Floor Sanding
Timber floors have a natural look and feel that is truly one of a kind.
But those timbers are also one of a kind when it comes to maintenance, wear, and tear. As a natural product, timber is more susceptible to scratching and showing other signs of damage from regular use and foot traffic. Over time, that means that your finish can lose its lustre and you’ll be left debating your next flooring step.
That step is *thankfully* not replacing your entire timber floor with a new one.
Instead, you can have your floors sanded and refinished for much less than redoing the entire flooring structure. That’s one of the benefits of natural timber compared to composites, which are often laminated and don’t allow for refinishing.
But what is involved in timber floor sanding? It’s actually a fairly straightforward process and, when done by the pros, can be much neater and faster than you’d imagine. Let’s take a look at the considerations that go into this process and what floor sanding costs in Perth.
Sure, you can rent a sander from a hardware store and try your luck with refinishing.
However, these tools are not cheap to rent, and they require an experienced hand to operate. Push too hard, and you’ll remove much more than just the small layer needed to remove the existing finish. You can actually damage the timber boards themselves if you sand it improperly. There are also different types of sanders and different grits when it comes to getting the finish you want. All of this takes a skilled hand.
Then there’s the mess. While a professional team will have the right equipment and experience to keep your home as clean as possible, you may struggle much more with this and your rental equipment. The pros will have the right gear as well as ventilation tactics to keep up with the job.
Okay – so you know you are going to hire a professional to sand your timber floors.
Now you’ll want to get a quote for the service. Make sure that any estimate you get is for your exact flooring project, since there are a number of factors at play when it comes to pricing. Here are just a few things that affect floor sanding costs.
Different timbers need to be treated with different techniques - and we’re not just talking about the wood type here.
Floating timber floors must be handled with different equipment, grit, and pressure than structural timber or interlocked flooring. Another type of floor that requires a gentler hand is parquetry flooring laid in a patterned style. The most important aspect here is to make sure not to over sand. Too much, and the boards can be damaged. Also, keep in mind that most boards can be sanded several times in their lifetime before replacement is required, so minimal sanding is always better than over sanding.
Interested in the different types of timber flooring available? Read our blog: The 5 Best Types of Timber for Your Floor
The tools needed will also affect the cost of the job and the labour required to finish it.
Consider that there are traditional belt or drum sanders as well as edgers and buffing machines. Each has their own use and can be put to work with different sandpaper grits to take off more, or less, of the finish. Other equipment like palm sanders and moisture meters can come in handy to make sure the job is done with the greatest detail.
Just how bad do your floors look? Floors with severe scratches, dents, or damage will take longer to refinish since more will need to be sanded off to keep things smooth and even throughout. This, in turn, adds up to the time that the team will need to spend, which then affects the price of the total job.
Once all of your furniture is out of the way, what is the actual area of flooring that needs to be worked on? A typical square or rectangular room with few nooks and crannies will take less time than one with more intricate detail or cut outs. And again, more time equals more cost in the total job price.
And of course, the bigger the floor space in general, the bigger the price tag. As you’ll see, most of these jobs are estimated in a cost per square metre rate. That said, some companies may provide discounts if you have more rooms done at once since they’ll already have the equipment and crew onsite, so be sure to ask if you’re considering a larger project.
With all of these factors in mind, you can guess that everyone’s flooring restoration project will be priced differently.
You’ll want to request multiple estimates from professional flooring specialists to be sure you are clear on what is included and what the budget range looks like for your exact project. But with that said, there are some industry average costs, which we’re outlining in the table below.
Of course, sanding is just the first step in reviving your flooring. A professional flooring company will likely also quote you for the finish coating (sealing or staining) that will go on after the sanding is completed. This way, your new floors are also protected once more for daily use. On average, the cost for sanding and sealing a floor comes out to $40 to $75 per square metre.
|
Flooring Service |
Average Cost per Square Metre |
|
Sanding |
$30 to $60 |
|
Stain |
$15 to $25 |
|
Polyurethane Sealer |
$8 to $15 |
With a wide range of prices available, along with extra coats of stain or complex finishing or two-tone applications, you’ll want to be sure you find an experienced professional that you can trust. Along with asking for specific pricing information for your job, here are some questions to be sure to ask any flooring service you are considering:
“How many years of experience do you have refinishing floors?”
“What steps do you take to ensure proper ventilation and clean up?”
“Do you provide services for sanding, sealing, and staining?”
“How long will my project take to finish?”
“Will I need to be out of my home while you work?”
“Can you share specific customer references with me?”
Sanding a floor can inject new life into the timbers you have come to love in your home.
While timbers are solid, it only takes removing a thin layer of finish to work to make them look brand new. The key is to make sure that the right equipment and effort is put in so that they are not damaged any further in the process. And the best way to do this is to hire a professional to sand your floors. Fortunately, the cost of floor sanding averages $30 to $60 per square metre, much less cost (and time) than installing a brand-new floor.
The team at Allen Brothers is highly trained when it comes to floor sanding and refinishing. Our experts understand the nuances of different timbers and flooring types, and we always use the right equipment for the job. You’ll benefit from our 30 years (and 20+ years in Perth) of industry experience as well as a 5-year warranty on every project. This way, you’ll never need to worry about the workmanship going into your floor restoration.
Allen Brothers Flooring is also family owned and operated right here in Perth. We’ve been working with homeowners across Western Australia for years, and we love the opportunity we get to help bring new design and function into these homes. For more information about how we can help with your floor sanding project, call us for a quick quote within 24 hours on 0407 983 020.
