Why it matters
A scratched, dull, faded hardwood floor looks like a floor you have to replace. It usually is not. Refinishing runs about $3 to $6 per sq ft. Replacing runs $8 to $15. On a main floor that is the difference between roughly $3,000 to $6,000 and three times that. Solid hardwood is thick enough to be sanded four to six times over its life, which is why the InterNACHI life expectancy chart puts wood floors at 100+ years while carpet sits at 8 to 10. A hardwood floor is not a consumable. It is an asset with a maintenance cycle, and a refinish buys another 7 to 15 years.
How to spot it
Surface scratches, dulled or patchy finish, sun-faded runs near windows, greying at doorways and traffic lanes, and pet marks. All of that sands out. What does not sand out: boards that are cupping or crowning (moisture), deep water staining that has gone black (the wood is done), and a floor already sanded so many times the nails are showing.
What it costs
Toronto, 2026: a standard sand and finish is $3 to $6 per sq ft, which puts a typical 1,000 sq ft floor at $3,000 to $6,000. Dustless systems and oil finishes sit at the top of that band or just above it. Stairs are priced separately, per step.
What to do
Monitor. Before you budget a rip-out, ask two questions: is it real solid hardwood, and has it been sanded before? If it is solid and has life left, price a refinish, not a replacement, and put the difference in your offer. If it is engineered, check the wear layer first: engineered may refinish once, or not at all.
Education and triage, not a home inspection. Casaroo can see wear from your photos. Only a flooring contractor can tell you how much wood is left to sand. We flag; we don't inspect.