How much does it cost to repair hardwood floors?

Reviewed by Adam Graham remodeling expert. Written by Fixr.com.

Hardwood floors offer a variety of benefits to your home. They enhance the look, add value, and are low maintenance and easy to clean. But because they are often installed in the busiest places of your home, wear and tear will occur, causing damage and diminishing your interior’s appearance and value. So, it is important to repair any issues when they occur.

Repair costs vary based on the extent of the damage, surface area, wood type, and labor costs in your region. The process typically includes sanding, replacing, staining, and refinishing to match the new wood to the existing floors. The national average for hardwood floor repair ranges from $1,000 - $5,000, with most homeowners paying $2,000 to repair 200 sq.ft. of moderate hardwood floor damage. The low cost for this project is $100 to repair a scratch smaller than ⅛-inch deep. This project’s high cost is $6,000 to repair floor joists with severe rot damage.

Hardwood Flooring Repair Cost

Hardwood Floor Repair Cost per Square Foot

Hardwood floors can be damaged in various ways. The price to repair the flooring is dependent on the damage, size, repair needed, and labor cost. The average cost to repair hardwood floors ranges from $1 to $100, with most people paying between $5 and $25.

Hardwood Floor Repair Cost by Type of Problem

The average repair cost by problem type is dependent on the complexity of the work and the total surface area to be repaired. Most professional flooring contractors come to your home and inspect the damage before making suggestions and providing a quote. They typically charge between $50 and $100 an hour, and the timeline varies from 5 to 20 hours, totaling $250 to $2,000 for most hardwood floor repair projects.

Hardwood Floor Scratch Repair

The cost to repair scratches in a hardwood floor ranges from $1 to $8 per sq.ft. Scratches can occur in various ways, including everyday wear and tear, sliding furniture, and pets. Scratches are typically categorized as being smaller than ⅛-inch deep. Small or single scratches are relatively inexpensive to repair and can be done with wood filler and stain. In some cases, it requires sanding.

Hardwood Floor Cupping

Repairing cupping in hardwood floors costs between $3 and $8 per sq.ft. Cupping occurs from moisture underneath the floorboards. When moisture interacts with the floor, the side of the boards closest to the moisture expands. This causes it to warp and bend in the form of cupping, meaning the center is lower than the edges, or crowning, where the center is higher than the edges. This issue can be resolved in a few ways. In some cases, it can be reversed by lowering the humidity in the room with a dehumidifier, but it may require refinishing the floor. In other cases, a plumbing consultation is needed to determine if there is a leak. If so, expect to spend $150 to $400 to resolve the issue.

Hardwood Floor Gouge Repair

Repairing a gouge averages $3 to $8 per sq.ft. A gouge occurs when something sharp, such as dog claws or heavy furniture, makes a groove, hole, or indentation on the surface of the wood deeper than ⅛ inch. In most cases, refinishing the floor is recommended to maintain cohesiveness.

Buckled Wood Floor Repair

Repairing a buckled wood floor ranges from $3 to $8 per sq.ft. Buckled floors occur when excess moisture exists underneath the flooring, causing cracks or separations between the boards. The most common signs of bucked flooring are cupping, crowning, and lifting in extreme cases. Repair a buckled floor with minor damage by removing the excess moisture with a dehumidifier. In more serious cases, the floor must be refinished or replaced.

Hardwood Floor Dent Repair

Dent repairs cost between $5 and $25 per sq.ft. Dents occur when something heavy or blunt strikes the wood, such as a baseball. Most dents can be repaired through a combination of heat and moisture to raise the wood back to its original form. If the dent is too deep, you may need to replace the board with a new one.

Uneven Wood Floor Repair

The price to repair uneven floors averages $5 to $60 per sq.ft. Uneven floors typically occur when settling or shifting of the foundation occurs, causing the floor to shift and bend. The price depends on the cause, including excess moisture, water damage, soil movement, or poor structural design. It is important to remove any excess moisture or water when it occurs to avoid further shifting or bending. If the damage results from the foundation shifting, an experienced contractor needs to jack up the floor.

Hardwood Floor Water Damage Repair

Repairing water damage involves replacing the affected boards and blending them to match the existing flooring, averaging $8 to $100 per sq.ft. Damage occurs when water has been soaking on the surface of the wood floor for an extended time. It is important to dry out the water as soon as possible to avoid warping and keep mold or mildew from forming.

Mildew on Hardwood Floors Removal

To repair mildew damage, it typically costs between $10 and $25. Mildew occurs when there has been water or flood damage to hardwood floors. The price to fix mildew depends on the extent of the damage and mildew type. A mold remediation specialist can determine the problem cause and extent. The impacted planks are removed before any repair or replacement is made. A specialist costs between $500 and $3,000.

Squeaky Hardwood Floor Repair

Repairing a squeaking floor ranges from $10 to $50 per square foot, depending on the severity. Squeaky floors typically happen after the house foundation settles and the hardwood flooring dries out and shrinks. When you walk around, the boards rub against each other or slide against nails, producing a squeaking noise. There are multiple ways to fix this issue. If the issue is in an individual board, wedging shims between the joist and the subfloor will work. If multiple boards are causing the squeak, it can be fixed by securing them with a cleat or a solid piece of wood.

Rotted Wood Floor Repair

The price to repair rotted floors depends on the extent of the damage, but it typically ranges between $50 and $250per sq.ft. Rotted floors usually occur as a result of fungus growing from extremely wet or damp conditions. Common signs that the floor is beginning to rot include a matted whitish growth, shrinking, crumbly or splitting wood, or a musty odor. While there are DIY solutions, it is best to hire a professional. Some rot damage can be repaired by using a process called sistering - cleaning away the rot, treating the existing wood, and fastening a new joist next to it. The price to fix this issue depends on the damage type and extent and is generally charged per joist.

Wood Floor Repair Cost by Method

There are various methods for repairing hardwood flooring, depending on the damage. Each method has an associated cost, ranging from $10 to $2,000. To repair small surface blemishes like scratches, use wood filler. For more extensive damage, such as rot, you may need the flooring replaced.

Hardwood Floor Filling

You can repair various blemishes, including scratches, chips, and gouges, with a wood filler. This can usually be done DIY. Purchase fillers at a home improvement store for $10 to $15 for a 16-ounce package. There are multiple filler types. Stainable wood fillers can be stained, meaning once the blemish is filled, you can stain over it to match the existing floor. Water-based fillers are specifically formulated for indoor use and can also be stained. Wood fillers are intended only for superficial issues. If the damage is severe, consult a professional flooring contractor.

Hardwood Floor Polishing

The cost to polish hardwood floors ranges from $100 to $300. Hardwood floor polishing is an easy and relatively inexpensive way to even out imperfections and bring out the shine. The process normally involves clearing and cleaning the surface area, removing dust and dirt, and using a flat-head mop with a microfiber cleaning pad to apply the desired polish. Only use polish on hardwood floors that have been previously finished with a waterproof barrier like urethane. Floors that are finished with oil-based products require wax instead of a polish.

Hardwood Floor Patching

The price for hardwood floor patching averages $600 to $1,600, depending on the cost of the wood. Hardwood floors need patching when cabinets or walls are moved, duct openings become obsolete, and pet stains become too deep. Patching is a complicated process because it involves carefully cutting into the existing floor, removing the damaged boards, measuring and cutting the replacement boards, and securing the patches. If the patches do not match your existing floor exactly, they need to be stained for an additional fee.

Hardwood Floor Refinishing

Refinishing a 200 sq.ft. floor costs between $800 and $1,600, with most people paying around $1,200 to clean, stain, and apply a finish. Refinishing your hardwood floors brings them back to their original shape and shine. Most hardwood floor materials can be refinished four to five times before needing to be replaced. The process involves scuff-sanding down the surface beyond the current finish, removing any blemishes, and applying a color treatment and a top-coat finish, either a water-based or oil-based polyurethane.

Replacing Hardwood Floorboards

The cost to replace hardwood floors averages $4 to $10 per sq.ft., including materials and labor. Expect to pay between $800 and $2,000 to replace a 200 sq.ft. area. For hardwood flooring with water damage, rot, or mildew, replacing the damaged areas or the entire floor is recommended to maintain cohesiveness. If your flooring is older and has already been sanded down multiple times, consider replacing it. Replacing hardwood flooring is almost always more expensive than refinishing it because there are additional costs, such as new wood, installation, and sometimes removing the old wood.

Resurface Hardwood Floors

To resurface all the floorboards in a 200 sq.ft., room, expect to pay between $1,200 and $2,000. Resurfacing is for extensive damage and is more complex and expensive than refinishing. It requires removing the old floorboards, grinding down any uneven boards until they match the replacement boards, and reinforcing the new boards with nails. It may also require stain and polish to match the rest of the flooring.

Cost to Repair and Refinish Hardwood Floors

If there is light damage to hardwood flooring, many people have it repaired before refinishing the floor. The cost to repair and refinish the flooring depends on the repair type and size and the size of the area to refinish. Most finishers repair the damage before beginning the refinishing process for an additional fee. That fee is typically higher than what a separate contractor would charge to make the repair. To repair small surface scratches, it costs between $1 and $8 per sq.ft., or $20 to $160 for a 20 sq.ft. repair. Refinishing the floors averages $3 to $8 per sq.ft. To refinish a 200 sq.ft. room, expect to pay between $620 and $1,760. This brings the total cost to $820 to $1,360 to repair 20 sq.ft. of scratches and refinish a 200 sq.ft. room.

Hardwood Floor Cleaning Service Cost

Hardwood floors can become dirty over time and require professional cleaning. The process is fairly easy and involves removing the furniture, vacuuming to remove dirt and dust, cleaning the surface area with hot water and hardwood floor cleaner, and drying with a microfiber mop and fan. This cost ranges from $0.50 to $0.75 per square foot, with most people paying $100 to $150 to have their hardwood floors cleaned in a 200 sq.ft. room.

Enhancement and Improvement Costs

Radiant Flooring

Expect to pay a total of $2,000 to $2,200 to install radiant flooring in hardwood floors in a 200 sq.ft. room. Radiant flooring is a heating system that supplies heat directly to the floor. It is installed underneath the flooring. Hardwood can be solid or engineered for greater stability, and both types can be used with radiant floor heating.

Additional Considerations and Costs

• DIY. There are some repairs you can do yourself. For light scratches, small dents, and cupping, there are easy and cost-efficient solutions like buffing out the top layer of the floor or using a dehumidifier. For more severe damage, such as deep gouges, water damage, and mildew, consult a professional flooring contractor.
• Pet proofing. Hardwood floors are susceptible to scratches, dents, and gouges from dogs’ nails, especially those from larger dogs. While they are not guaranteed scratch-resistant, there are hardwood flooring options. The first option is a factory-finished wood sealed with multiple layers of aluminum oxide-urethane. The second is a distressed or hand-scraped wood, essentially hiding scratches and dents because it is designed to look rough. Wood materials with strong graining, such as red oak, can easily hide blemishes.
• Furniture removal. Furniture removal is not usually included in the price to repair hardwood flooring. The cost to remove it depends on who you hire, how much furniture needs to be removed, and the furniture size. Prices increase if the furniture needs to be disassembled and reassembled. Costs range from $20 to $100 per furniture item.
• Discounts. Hardwood floor repairs average $1 to $100 per sq.ft., depending on the damage. When repairing multiple areas, the price per square foot decreases as the area increases.
• Difficult areas. If the damage is in a difficult-to-reach area, such as under heavy furniture or in a tight corner, it takes longer to fix. The equipment contractors use is typically large and not easy to maneuver in small or tight areas. Therefore, labor costs increase to $75 to $150 per hour from $50 to $100. Material costs are dependent on the damage type and extent but will likely be priced similar to the same price per square foot.