How much does floor sanding cost? [2024]

Nothing enhances a home more than a beautifully polished timber floor, but wooden floors aren't maintenance free. Every so often, you will have to sand and re-polish the floor to restore it to "as new" condition.

How much does professional floor sanding cost and what's included in the services? Read this article to find out:

• What jobs can floor sanding professionals do?
• Is my floor suitable for sanding?
• What floor finishes and coatings are available?
• How much does floor sanding cost?
• What will affect my floor sanding quote?
• Does my floor sander need to be licensed?
• Questions to ask your floor sanding service
• Getting quotes for floor sanding
• Is floor sanding a DIY project?

What jobs can floor sanding professionals do?

Floor sanding experts can provide a range of services relating to floor care. These may include:

• Preparation, levelling and rough sanding of old floor coverings
• Sanding and polishing timber floors
• Staining and liming floors
• Repairing damaged floors, replacing boards and scratch removal
• Maintenance of a polished timber floor

Is my floor suitable for sanding?

Whether your floor needs to be sanded depends on what it's made from and the type of floor.

• Most solid timber floors can be sanded, sealed and polished, though care instructions vary depending on the type of timber.
• Floating timber floors that have a real timber veneer can also be sanded, as can come bamboo floors, depending on what they are manufactured from.
• Timber parquetry can also be sanded and sealed.
• Laminate, vinyl and other photorealistic floor coverings can generally not be sanded.

If in doubt, refer to the manufacturer's instructions or ask your floor sanding professional for advice.

Read more: What kinds of floors can be sanded or polished?

What floor finishes and coatings are available?

After your timber surface has been sanded, it's generally coated with a sealant to protect it. This can also help to bring out the colours of hardwood timber floors.

The most common floor coatings are solvent and water-based polyurethane products. Both types of coatings are available in matte, clear and gloss finishes, depending on your personal preference.

• Solvent coatings take longer to dry and have more odour. This could mean you have to move out of your home for a few days while successive coats dry.
• Water-based coatings typically dry in a few hours, but they also cost more.

How much does floor sanding cost?

Floor sanding cost is generally based on the area of the job and quoted per square metre. In general, expect to pay between $25 and $40 per square metre for floor sanding and polishing, depending on the type of coating you choose:

• Floor sanding and polishing with solvent-based polyurethane costs $25–$35 per square metre
• Floor sanding and polishing with water-based polyurethane costs $30–$40 per square metre
• If you're adding a stain, this will cost an extra $10–$15 per square metre

What will affect my floor sanding quote?

The size, shape and condition of your floor will all affect the cost of sanding, with floor sanders charging more for jobs that consume more time and/or materials.

If you have a straightforward rectangular room, the cost may be closer to $25–$35 per square metre for floor sanding and polishing.

If you have an older or neglected timber floor, this can cost far more to sand than a newer and regularly maintained floor. That's because old floors often have oil based finishes that can break down over time and become gummy. This can quickly clog sandpaper, slowing the sanding time considerably and adding to the materials cost.

Older floors were also often top-nailed, and even if the nails were once countersunk and puttied, many of the nails can become exposed over time and will need to be re-punched and re-puttied.

Floor sanding cost will also be influenced by the amount of prep work needed. For example, an existing timber floor with raised nails and splinters is going to require considerably more work than a newly laid timber floor.

Other factors that will determine how much your floor sanding project costs include:

• What type of timber you have
• Furniture removal and replacement
• Any floor damage that requires repair
• Carpet and carpet nail removal and repair
• Type of finish you want, e.g. gloss, satin or matte

Read more: How to look after your timber flooring

Does my floor sander need to be licensed?

Whether your floor sanding professional needs a licence depends on where you live. Most states do not have a licence class for this job, though Queensland is an exception, as it requires anyone whose job is to “prepare, sand and apply coatings to timber floors” to hold a Floor Finishing and Covering (Hard Sector) licence.

If you're not sure, check with your local licensing authority.

Questions to ask your floor sanding service

Make sure you screen your floor sanding service before you hire them. Some questions to ask them include:

• How long have you been operating?
• Do you have references I can follow up?
• Are you a member of an association?
• Are you able to provide a written quote?
• How long will my job take?

Getting quotes for floor sanding

All other things being equal, there may still be big differences between the quotes you get from floor sanders and the quality of work they provide. In order to get the best results at the best possible price, get 3 quotes and compare these carefully before making your decision. Also confirm if the quote includes any finish or stain required.

Since you are paying more for professional services, you should make sure you are dealing with true professionals. The floor sanding industry is unregulated, so look for operators who have qualifications or are members of an industry association. Also ask for references and other evidence of their experience and the quality of their work.

Is floor sanding a DIY project?

If you want to save on floor sanding costs, you can rent a floor drum sander from a hire shop (unless you're in Queensland and need a licence). This can cost half the price of professional sanding, but you need to be fully confident in your abilities and safety.

Drum sanders require skill, and novices often make irreparable dents in timber floors when using them for the first time. If you have old pine flooring with lots of knots, and you like the distressed look, you might get away with DIY floor sanding, but you still need to achieve a smooth finish.

A better way to save on floor sanding costs is to do as much preparation work as possible yourself. Some things you can do yourself include:

• Removing and replacing furniture
• Removing nails from carpets
• Countersinking exposed nails

* All the costs and prices quoted were sourced at the time this article was written. They are indicative, may vary locally, are subject to market forces and should only be used as a guide.