Bring your floors back to life
Hardwood floor and stair refinishing — sanding, staining, and sealing.
- Free estimates
- Licensed & insured
- 6 East Bay cities
Better than new — refinished
Your hardwood floors have decades of life left in them. Scratches, dull spots, and worn finish don't mean you need new floors — they mean you need refinishing. We sand down to bare wood, apply your choice of stain, and seal with commercial-grade polyurethane for a finish that lasts 10+ years.
Oakland-area homes are full of hidden hardwood. We regularly uncover gorgeous old-growth oak and fir under layers of carpet in Craftsman bungalows, Victorians, and mid-century ranches. Even with carpet tack strip holes and surface damage, refinishing brings these floors back beautifully.
We also refinish stairs — treads, risers, and railings. Stair refinishing takes extra precision because of the angles, edges, and high-traffic wear patterns. We sand, stain, and seal to match your floors for a seamless look from room to staircase.
The finish is your call
Polyurethane is what protects the floor for the next decade. There are two families — water-based and oil-based — and we install both. They look different, they cure differently, and you're going to live with the one you pick for a long time. Here's how we walk homeowners through it:
Sheen is a style choice
Sheen doesn't change the durability — it changes how much the floor reflects. Low sheen hides wear patterns and dust; high sheen looks formal and shows every scuff. Most Bay Area homes land on satin or semi-gloss.
- Matte Nearly no reflection. Very contemporary. Best at hiding scratches and dust between cleanings, but shows spills more.
- Satin Soft reflection, understated. The most-requested sheen for Oakland family homes — forgiving, warm, and low-maintenance.
- Semi-gloss Noticeable reflection that brightens rooms with less natural light. Popular in hallways, kitchens, and stair treads.
- Gloss Mirror-like shine. Formal and dramatic — best in low-traffic rooms because every scratch or footprint will show.
How we contain the dust
The worst part of hiring a refinisher the wrong way is coming home to a film of sawdust on every shelf, every window, every dish. We treat dust containment as its own prep step, not an afterthought.
After the last coat — the cure schedule
Polyurethane is dry to the touch in a few hours, but fully cured much later. Putting furniture back too soon is the number one way a beautiful refinish gets dented or marked. Plan for:
Walk on it in socks, no shoes. No dogs. No sliding anything across the floor.
Use felt pads on every leg. Lift — never drag — beds, couches, dressers into position.
Polyurethane needs to off-gas fully. Covering with rugs too early traps solvents and can leave a mark.
Refinishing Pricing
| Service | Price Range |
|---|---|
| Floor refinishing (sand, stain, seal) | $3 – $5/sq ft |
| Stair refinishing (per step) | $25 – $45/step |
| Board repair & patching | $5 – $10/sq ft |
| Custom stain matching | Included |
What's included
Most hardwood in pre-1970 Oakland homes is worth saving — even with nail holes, carpet residue, and 40 years of wear.
Not sure if your floors need refinishing or replacement?
Take our free Floor Assessment to find out, or read our guide: When to Refinish vs Replace.
Refinishing FAQ
Refinishing questions
A single room takes 2-3 days — one day for sanding, one for staining, and one for the final coat to cure. A full home takes 4-7 days. We'll give you a specific timeline with your quote.
Every 7-10 years for high-traffic areas, 10-15 years for bedrooms. Signs it's time: visible scratches through the finish, dull spots that don't respond to cleaning, or gray/discolored areas. We can assess your floors for free.
Absolutely. Once we sand to bare wood, you can choose any stain color — from natural to dark walnut to whitewashed gray. We apply test patches so you can see the exact color on your wood before we commit.
Yes. Stair refinishing is one of our specialties. We sand treads, risers, and railings, then stain and seal to match your floors. Stairs take extra precision because of the angles and edges.
Almost always. We see this constantly in Oakland-area homes — original hardwood under layers of carpet. Even with nail holes and surface damage from carpet tack strips, refinishing brings these floors back beautifully.
Refinishing runs $3-$5 per sq ft — about half the cost of new hardwood installation. If your existing floors are structurally sound, refinishing is almost always the better value.
Let's get your floors sorted
Whether it's hardwood installation, refinishing, or luxury vinyl — give us a call or text. A real person picks up, and a free walkthrough turns into a precise quote.
Call (510) 221-8769