Screen and Recoat (Hardwood Refresh)

Screen and recoat (sometimes called "buff and coat") is a light maintenance refinish - an abrasive screen lightly roughs the existing finish, then a fresh coat of polyurethane goes over the top.

When it makes sense

• Finish is dull but not scratched through to bare wood.
• Floor has been refinished within 5 - 10 years and the finish is just tired.
• You want to extend finish life without the cost of full refinishing.
• Pet households where the floor needs more frequent refresh than full refinish allows.

What it doesn't fix

• Scratches deep enough to expose bare wood.
• Stain damage.
• Color change requests.
• Cupping or board damage.
• Significant dents or gouges.

For any of those, a full refinish (sand-stain-seal) is the right move.

Process

1. Vacuum and clean the floor thoroughly.
2. Light screen-sand with a buffer + screen pad.
3. Vacuum and tack-cloth.
4. Apply 1 - 2 coats of fresh polyurethane.
5. Walk-on after 24 hours; furniture after 5 days.

Cost

$1.50 - $3 per sq ft. Roughly half to one-third the cost of full refinishing.

Frequency

Most well-maintained hardwood floors benefit from screen-and-recoat every 5 - 8 years. It can extend the time between full refinishes by years and adds significant total floor life.

Free assessment of your existing finish.