Floor Refinishing & Restoration

Hardwood floor refinishing is the most cost-effective way to transform the appearance of an existing wood floor — restoring a worn, scratched, water-stained, or dated floor to like-new condition at a fraction of the cost of full replacement.

Metro Vancouver has a large inventory of homes with original hardwood floors, from the fir floors in pre-war homes across Kitsilano, Mount Pleasant, and East Vancouver to the oak and maple floors in mid-century homes throughout Burnaby, North Vancouver, and New Westminster.

Many of these floors have decades of wear, pet scratches, water damage from Vancouver's persistent rainfall tracked indoors, and outdated finishes that darken rooms and show every mark — but the wood itself is sound and worth preserving.

The refinishing process involves sanding the floor through a sequence of progressively finer abrasive grits to remove the existing finish, surface scratches, stains, and a thin layer of wood — typically 1mm to 2mm per refinishing cycle. Drum sanders and edgers handle the main floor area and perimeter, while detail sanders reach corners and tight spaces. After sanding, the bare wood can be left natural, stained to a different colour, or treated with a colour wash or reactive stain.

Finish options in Metro Vancouver include oil-based polyurethane (amber tone, long cure time, very durable), water-based polyurethane (crystal clear, fast cure, low odour, low VOC), hardwax oil (matte natural appearance, easy spot repair, popular in contemporary West Coast interiors), and conversion varnish (commercial-grade hardness, professional application only).

Water-based polyurethane and hardwax oil have become the dominant finish choices in Metro Vancouver due to their low VOC content, compatibility with BC's indoor air quality standards, and the clear, natural wood appearance that aligns with the region's contemporary design preferences.

Moisture damage restoration is a specialized refinishing service that is in high demand across Metro Vancouver. Water stains from plumbing leaks, failed dishwasher connections, overflowing sinks, and chronic moisture intrusion through slab-on-grade foundations are common.

Minor water staining can be sanded out and refinished, while deeper damage may require individual board replacement — the new boards are matched to the existing floor species, cut to fit, and woven into the existing floor pattern before the entire area is sanded and finished together.

Cupped or crowned boards caused by moisture imbalance must be allowed to dry and flatten before sanding — sanding a cupped floor prematurely removes too much material from the high edges and results in a floor that crowns when it eventually dries. A solid hardwood floor can typically be refinished 3 to 5 times over its lifetime, depending on the original board thickness and the amount of material removed in each sanding. WorkSafeBC coverage should be confirmed for all contractors.

Floor refinishing and restoration in Metro Vancouver typically costs $3 to $8 per square foot, depending on the floor condition, stain application, finish type, number of coats, and whether board replacement or moisture damage repair is required.