Hardwood Refinishing Toronto | Dustless Sanding, Custom Staining & Installation Across the GTA

Standard refinishing (sand + 3-coat Bona Traffic HD) is $3-$5 per sq ft. The overall range is $2-$7 depending on stain and repairs. Stair recapping is $100-$200 per step, engineered refinishing $4-$8 and screen and recoat $2-$3. You get a written per-sq-ft tally before any work. A typical 1,000 sq ft main floor in a Toronto semi lands between $3,000 and $5,000 with a natural or single-colour stain. Board repairs, heavy pet staining, a dramatic colour change or a hardwax oil finish push a job toward the upper end, while a clean, previously well-kept red oak floor usually sits near the bottom. The written quote lists each line, so nothing grows after work starts.

We default to water-based. Bona Traffic HD and Loba 2K Supra cure in 24 hours, stay under 50 g/L VOC and are pet-safe at 48 hours. Oil-based (Minwax, Varathane) takes 48-72 hours to cure, has higher VOC and gives a deeper amber tone. Water-based finishes also keep white oak and maple looking pale and natural instead of turning yellow over the years, which matters for the Scandinavian and greige looks many Toronto buyers want. Oil-based still has fans for its warm glow on red oak in heritage homes, and we apply it on request. Hardwax oil such as Rubio Monocoat is a third option for a matte, in-the-wood look that can be spot repaired.

A standard 1,000-1,500 sq ft project takes 2-4 days. You can walk in socks after 24 hours and return furniture by day 7. Day one is usually sanding with the Lagler Trio and edger, day two is staining or the first coats, and the final coat goes on day two or three depending on stain dry time. Engineered floors add about one day because of the lighter grit progression, and a stair recap adds two to three days. You get a day-by-day schedule with the written quote.

Yes, if the wear layer is 2mm or more. We measure it before quoting and use a light-grit 80/100/120 progression to protect the veneer. Most Toronto companies refuse engineered floors. We check the veneer at a floor vent, a transition strip or the edge of a stair nosing, and confirm whether it is sawn-cut or rotary-peeled. If the veneer is too thin to sand safely, we tell you plainly and recommend a screen and recoat instead, which refreshes the finish without touching the wood.

Yes. We remove carpet and tack strip, install new oak treads, hand-sand with Festool palm sanders, stain-match your main floor and apply 3 coats of poly with an optional non-slip finish. A typical 14-step staircase costs $2,000-$3,500 and takes 2-3 days. New solid oak bullnose treads and risers are glued with construction adhesive and fastened to the existing stringers, so the stairs feel solid and quiet. We can also refinish the handrail, spindles and newel post so the whole staircase matches.

It captures 99.97% of particles, not 100%. Every sander runs connected to Festool HEPA extractors, so dust stays out of upstairs rooms and off furniture. Dustless is included in our published rates at no extra cost. You may see a light film on surfaces right next to the work area, but nothing like the haze a traditional drum sander leaves through a house. That is why dustless sanding works for occupied homes, condos and allergy households.

If the finish is dull or lightly scratched but not worn to bare wood, a screen and recoat at $2-$3/sq ft is enough. Greyed wood, deep scratches or a colour change need a full sand at $3-$5/sq ft. A quick test: drip a little water on the worn lanes. If it beads, the finish is still sealing the wood. If it soaks in and darkens the boards, the finish is gone and a full sand is the right call.

Projects under $3,000 are paid on completion. For $3,000 and up, 30% is due at scheduling and 70% on completion. Property manager accounts are Net-30. We accept cash, credit card, e-transfer and cheque, and 97% of residential projects close within 24 hours of the final walkthrough.

Yes. We carry $2M liability insurance and WSIB coverage, deliver a COI within 1 business day and include a 5-year workmanship warranty. We are an NWFA Certified Installer.

Usually not for the whole project. Rooms being sanded and coated are off-limits, and most families stay elsewhere for the 1-2 coating days. Pets and kids can return 48 hours after the final water-based coat.

Most 1920s-1940s Toronto floors have 3-5mm of wearable wood above the tongue, enough for several more sandings with a careful 3-grit progression. We check the thickness at a floor vent before quoting.

Yes. We handle condo corporation approvals, deliver a COI in 24 hours, book the freight elevator and work within City of Toronto Noise By-law hours, using low-VOC water-based finishes. King West, Liberty Village and Harbourfront condos are routine for us.

Yes. Our mobile crews cover 18 GTA cities, from Mississauga, Brampton and Caledon to Markham, Vaughan, Richmond Hill, Aurora, Newmarket, Pickering, Ajax, Whitby and Oshawa. If your city is not listed, call and we confirm coverage within one business day.

Installed hardwood is $7-$18 per sq ft: materials $4-$8 for oak or maple and $8-$12+ for walnut or exotic, labour $3-$10, plus $2-$4 for herringbone or chevron patterns.

Usually yes. We dry and moisture-test the subfloor, replace only the damaged boards, then feather-sand and stain-match so the repair blends in. Water damage repairs typically run $600-$3,000.