The Short Answer
On our estimates, sanding a wood floor and refinishing it with oil or lacquer costs about £18 to £40 per m², so a 20m² room is £360 to £800. Sanding alone is £10 to £22 per m², and stairs are £35 to £80 a step.
Most rooms are done in a day. Filling the gaps between old boards and staining add to the price; replacing the floor instead costs several times as much.
Floor sanding prices
| Room | Sand only | Sand and finish |
|---|---|---|
| 10m² | £100 to £220 | £180 to £400 |
| 20m² | £200 to £440 | £360 to £800 |
| 30m² | £300 to £660 | £540 to £1,200 |
| Extra | Typical cost |
|---|---|
| Gap filling, per m² | £4 to £25 |
| Staining, per m² | £4 to £20 |
| Stairs, per step | £35 to £80 |
| Taking up carpet first, per m² | £2 to £13 |
Oil, lacquer or stain?
The finish sets part of the price. Sanding and oiling costs slightly more than sanding and varnishing, on our estimates, and staining is an extra on top. Staining hardwood isn't a DIY job, because it can go wrong and leave permanent damage. I'd ask the sander to test the finish on a small patch so you see the colour on your own boards before the whole floor is done.
How the day goes, and saving money
Sanding and refinishing usually takes most of a day, with the oil, stain or varnish taking an hour or two for an average room, plus drying time between coats. Hardwax oil covers about 20m² per litre per coat and most floors need 2 coats, so a 20m² room uses about 2 litres, at £18 to £30 a litre.
Ways to keep the bill down: empty the room yourself, since moving furniture is often charged extra; take up the old carpet yourself if you can; and get at least three quotes for the same work.
Doing it yourself
You can hire a floor sander for about £45 to £55 a day, plus abrasives and the finish. I'd ask any professional to use modern dust-free sanding equipment, to keep mess down. For a single room of sound boards, DIY is possible; for stairs, parquet, staining or a floor with lots of gaps, I'd pay a professional.
Sand or replace?
Sanding and finishing is about £18 to £40 per m² on our estimates; a new engineered floor is £45 to £95 per m² fitted. So if the boards are sound, sanding is far cheaper. See wood flooring if they aren't.
Older figures you may see
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Sanding is priced per m², by the floor's condition and the finish.
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Frequently asked questions
How much is floor sanding per m²?
About £10 to £22 per m² to sand, or £18 to £40 per m² sanded and refinished, on our estimates.
Is it cheaper to sand floors or replace them?
Sanding, by a long way: about £18 to £40 per m² against £45 to £95 for new engineered wood, on our estimates.
Can I sand my floor myself?
Yes, with a hired sander (about £45 to £55 a day). Leave staining, stairs and parquet to a professional.
How long does floor sanding take?
Most rooms are done in a day.
How we priced thisView sources (2)
Rules come from the legislation and official guidance, read at source. Prices are our estimates: we check them against trade price data, retailer shelf prices and specialists' price lists, then build them up from their parts so the totals add up. Below are the sources behind the page; the trade price guides we only compare against aren’t listed. Where sources disagreed, we've said so. More on our method.
- Trade guideWood floor restoration cost, Checkatrade. Checked 16 Oct 2026.
- Trade guideHow much does wooden flooring cost?, Checkatrade. Checked 16 Oct 2026.
