Updated August 25, 2026
Refinishing old hardwood floors was one of the earliest DIY projects we tackled at the #totsreno farmhouse. The boards were nearly a century old. Some rooms had bare, worn wood; another had thick yellow paint; and my daughter’s room had carpet glue underneath a layer of brown paint.
I expected us to finish most of the house in three long days. It took two adults about six long days—with full-time child care—and we still chose not to refinish the kitchen and one additional room.
The finished floors kept the home’s farmhouse character, but the job taught me that sanding is only one part of the decision. Before you rent a machine, confirm what kind of floor and coating you have, identify possible hazards, compare a maintenance coat with a full refinish, price the entire project and understand the finish system you plan to use.
Safety note: This article shares our experience and general planning information. Old paint, adhesive and floor coatings may contain hazardous materials, and sanding creates airborne dust. Follow local regulations, equipment instructions and product labels. If you cannot identify a coating or safely contain the work, stop and consult a qualified professional.
1. Confirm that the floor can be refinished
Begin by identifying the flooring. Solid hardwood can often be sanded more than once, but the number of possible refinishes depends on the remaining wood above the tongue, the floor’s flatness, previous sanding, damage and the operator’s skill. Engineered flooring has a real-wood wear layer that may be too thin for a full sanding.
Inspect the boards at a floor vent, threshold or other exposed edge, but do not guess based on appearance alone. A flooring professional can help determine the construction and remaining wear layer.
Look for problems that sanding will not solve:
- loose, split or missing boards;
- deep pet or water stains;
- movement, squeaks or damaged subfloor;
- large height differences between boards;
- protruding fasteners;
- previous patches made with a different material; and
- wood already sanded close to the tongue-and-groove joint.
Our kitchen exposed old patch boards beneath stick-on tile. Refinishing could not make those repairs disappear, so we covered that area with laminate until we could budget for professional work. Sometimes preserving the original floor means knowing where not to sand.
2. Identify old paint, adhesive and finish before disturbing it
This is the gate I would put ahead of every other step in an older home. Do not power-sand unidentified paint or adhesive. The age thresholds and legal requirements vary by location, but lead-based paint remains a serious renovation hazard.
Health Canada’s lead-based-paint guidance says homes built before 1960 probably contain lead-based paint and warns against using sanders to remove it because sanding creates toxic dust. For U.S. homes, the EPA’s Renovation, Repair and Painting guidance explains that sanding painted surfaces in pre-1978 housing can create hazardous lead dust and recommends lead-safe certified contractors and work practices.
Check the home’s age and renovation history. If the surface has paint, black adhesive, mystery glue or an unknown coating, arrange appropriate testing and obtain location-specific advice before scraping or sanding. Keep children, pets and anyone who is pregnant away from the work area until the hazard and cleanup plan are clear.
Once the surface has been assessed, identify the current finish. Wax, oil, polyurethane and other systems have different compatibility and preparation requirements. Test any cleaner, stain or finish in a hidden area before committing to the room.
3. Decide between a maintenance coat and a full sand-and-refinish
A dull floor does not automatically need to be sanded to bare wood. The National Wood Flooring Association distinguishes a maintenance coat—cleaning, lightly abrading and adding a compatible finish—from a complete sand and refinish.
A professional may recommend a maintenance coat when the existing finish is intact and the main problems are dullness and light surface wear. A full sand and refinish is more likely when bare wood is exposed, damage reaches through the finish, the colour must change, or the coating has failed.
Compatibility matters. A new coat may not bond to an old wax, polish, cleaner residue or unknown finish. Ask for an adhesion test and a small sample area before recoating the whole floor.
If a full sanding is appropriate, the sequence of machines and abrasive grits must match the floor, existing coating and equipment. There is no universal “start here and finish there” sequence for every old floor. Follow the machine manufacturer’s instructions and the written sanding plan from an experienced flooring professional.
The drum or belt sander is not forgiving. Holding it in one place can cut a depression quickly, while inconsistent passes can leave waves, stop marks or uneven stain absorption. Edges, corners and transitions require separate tools and technique. A rental demonstration is useful, but it does not replace experience on a fragile or previously sanded floor.
4. Price the whole project, including dust control and downtime
Exact prices age quickly and vary by region, floor condition, finish and access. Compare written professional quotes with a complete DIY worksheet instead of looking only at the daily sander rental.
Ask a professional quote to include
- measured square footage, stairs and transitions;
- board repairs, fastener work and stain treatment;
- maintenance coat versus full sanding;
- dust-containment method and final cleaning;
- stain, finish system, sheen and number of coats;
- furniture and appliance moving;
- baseboard or shoe-moulding work;
- drying and cure schedule; and
- warranty, exclusions and change-order rates.
Include these DIY costs and tasks
- sander, edger and specialty-tool rentals;
- abrasives, scrapers and replacement blades;
- hazard testing when old coatings are present;
- containment materials and a suitable HEPA dust-control plan;
- task-appropriate eye, hearing, hand and respiratory protection;
- vacuuming and cleanup supplies;
- repair wood, fasteners and filler where appropriate;
- stain, finish, applicators and test materials;
- extra rental days and replacement abrasives; and
- child care, pet care or temporary accommodation while rooms are unavailable.
Wood dust is not just a housekeeping nuisance. The OSHA wood-dust overview notes that sanding can make wood particles airborne and that exposure can affect the eyes, skin and respiratory system. Use source collection and containment appropriate to the work, protect the HVAC system, and select personal protective equipment for the identified hazards rather than relying on a loose nuisance-dust mask.
Time matters too. Our “three-day” plan became six long workdays before finish cure time, and we did not complete every room. Build slack into the rental period and plan how the household will move through the home while each area is inaccessible.
5. Follow one compatible finish system from sample to cure
Choose the stain, sealer and topcoat as a compatible system. Read the current product label and technical data sheet before buying, then follow the stated temperature, humidity, ventilation, applicator, coverage, recoat and cure requirements.
Do not assume every polyurethane behaves the same way. Some products direct users to stir thoroughly before and during application and warn against shaking. For example, the current Minwax floor-polyurethane directions specify stirring, fresh-air ventilation, application timing and a separate cure period. Another product may use different instructions.
We chose a flat-sheen clear polyurethane. I failed to redistribute the flattening material consistently and ended up with shinier “wet-looking” patches in several rooms. The lesson is broader than “always stir between coats”: read the exact label, mix as directed, keep the method consistent and stop if the test area looks wrong.
Dry to the touch is not the same as ready for furniture, rugs, pets or normal traffic. Follow the manufacturer’s full cure schedule. Temperature, humidity and film thickness can extend it. Plan the project backwards from the day the room must return to service.
What our TotsReno farmhouse taught us
The project was exhausting, but the floors did not need to look newly manufactured to be beautiful. Paint remained in a few crevices, several boards were uneven, and the marks tell part of the home’s story. We learned to stop before chasing perfection damaged the wood.
We also learned that every room can be a different project. One had bare wood, another had paint, and another had glue beneath paint. A plan that works in the hallway may be wrong for a bedroom. Inspect and test each area instead of assuming the entire house has one finish history.
When a floor is too thin, structurally damaged, patched with incompatible boards or coated with a hazardous material, the right answer may be repair, professional remediation, a temporary covering or replacement. “Original” is not more important than a safe, durable home.
When to call a hardwood-floor professional
Get professional help before sanding when:
- the floor is painted or has unidentified adhesive;
- lead or another hazardous material may be present;
- the flooring type or wear-layer thickness is uncertain;
- boards are loose, deeply stained, cupped, crowned or water-damaged;
- the floor has already been sanded several times;
- you need an even stain colour across repairs or mixed species;
- dust containment cannot be isolated from children, pets or occupied rooms; or
- the rental-machine test area develops chatter, waves or gouges.
For more planning ideas, see common mistakes new homeowners make and these seven ways to refresh your home’s look.
Before-you-start checklist
- Identify solid or engineered flooring and assess the remaining wear layer.
- Inspect repairs, fasteners, stains, movement and subfloor concerns.
- Test or professionally assess old paint, adhesive and unknown coatings.
- Decide whether the floor needs a maintenance coat or full sanding.
- Compare written professional quotes with a complete DIY cost list.
- Create a containment, dust-control and cleanup plan.
- Choose one compatible stain-and-finish system.
- Read equipment instructions, product labels and technical data sheets.
- Test the full colour and finish process in an inconspicuous area.
- Plan for drying, full cure and room downtime.
Frequently asked questions
Can every old hardwood floor be sanded?
No. The answer depends on whether the floor is solid or engineered, the thickness of the remaining wear layer, prior sanding, repairs, flatness and damage. Have an uncertain or fragile floor assessed before using a drum or belt sander.
What is the difference between recoating and refinishing?
A maintenance coat or recoat lightly prepares a compatible existing finish and adds a new protective coat. A full refinish sands the floor back to bare wood before stain and finish are applied. Deep damage, bare wood or a colour change may require full refinishing, while surface dullness may not.
Is it safe to sand paint from an old wood floor?
Do not sand unidentified paint. Older coatings may contain lead, and sanding can spread hazardous dust. Check local age thresholds and rules, arrange appropriate testing, and use a qualified lead-safe professional when required.
How long does a refinished floor take to cure?
There is no universal cure time. It depends on the exact finish, number and thickness of coats, temperature, humidity and ventilation. Use the current manufacturer’s label—not a generic online timeline—to decide when light traffic, furniture and rugs can return.
Refinishing old hardwood floors can preserve a home’s character, but the best result begins before the sander starts. Assess the floor, identify the coating, control hazards, price the whole project and follow one finish system all the way through cure.
These are some really great tips and well worth keeping in mind. Thanks for telling us your experience with this. It helps to learn from those who have been there done that.
Hi, what stain/finish did you use on your floors? Mine are very similar (brown paint AND wood color)
We did not stain. We chose to just cover the floor with a few coats of satin sheen polyurethane.
Thank you for sharing your experience, this is so helpful to those of us who are considering taking on such a task!
The words to hear are epic fail if you don’t do a lot of investigating first. I have been refinishing floors for 17 years and it’s no easy task. First of all the right tools for any job are necessary and shouldn’t be substituted at all costs. I’m also dust free by 98 percent which is difficult to do
I have three words for everyone call a professional
TRUE. Not all floors can be striped with sanders, you might have to do chemical stripping first then sanding. This will take days if not months to cover large areas.
Thanks for the tips! The floor really looks great! A lot of people have no idea how much work it really takes to refinish a hardwood floor. Don’t wear yourself out on your floors. Thanks for the post.
Hello
Did you have to replace any boards? Our old farmhouse is also over 100 years old and I am starting to rip up the carpet and it is scary! There is tin can lids nailed over holes.
I made the same mistake with the poly finish, didn’t stir it. ARRRGH!
Our century old home has yellow pine floors. It’s harder than most pine woods, but it’s not hardwood and it was very worn in places. I had to do all the sanding with a hand sander because the floor was so uneven. The worst place was the diningroom where the floors were splintered and had big gouges in them. When we pulled up the carpet, we found that the previous owners had leveled out the floor with plaster! I sure had fun scraping and picking that out! I filled the gouges with wood putty and painted in some grain before varnishing. That worked out surprisingly well. It was worth all the work, I love how they look.
Old houses are so much fun :). In our kitchen someone replaced the wood floors with deck board — the big 2x4s. We have it covered with laminate right now because I have no idea how to fix it lol.
Were your floors oak or pine? We are getting ready to restore (hired someone) our floors in our 1875 home and are torn as to what we want to do with sealant and color. We love the old farmhouse look and want to preserve what is there, but dont want it to look shiny and wet. We have heart pine going up the steps and heart pine that has been painted black, tan and white on the second floor. We have a uniform quartersawn white oak floor downstairs and we really dont want to stain them but would love for them to be the color of yours when they are done….any help you can provide would be awesome!!
Thanks,
To be honest I have no idea what kind of wood the floors are. I would assume pine just based on the time the house was built but that would just be a guess.
We refinished a bedroom floor. Sanded down, then the satin poly. Looked brand new at first then after ten years a beautiful patina developed.
Don’t use a belt sander if you can help it!! We ended up hating our floors until we figured out we needed an orbital sander to even everything out. In our case we could have probably gotten by with just that. Our floors weren’t in horrible shape (1960’s home) but were discolored from carpet padding and puppy puddles.
All of you recommendations are correct, especially SEEK OUT PROFESSIONAL HELP if you don’t think things are going the way they should be. Also if you want a great job don, not meaning that your ideas are bad, but trouble and bad looking floors will last awhile.
I have a problem, that one of the readers of this blog may help me with. I have an 89 year old house, and want to restore the living room and dining room. Both rooms have carpets which are stapled down, Discovering what was under the carpet amazed me ( original solid hardwood flooring . I want to redo the hardwood flooring, but the only problem is that when they had put the flooring down it was straightly nailed down and looks atrocious. Is there a way of covering the nail holes, only approximately 800 nail holes to cover ??? PLEASE any help will do, I want to get to those hardwood floors badly…
This post was perfect timing for me. We have been looking at doing something with our wood floors but did not know what.
Sharing!
Have a Great Sunday!
Diane
Thanks for all the helpful tips,.it has made me rethink doing my floors.My house is over 100 years old and have floors made of fir.Would it be done in the same method?
Ran into problems with spots on our 1940wood floors, very dark spots and carpet was on top. Once carpet up the floors had to be stained to cover up dark spots; however went on to darkso after a lot of research we found that we could use wood bleach to lighten it up but of course no one carried it and didn’t have time to order as we were already staying in hotel. Found outdoor bleach that could be used on decks and at this time what the heck and bleached floors with deck mops! The floors bleached out and I’m some places so we put a very light coat of stain to match up closer to rest of floor. We have first coat of polyurethane on floor and will lightly sand and put second coat on floor. I am hearing what all the professionals asr saying but it appears to have worked for now!
I just moved into a new home and the previous owners had pets that had scratched up and dulled down the hardwood flooring. I was going to refinish the floors, but it was very pricey for our budget. Instead, I opted to get the hardwood floors deep cleaned by a local cleaning company and this really renewed their look. I’d recommend getting your hardwood floors deep cleaned before you get them refinished because it really made a big difference!
Hey, thanks for the article. Good job. Keep it up!