Floor Refinishing & Restoration

Hardwood floor refinishing is one of the highest-value home improvement projects available to New Brunswick homeowners, delivering dramatic visual transformation at a fraction of the cost of new flooring installation. Many NB homes — particularly those built between the 1920s and 1970s in Saint John, Fredericton, and Moncton — have solid hardwood floors beneath carpet that was laid over them during the wall-to-wall carpet trend of the 1970s and 1980s.

Pulling up old carpet to reveal original oak, maple, or birch hardwood is one of the most satisfying renovation discoveries, and professional refinishing brings these floors back to life. The refinishing process involves three main stages: sanding, staining (optional), and sealing. Sanding uses progressively finer grits (36, 60, 80, and 100-grit) to remove the old finish, scratches, stains, and surface damage down to bare wood.

A professional floor sander creates a flat, uniform surface that amateur equipment cannot match — uneven sanding creates visible swirl marks and waves that show through the finished coat. Dustless sanding systems, now standard among professional NB floor refinishers, contain 95-99% of the dust that traditional open sanders produce, protecting your home's air quality and reducing cleanup dramatically.

After sanding, homeowners can choose to stain the wood a different colour or apply a clear finish to showcase the natural wood tone. Popular stain choices in NB homes include natural (clear), golden oak, provincial brown, and the increasingly popular grey-wash and whitewash tones for contemporary interiors. The final seal coat protects the wood from daily wear, moisture, and staining.

Oil-based polyurethane remains the most durable option with a warm amber tone that deepens over time, but it requires 2-3 days of drying between coats and emits significant VOCs. Water-based polyurethane dries in 2-4 hours, has minimal odour, and maintains the wood's natural colour without yellowing, making it the preferred choice for NB homeowners who want a crystal-clear finish and faster project completion.

Professional hardwood refinishing in New Brunswick costs $3-$6 per square foot for standard sanding and two coats of polyurethane, with staining adding $1-$2 per square foot. A typical 800 square foot main floor refinishing project runs $2,400 to $6,400. Refinishing is viable when the hardwood has at least 1mm of wood above the tongue — most solid 3/4-inch hardwood can be refinished 3-5 times over its lifespan.