We Recommend the Lighter Fix
If a recoat will do the job, we say so — no upselling you into a costly full refinish your floor does not need.
Fairfax · Vienna · McLean · Arlington · Northern Virginia
The Refinishing Alternative
When a hardwood floor loses its shine and picks up light scratches, most flooring companies push straight to a full sand-and-refinish — the most expensive, disruptive option they offer. What they rarely tell you is that the wear is almost always in the finish, not the wood. And when only the finish is worn, you do not need to grind the floor down to bare wood to fix it.
That is exactly what screen and recoat does. We lightly abrade — "screen" — the existing top coat to create a clean, slightly rough surface, then apply a fresh coat of premium satin or gloss finish that bonds to it. The result looks and protects like a refinished floor, but there is no sanding to bare wood, minimal dust, and the job is usually done in a single day. It costs a fraction of full refinishing and puts your room back in service in hours, not days.
The catch is timing. Screen and recoat works beautifully while the finish is worn but still intact — before the wear reaches the raw wood. Wait too long and the only option left is full refinishing. That is why a recoat every few years is the smartest, most affordable way to keep hardwood looking new: each coat resets the clock and protects the wood underneath.
If your floor is already gouged to bare wood, water-stained or badly damaged, we will tell you honestly that it needs full refinishing instead — screen and recoat is for maintaining a sound floor, not rescuing a ruined one.
Screen & Recoat vs Full Refinishing
| Screen & Recoat | Full Refinishing | |
|---|---|---|
| The process | Lightly abrade the top coat and apply a fresh finish over it. | Sand down to bare wood, stain if needed, then apply multiple coats. |
| Sanding | None to bare wood — just a light screen of the surface. | Heavy sanding of the entire floor to raw wood. |
| Dust | Minimal, low-dust process. | Significant dust throughout the home. |
| Downtime | Often done in a day; floors ready in hours. | Days out of service; often vacate the space. |
| Cost | Budget-friendly — around $2 per sq ft. | Considerably more expensive. |
| Best for | Worn finish, light scratches, finish still intact. | Deep gouges, bare wood, water damage. |
Cost & Timing
Our Process
We clean the floor thoroughly and protect the rest of your Fairfax home, so the new coat bonds to a spotless surface.
We lightly abrade the existing finish to create a smooth, slightly textured base — no sanding down to bare wood, and very little dust.
A premium satin or gloss coating is applied evenly to restore shine, add UV protection and seal the surface against wear.
Minimal downtime — the fresh coat dries quickly and your floors are typically ready to walk on within hours, not days.
Why Choose Us
If a recoat will do the job, we say so — no upselling you into a costly full refinish your floor does not need.
No sanding to bare wood means minimal dust and most rooms finished in a single day, ready to walk on in hours.
We use quality, eco-friendly coatings that protect the floor and keep your indoor air cleaner during and after the job.
If your floor truly needs full refinishing, we will tell you plainly rather than sell you a recoat that will not hold.
The person who quotes your floor performs the work. No lead selling, no rotating crews, no stranger you have never met.
An honest walkthrough before and after every job. If something is not right, we come back — that is how the rating stays 5.0.
Other Wood Floor Services
When the finish is still sound and the floor is just dull or lightly scuffed, a deep clean and buff brings the shine back — the lightest touch of all.
Explore Cleaning & Buffing →If your floor is dark, cloudy or sticky from Bona, Orange Glo or other store-bought products, we strip that buildup before anything else.
Explore Wax Removal →See the full no-sanding picture — cleaning, buffing, recoating and wax removal — and how we decide which one your floor needs.
View Wood Floor Services →Service Area
Common Questions
If your floors have light scratches and lost their sheen but the finish is still intact, screen and recoat is ideal — it restores shine and protection without sanding to bare wood. If the wear has reached the raw wood, or the floor is gouged or water-damaged, full refinishing is the right call, and we will tell you honestly which one yours needs.
For in-place finished floors, screen and recoat averages around $2.00 per square foot. Your final price depends on the floor's condition, the size of the area, and whether rooms are furnished. We measure and give you an exact, upfront number before starting — request a free estimate.
An unfurnished area up to roughly 1,500 square feet is usually completed in a single day. Furnished rooms take longer because furniture has to be moved and protected, and larger homes need more time. Floors are typically ready to walk on within hours of the final coat.
Typically 3 to 5 years, depending on foot traffic in your home. Recoating on that kind of schedule is the most affordable way to keep hardwood looking new, because each fresh coat protects the wood underneath and resets the wear clock.
Yes. It is a low-dust process — there is no sanding to bare wood — and we use eco-friendly finishes, so it is safe for families and pets. There is far less mess and disruption than a full refinish, and no need to vacate your home for days.
It hides and blends light scratches and scuffs that sit in the finish, and the fresh coat evens out the surface. Deep scratches and gouges that reach the bare wood are below what a recoat can fix — those need full refinishing. We will point out anything that falls into that category before we begin.
Not directly — a new coat will not bond over wax or acrylic "shine" residue. If your floor has that buildup, we start with wax removal to get back to a clean surface, then screen and recoat over it so the finish holds.
Every 3 to 5 years suits most homes, and high-traffic households may want it sooner. The key is to recoat while the finish is worn but still intact — staying on that schedule keeps you in the affordable recoat range and out of the costly full-refinish range.
Yes, and many customers do. Combining wood floor services with tile and grout, carpet or upholstery cleaning in one visit is more efficient and usually costs less than booking each separately.
Based in Fairfax, we serve Vienna, McLean, Arlington, Alexandria, Falls Church, Springfield, Reston, Chantilly, Sterling, Herndon, Burke, Manassas and Lorton, plus Woodbridge, Annandale, Centreville, Bristow and select locations in Washington DC and nearby Maryland.
✓ No Sanding · Low-Dust · Done in a Day · Refinishing Alternative · Locally Owned