Refresh a tired finish — without a full refinish.
If your floor looks dull and lightly worn but the finish hasn't been worn through to bare wood, you may not need a full sand-and-refinish at all. A buff & coat — also called screen & recoat — revives it for a fraction of the cost and time.
How it works
We clean the floor with a non-residue hardwood cleaner, lightly abrade the existing finish so a new coat can bond to it (using the abrasive the finish system calls for, in line with NWFA maintenance and recoating guidance), then lay down a fresh coat or two of finish. No deep sanding, far less dust, and your floor's protective layer is restored and looking sharp again.
The honest catch
A recoat only works if the existing finish is intact. Once you've worn through to raw wood, have deep scratches into the grain, water stains, or you want to change color, a recoat won't cut it — that's a full refinish. We check first and tell you which one you actually need. Catch it early with periodic recoats and you can push a full refinish years down the road.
Is your floor a candidate? Try this at home
Put a few drops of water on the most worn spot of your floor. If the water beads up, your finish is still protecting the wood — a buff & coat will likely bring it right back. If the water soaks in and darkens the wood, the finish is worn through in that spot, and it needs a refinish. Either way, we confirm in person before you spend a dime.
Most buff & coat jobs are done in a single day, and you're walking on the floor in socks that evening. It's the least disruptive work we do — and staying ahead of wear with a recoat every few years is the cheapest floor care there is.
Common questions
How do I know if I need a recoat or a full refinish?
If you've worn through the finish to bare wood anywhere, it's a refinish. If the finish is just dull and intact, a recoat will likely do it. We'll confirm in person.
How often should I recoat?
It depends on traffic, but staying ahead of wear with periodic recoats is the cheapest way to keep floors looking great for decades.
Is there a lot of dust?
Far less than a full sanding — we're abrading the finish, not the wood.
Not sure which you need?
Tell us about your floors and we'll get you a free, no-pressure assessment. Most folks hear back the same day.