Worked case: a screen and recoat for a 380 sq ft condo floor — what happens and what it costs

The scenario

Picture a second-floor condo in a planned community with an association. Some time back the owners installed a floating engineered floor in the living and dining area. The boards are flat and tight, the sheen has gone flat in the walkway from the door to the kitchen, and a few light scratches show in the afternoon sun.

The living area measures about 380 square feet. The question is whether a screen and recoat is enough. A drop of water on the surface sinks in slowly rather than beading, and a test patch shows the new coat bonds, so the floor does not carry wax or a polish that blocks a coat.

The association's rules matter in a condo. Noise and odor are the usual concerns, so the work is scheduled in the hours the building allows and neighbors are notified. The finish maker's data sheet sets the time until people, then furniture, can return.

A recoat does not repair deep scratches or change the color; if either matters, the job becomes a sand and refinish, which is a different line in the calculator.

What the job involves

1. Furniture comes out, the floor is vacuumed and cleaned with a product that leaves no residue.
2. A test patch confirms the new finish will bond.
3. A buffer with a fine abrasive screen scuffs the entire surface evenly.
4. The dust is removed, and a coat of finish is applied with the maker's recommended applicator.
5. The room stays closed for the maker's drying time before furniture and rugs return.

Materials and tools

• Floor buffer and a fine abrasive screen
• Vacuum and tack cloths
• Water-based clear finish compatible with the existing one
• Applicator pads, tape and plastic sheeting

Add-ons often paired with this job

• Moving furniture out and back — +$150–$500. Moving the sofa, table and shelves out and back is a flat line.

Why it is done this way

A screen and recoat is the lightest refinish. It abrades only the top of the finish, so it is faster, makes less dust and is priced at roughly half the sand-and-refinish rate in the calculator.

It works only when the finish is worn, not the wood: no deep gouges, no wax and no dark stains. If the test patch had failed, the job would move to the next rate line.

The rate is a per-square-foot figure for the service. The only flat line here is furniture moving, since the room is a normal size and the floor is in good condition.

In a condo, the practical limits are often the building's rules rather than the floor. Quiet hours, shared hallways and elevator reservations all shape the schedule, and the odor of a water-based finish is mild but still reaches neighbors through shared air handling, so the association is told the dates in advance.

The result of a recoat is a fresh, even sheen rather than a new floor. It buys several more years before the next maintenance coat and keeps the option of a full sanding in reserve.

What would change the price

• The test patch fails because of wax or polish.
• Scratches are deeper than a screen can remove.
• The area is larger than 380 square feet.
• A second coat is wanted for a higher-traffic room.
• The building limits work hours and spreads the job over more days.