How Much Do Hardwood Floor Repairs Cost? [2025 Data]

Hardwood Floor Repair Cost Factors

Several factors affect the cost of repairing a hardwood floor, including the size and type of problem you’re addressing. The fix method can also affect your costs.

Type of Problem

The type of problem you’re fixing significantly affects how much you’ll pay for repairs. For instance, fixing minor scratches might only cost $1 per square foot, while repairing water damage can cost as much as $100 per square foot.

Uneven Hardwood Floors

Repairing uneven hardwood floors typically ranges from $3 to $60 per square foot, depending on the cause. Common causes of uneven floors include excess moisture, foundation shifting, and poor structural design. The cause will determine the precise fix needed. For instance, if your floors are uneven due to your foundation shifting, then you’ll likely need an experienced contractor to jack up the floor, which will cost at the higher end of the spectrum. 

Hardwood Floor Scratches

Hardwood floor scratches usually cost between $1 and $8 per square foot to fix. Minor scratches may only require you to apply a wood stain or touch-up marker to fix, which is relatively inexpensive. Fixing deeper scratches involves sanding down the scratched area and refinishing the floor to restore its original appearance, which costs more. 

Hardwood Floor Cupping

Cupping refers to hardwood floors that are higher around the edges than the center, creating a cup-like effect. It’s usually caused by a moisture imbalance. Cupping repairs cost between $1 and $8 per square foot. To fix this problem, you or a pro will need to identify the moisture source, dry out the flooring, sand the cupped boards to even them out, then refinish them to restore their original appearance. 

Mold and Mildew on Hardwood Floors

Depending on the extent of the damage, removing mold and mildew from hardwood floors costs between $10 and $25 per square foot. This process involves identifying and removing the moisture source that caused the mold, then thoroughly cleaning the affected area and treating it with antimicrobial solutions. If your mold problem is severe, you may need to replace whole sections of the floor or subfloor, which can significantly increase your costs. 

Hardwood Floor Gaps

Commonly caused by fluctuating humidity levels, hardwood floor gaps cost between $7 and $15 per square foot to fix. Fixing small gaps usually involves filling them with wood filler or rope, while repairing larger gaps may require replacing the boards or refinishing areas of the floor. 

Water Damage

Repairing water damage can cost anywhere from $8 to $100 per square foot, depending on the severity. Water damage can cause problems like warping, staining, and mold. The repair needed depends on the cause, but it may involve sanding down warped areas, applying wood filler, or refinishing the entire surface. In some cases, you may need to replace entire sections of the floor and/or subfloor, which will cost at the higher end of this range. 

Squeaky Hardwood Floors

Squeaky floors are often caused by gaps between the subfloor and joists or loose boards. Fixing them usually costs between $10 and $50 per square foot. Repairs typically involve applying adhesive to the subfloor, screwing down loose boards, and/or inserting shims to eliminate gaps. 

Rotted Hardwood Floors

If your floors are exposed to moisture for too long, the wood can begin to rot, leading to decay and weakness. Fixing rotted floors ranges from $50 to $250 per square foot. In most cases, you'll need to remove and replace the rotted section of the floor and treat the area to prevent further rot. 

Dented Hardwood Floors

If you drop something heavy on the floor or move heavy furniture, it can leave a dent. Fixing dented hardwood floors costs between $5 and $25 per square foot. You can often fix minor dents using water and a hot iron to steam it out, but deeper dents require sanding and refinishing. 

Cost per Square Foot 

Generally, the bigger your hardwood floor damage, the more you can expect to pay since costs are often priced by the square foot.

Labor

Hiring a local hardwood repair pro usually costs between $65 and $100 per hour. Depending on the damage they're addressing, the repairs can take anywhere from an hour or two to multiple days to complete. Most homeowners end up paying somewhere between $330 and $2,400 in labor for hardwood floor fixes. 

Hardwood Floor Repair Costs by Method

Different problems require different repair methods. The method needed can affect your costs since some methods are more expensive and time-consuming than others. 

Filling

Filling involves using a putty-like substance called a wood filler to fill in minor cracks, gaps, and holes in hardwood floors. It’s the least expensive repair method as it typically only costs around $10 to $15 for the wood filler package, and most homeowners can complete this repair themselves. After the filler is applied, it needs to be smoothed out and allowed to dry. Once it’s completely dry, the filled area is sanded to create a smooth surface. 

Patching

Patching usually costs between $600 and $1,600, depending on the size of the problem. This process involves cutting out the damaged area and patching it with a new piece of wood, which is cut to fit the size and shape of the removed section. The patched area is then sanded and finished to blend in with the existing floor. 

Refinishing

You can expect to pay anywhere from $1,100 to $2,700 to refinish your hardwood floors. This repair method is primarily used for hardwood floors with extensive surface-level damage, like scratches and dents. It involves sanding down the entire surface to remove the damaged top layer and applying a stain to give the floors a brand-new appearance. 

Resurfacing

Resurfacing costs between $1,200 and $3,000. This process is used for floors with deeper damage than refinishing can address. It involves deep sanding to remove damaged layers of the floor, then applying multiple coats of finish to restore the floor’s appearance. In some cases, it might also include replacing damaged boards. 

Floorboard Replacements

Replacing floorboards typically costs between $800 and $2,000. This repair method is pricier than many other methods since the new boards must be the exact same type, size, and thickness as the existing boards. The precision needed makes this a more labor-intensive process than methods like patching or filling. 

Polishing

If your hardwood floor is in good shape but has lost some of its shine and luster, polishing can help restore its original appearance. Polishing costs between $100 and $300 and involves applying a specialized polish or buffing compound to smooth out minor scratches and restore the floor’s shine. 

DIY Hardwood Floor Repair vs. Hiring a Pro

Hiring a pro to fix your hardwood floor can cost anywhere from $330 to $2,400 in labor, depending on the problem. Many homeowners can save money on a pro by conducting minor repairs themselves, like filling cracks. But it’s best to leave more complex repairs, like resurfacing and floorboard replacements, to the pros unless you have some related experience under your belt, otherwise, you run the risk of creating further damage. A hardwood floor professional will have the skills, knowledge, and equipment necessary to safely and properly repair your floor. 

Cost of Common Hardwood Floor Repair Add-Ons

When repairing a hardwood floor, you may want to book other services to further enhance or restore your home’s appearance. 

• Interior painting cost: $1,000-$3,000

• Air duct cleaning cost: $270-$500

• Protective floor pads cost: $5-$15

• Deep home cleaning cost: $200-$400

How to Save Money on Hardwood Floor Repairs

There are several ways you can potentially save money on a hardwood floor repair, including:

• Completing minor repairs yourself

• Calling multiple prospective repair pros to find the best price

• Bundling multiple repairs together for a potential discount

• Doing prep work yourself, like moving furniture

• Scheduling repairs during off-peak seasons, like winter

• Shopping around for materials to find the best price

• Using reclaimed or leftover materials

Cost to Repair vs. Replace Hardwood Floors

Repairing hardwood floors is usually less expensive than installing new ones, and in many cases it is enough to invigorate old floors. Refinishing can remove minor damage, such as scratches, dents, and even water staining. If most of the floor is in good shape, even significant damage in small areas, like rot and decay, can be repaired with new planks. On average, hardwood floor repair costs fall into the $480 to $1,700 range.

However, if your floors are extensively damaged, including severe warping and widespread rot, or if you have structural issues, replacement is not only ideal but necessary. Depending on the type of wood you select and the size of the area to update, hardwood flooring installation costs typically range from $2,475 to $7,030.

How Angi Gets Its Cost Data

Home is the most important place on earth, which is why Angi has helped more than 150 million homeowners transform their houses into homes they adore. To help homeowners with their next project, Angi provides readers with the most accurate cost data and upholds strict editorial standards. We’ve surveyed thousands of real Angi customers about their project costs to develop the pricing data you see, so you can make the best decisions for you and your home. We pair this data with research from reputable sources, including the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, academic journals, market studies, and interviews with industry experts—all to ensure our prices reflect real-world projects. 

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