VANCOUVER, BC — September 28, 2026 — Homeowners with aging hardwood floors frequently face the same question: should the existing floor be refinished or replaced?
Floors Depot has released a practical 2026 guide for homeowners across Vancouver, Burnaby, North Vancouver, West Vancouver, and surrounding Metro Vancouver communities explaining how floor condition, remaining wood thickness, moisture damage, design objectives, and project budget affect that decision.
When Hardwood Floors Should Be Refinished
Refinishing is generally appropriate when the hardwood remains structurally sound and the primary problems are surface-related.
Typical refinishing candidates include floors with scratches, dull or worn finishes, surface discoloration, minor dents, and areas where the protective finish has deteriorated but the underlying wood remains usable.
The process generally involves sanding the existing finish back to clean wood, repairing localized imperfections where possible, applying stain when requested, and installing new protective finish coats.
Solid hardwood can often be refinished multiple times during its service life. However, the number of times a floor can safely be sanded depends on the thickness of the wood remaining above the tongue-and-groove joint, previous sanding, floor condition, flatness, and the sanding process used.
Engineered hardwood must be evaluated more carefully because its refinishability depends on the thickness of the real-wood wear layer.
“Age by itself does not mean a hardwood floor needs to be replaced,” said Alex Mann of Floors Depot. “We first look at the condition of the boards, remaining sanding thickness, moisture damage, previous refinishing, and what the homeowner wants the finished floor to look like.”
What Hardwood Refinishing Costs in Metro Vancouver
Floors Depot’s current Vancouver pricing places professional hardwood refinishing at approximately $7 to $10 per square foot for many projects, with the final price affected by floor condition, repairs, wood species, staining, stairs, finish selection, and the level of dust-control required.
For a 600-square-foot area, this represents an approximate planning budget of $4,200 to $6,000.
Specialized repairs, custom stains, premium finishes, stairs, or unusually damaged floors can increase the project cost.
When Hardwood Floors Should Be Replaced
Replacement may be more appropriate when the existing floor has substantial structural or moisture-related damage.
Examples can include severely cupped or warped boards, extensive cracking, widespread water damage, major sections requiring replacement, or floors that have already been sanded to the point where another full refinishing is not advisable.
Replacement also provides homeowners with the opportunity to make significant design changes, including changing the wood species, plank width, colour, direction, installation pattern, or overall flooring system.
In established Vancouver neighbourhoods such as Kerrisdale and Dunbar, older houses can contain original hardwood that has already undergone one or more refinishing cycles. An assessment of the remaining wood thickness should therefore take place before another aggressive sanding is approved.
Refinishing vs. Replacement Cost
The financial difference can be substantial.
Floors Depot currently estimates many professional hardwood refinishing projects at approximately $7–$10 per square foot, while complete hardwood replacement can commonly reach approximately $20–$30 or more per square foot once new flooring and installation are considered.
For approximately 1,000 square feet, that represents a rough comparison of:
Hardwood refinishing: approximately $7,000–$10,000
Hardwood replacement: approximately $20,000–$30,000+
Actual replacement costs depend heavily on the new flooring selected, demolition, disposal, subfloor preparation, installation method, transitions, baseboards, stairs, and other project conditions.
For that reason, Floors Depot recommends making the decision primarily on the physical condition and remaining usable life of the existing hardwood rather than selecting replacement solely because the floor appears worn.
Does Hardwood Refinishing Require a Building Permit?
For ordinary surface refinishing, a building permit is generally not required in Vancouver or Burnaby.
The City of Vancouver specifically lists replacing flooring among projects that do not normally require a permit, while the City of Burnaby similarly identifies replacement of flooring as minor work that does not require a building permit.
Different requirements may apply if the flooring project is part of a larger renovation involving structural changes, plumbing, electrical work, fire separations, or other regulated construction.
Condominium and strata owners should also review their building’s bylaws and renovation procedures before beginning work, particularly where construction hours, dust control, elevator use, common-area protection, or contractor insurance requirements apply.
How Long Does Refinishing Take?
Many residential hardwood refinishing projects can be completed within approximately two to four days, although drying and curing requirements vary according to the finish system, project size, repairs, staining, and environmental conditions.
Homeowners should also consider when furniture can be returned and when rugs or heavy items can safely be placed on the newly finished floor.
Floors Depot recommends an on-site assessment before deciding between refinishing and replacement because visual wear alone does not indicate how much usable wood remains.
Homeowners can review Floors Depot’s hardwood floor refinishing services in Vancouver for additional information.
About Floors Depot
Floors Depot is a Vancouver flooring supplier, installer, and hardwood refinishing contractor serving Vancouver, Burnaby, North Vancouver, West Vancouver, and surrounding Metro Vancouver communities.
The company provides hardwood sanding and refinishing, engineered and solid hardwood installation, luxury vinyl plank, laminate, tile, carpet, old-floor removal, subfloor preparation and levelling, baseboards, transitions, and related residential, strata, and commercial flooring services.
Floors Depot operates its Vancouver showroom at 1868 Glen Drive.
Media ContactCompany Name: FLOORS DEPOTContact Person: Alex MannEmail: Send EmailPhone: 604-227-9634Address:1868 Glen Dr 123City: VancouverState: British ColumbiaCountry: CanadaWebsite: https://www.floorsdepot.ca/
