Hardwood Refinishing vs Replacement: Austin Cost Comparison 2026
Your hardwood floors are showing wear. Should you refinish them or replace entirely? It's one of the most common questions we hear from Austin homeowners. The answer depends on your floor's condition, your budget, and your goals. Here's our expert breakdown.
Cost Comparison
Hardwood refinishing: $3-6 per square foot Hardwood replacement: $10-20+ per square foot
For a typical 1,000 sq ft area:
- Refinishing: $3,000-6,000
- Replacement: $10,000-20,000+
- Surface scratches and scuffs
- Faded or discolored finish
- Minor water stains (surface only)
- Worn traffic patterns
- Outdated stain color
- Solid hardwood at least 3/4" thick
- Warped, cupped, or buckled boards
- Deep water damage affecting subfloor
- Extensive termite or rot damage
- Engineered hardwood with thin veneer (under 2mm)
- Gaps wider than 1/4" between boards
- Floors refinished too many times already
- Keep existing wood character and grain
- Change stain color to update look
- Maintain home's original features (matters in historic homes)
- Consistent with adjacent rooms
- Choose different wood species
- Install wider planks (modern trend)
- Add patterns (herringbone, chevron)
- Start fresh with perfect condition
- Day 1: Sanding
- Day 2: Staining (if desired)
- Days 3-4: Finish coats
- Day 5: Final cure, move furniture back
- Days 1-2: Removal and subfloor prep
- Days 3-5: Installation
- Days 6-8: Finishing (if unfinished wood)
- Days 9-10: Final cure
- Floors are structurally sound
- You like current wood species
- Budget is limited
- You're in historic Austin neighborhoods (Clarksville, Hyde Park)
- Floors haven't been refinished many times
- Structural damage exists
- You want different wood species or plank width
- Floors are engineered with thin veneer
- You're doing whole-home renovation
- Current floors are beyond repair
- Furniture moving/storage: $200-500
- Staying elsewhere during process: $300-800
- Replacing baseboards if damaged: $2-4/linear foot
- All above costs
- Subfloor repairs (common): $2-5/sq ft
- Disposal of old flooring: $200-500
- Transitions to other rooms: $50-150 each
- 2026 Austin Flooring Trends - Current hardwood trends
- LVP vs Hardwood in Austin - Compare flooring options
- Hardwood Refinishing - Restore your existing floors
- Hardwood Installation - New hardwood floors
Refinishing costs 60-70% less than replacement, making it the obvious choice when possible.
When to Refinish (Most Common)
Hardwood refinishing works when your floor's structure is sound but the surface is worn.
Good candidates for refinishing:
Refinishing process: Sand down to bare wood (removes 1/16" - 1/8"), apply new stain (optional), apply protective finish. Takes 3-5 days including drying time.
How many times can you refinish?: Solid 3/4" hardwood can typically be refinished 3-7 times over its lifetime. Engineered hardwood with thick veneer (4mm+) can usually be refinished 1-3 times.
When to Replace
Replacement is necessary when structural damage exists or refinishing isn't possible.
Replace when you have:
Replacement process: Remove old flooring, inspect/repair subfloor, install new hardwood, finish (if unfinished). Takes 5-10 days depending on project size.
Austin Climate Considerations
Texas humidity affects this decision:
Refinishing advantage: Existing floors have already acclimated to your home's environment. They've expanded/contracted through multiple seasons and reached equilibrium.
Replacement risk: New hardwood must acclimate 7-10 days before installation. Even with proper acclimation, new floors may show more seasonal movement in first year.
Our recommendation: If refinishing is viable, it's often better in Austin's variable climate. You're working with wood that's already "settled."
Aesthetic Considerations
Refinishing pros:
Replacement pros:
Timeline Comparison
Refinishing: 3-5 days
Replacement: 5-10 days
Both require you to stay off floors during process. Plan alternative living arrangements if needed.
Our Recommendations by Situation
Refinish if:
Replace if:
Hidden Costs to Consider
Refinishing:
Replacement:
Get Expert Assessment
Not sure whether to refinish or replace? We offer free in-home assessments where we inspect your floors and provide honest recommendations.
Call us today: (512) 769-2292 Email: [email protected]
We'll assess your floor's condition, discuss your goals, and provide transparent pricing for both options.
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*Capital City Flooring Austin has refinished and replaced thousands of hardwood floors across Central Texas. Our honest assessments help homeowners make cost-effective decisions.*