cabinets, trim and furniture before anything is committed.
Water-based or oil-based finish
Water-based polyurethane dries clear, keeps light floors light, has low odor and lets you return to the room sooner. Oil-based polyurethane adds an amber warmth that many people love on traditional red oak, but it cures more slowly and has a stronger smell during application.
When a screen and recoat is enough
If the finish is dull but the wood underneath is not scratched through or stained, the floor can often be lightly abraded and given a fresh top coat in about a day. It costs less than a full refinish but does not change the color or remove deep scratches.
Getting your home ready
Plan to clear furniture and rugs, keep pets out of the work area, and expect those rooms to be off-limits for a few days. We sequence rooms where possible so you can keep using the rest of the house.
Hardwood floor refinishing near you. Based in Palatine, we work in Arlington Heights, Buffalo Grove, Schaumburg, Mount Prospect, Inverness, Barrington, Rolling Meadows, Wheeling, Long Grove, Deer Park, Lake Zurich, Hoffman Estates, Elk Grove Village, Northbrook.
Hardwood floor refinishing questions
Prices are typical ranges; your written estimate is what counts.
How much does hardwood floor refinishing cost in Palatine?
Most full sand-and-refinish projects in the Northwest suburbs fall roughly between $3 and $6 per square foot, depending on condition, stain, finish type, stairs and access. You get an itemized written price after an in-home measurement.
How long does refinishing take?
A typical 500 to 800 square foot area takes about 3 to 5 days including drying. With water-based finish, light sock traffic is usually fine after about 24 hours and furniture can return after 2 to 3 days.
Can gray or black spots be sanded out?
Light gray areas where the finish wore through usually sand out. Deep black stains from water or pet urine have often soaked into the wood fibers and need those boards replaced before refinishing.
Can I stay home during refinishing?
Often yes, as long as you can live around the rooms being worked on. With an oil-based finish some families prefer to stay elsewhere for a night because of the odor.
Other hardwood services
Request a Hardwood floor refinishing estimate
Send a few details and photos if you have them. We will call to schedule an in-home measurement.
(847) 894-3670Serving Palatine, IL and the Northwest Chicago suburbs.