What is hardwood floor refinishing?
Hardwood floor refinishing — sometimes called wood floor restoration, refurbishing or simply "sand and refinish" — is the complete process of bringing an old or worn wood floor back to a like-new appearance. It is the single best way to restore a hardwood floor without the cost and disruption of replacing it.
The process involves sanding away the old top layer (worn varnish, surface scratches, stains and uneven colour), exposing fresh, untouched wood underneath, and then applying a new protective finish. Done well, a refinished floor can last another fifteen to twenty years before needing another touch-up.
We refinish every kind of solid wood floor found in Lisbon homes: classic Portuguese board floors (soalho à portuguesa), herringbone and chevron parquet, mosaic blocks (tacos), and engineered wood floors with a sufficient wear layer.
Sanding, refinishing, restoration — what's the difference?
These three words are often used interchangeably, but they describe slightly different things. Understanding the difference helps you ask for exactly what you need.
| Term | What it actually means |
|---|
| Sanding | The mechanical step of removing the top layer of wood using a sanding machine. It is one stage within refinishing — not the full job. Asking only for "sanding" gives you a raw wood floor with no protection. |
| Refinishing | The complete process: sanding + optional staining + applying a new finish (varnish or oil) in several coats. The end result is a fully restored, protected floor. |
| Restoration | Refinishing plus, when needed, structural repairs: replacing damaged boards, fixing water damage, filling gaps, or stabilising loose blocks. It is the deepest level of intervention. |
| Recoat / screen and recoat | A lighter alternative: instead of full sanding, the floor is lightly buffed and a fresh coat of varnish is applied on top. Suitable only for floors with a worn finish but no scratches in the wood itself. |
Which one do you need? Send us a photo on WhatsApp — within two hours we'll tell you whether your floor needs a full refinish, a structural restoration, or just a recoat, and give you a price.
When to refinish your hardwood floor
Wood floors send clear signals when they need attention. If you notice any of the following, refinishing is usually the right answer:
- The finish has worn through in high-traffic areas (often in front of the sofa, in the kitchen, or along main walkways), exposing raw wood.
- Deep scratches that catch the light and run through the varnish into the wood itself.
- Greying or blackening in patches — usually from water exposure that has penetrated the finish.
- The floor looks dull, cloudy or patchy even after cleaning.
- You can see the underlying wood colour changing from one room to the next, indicating uneven wear.
- You're moving into an older Lisbon apartment and want to restore the original parquet to its full character.
If your problems are localised — a single damaged board, a small water stain, a few deep scratches in one spot — you may not need a full refinish at all. In that case see our pages on hardwood floor repair and scratch repair.
Our refinishing process, step by step
Every project follows the same rigorous method, refined over fifteen years and more than 500 floors restored in Lisbon.
1. Inspection and quote
Send us photos on WhatsApp or invite us for a free site visit. We assess the floor type, condition, wear layer thickness, and any damage that needs structural repair before sanding. You receive a fixed written quote within two hours.
2. Preparation and protection
We move and protect the furniture, mask off skirting boards and doorways, and seal any vents. The work area becomes a contained zone — adjacent rooms stay clean.
3. Repair (only if needed)
If boards are split, water-damaged or missing, we replace them and let the new wood acclimate before sanding. Gaps between boards may be filled with a tinted resin matched to the surrounding wood.
4. Sanding with two or three grits
The floor is sanded with progressively finer grit grades — typically 40, 80 and 120 — until the surface is perfectly smooth and ready to accept finish. Our machines have integrated dust extraction, so the process is low-dust throughout. Edges and corners are handled with a separate edging machine.
5. Staining (optional)
If you want to change the colour of your floor — darker, lighter, or with a particular tone — this is the moment. We apply the stain evenly and let it dry fully before the next step.
6. Three coats of varnish or natural oil
We then apply three coats of high-quality finish, with intermediate light sanding between coats to ensure perfect adhesion and smoothness. Choose between matt, satin or gloss varnish, or a natural oil finish for a more breathable, easy-to-touch-up surface.
7. Drying and handover
Each varnish coat needs 4 to 8 hours to dry; the final coat needs at least 24 hours before light foot traffic and 7 days before placing rugs or heavy furniture. We walk you through the aftercare on handover.
How much does hardwood floor refinishing cost in Lisbon?
Pricing depends on three things: the floor type, its condition, and the finish you choose. Our standard rates in Lisbon are:
| Service | Price (excl. VAT) |
|---|
| Sanding only (bare wood, no finish) | from €20/m² |
| Sanding + three coats of varnish | from €28/m² |
| Sanding + natural oil finish | from €33/m² |
| Staircases | from €30 per step |
| Board replacement and gap filling | quoted per case |
Final pricing is fixed once we see the floor — there are no surprise add-ons. For most Lisbon apartments (typically 60 to 120 m² of wood floor), the total project lands between €1,700 and €3,500 all-in.
Want a faster answer? Send a photo on WhatsApp and we'll come back with a price range within two hours, before any site visit.
Why people choose us
- 15 years of experience dedicated almost exclusively to wood floors in Lisbon homes.
- 500+ projects completed across greater Lisbon, from small apartments to large historic buildings.
- 4.9/5 average rating across 230+ Google reviews.
- Low-dust process with professional Lägler and Festool extraction equipment.
- Fixed quotes — the price you agree before the work starts is the price you pay.
- Free first visit across Lisbon, Cascais, Estoril, Sintra, Oeiras, Carcavelos, Parede, Algés, Belém and Almada.
- English, French and Portuguese spoken — comfortable communication for the expat community in Lisbon.
