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Worked case: refinishing a two-bedroom rental between tenants — what happens and what it costs

Hardwood Floors Maple Ontario walks through a typical turnover job in an east Ontario rental unit: an 800-square-foot oak floor with scratches and pet stains that needs to be sanded and refinished before the next tenant moves in.

Check availability & price range Worked example · Illustrated · Rental Property Floor Refinishing

Worked example. The pictures are AI concept illustrations, not photographs; no installation was performed or arranged through this site; prices are typical Ontario area market ranges, not quotes.

Illustration: an empty two-bedroom rental in Ontario, CA with a freshly refinished oak floor, bare walls and a front door open to a breezeway Illustration
Concept illustration, AI-generated. Not a photo of a completed installation.

Project Examples & Typical Prices

The scenario

Picture a two-bedroom unit in a small rental building in east Ontario. The previous tenant had two dogs. The oak floor in the living room and hall is scratched, and there are dark urine stains near the back door and in a bedroom corner.

The unit measures about 800 square feet of wood floor. The turnover is tight: the lease for the next tenant starts in two weeks, so the floor needs to be the first job, not the last.

A recoat would not work. The scratches go through to bare wood, and the stains are in the wood, not the finish. The floor needs a sand, with the darkest stains checked afterward; if they stay dark, the stained boards are replaced and blended.

The manager asks for a satin sheen, which hides scuffs better than gloss, and for a finish that dries quickly with less odor. Whether the lease or the deposit covers pet damage is outside this site; this is about the floor.

What the job involves

  1. The unit is emptied, the floor is inspected and a small test patch is sanded and finished to confirm stain and sheen.
  2. The floor is sanded in passes, and the dark stains are checked after the first pass.
  3. Any boards that stay stained are replaced and sanded flush with the rest.
  4. The floor is cleaned and coated with a fast-drying finish in a satin sheen.
  5. The unit stays closed until the data sheet allows light use, then furniture and the new tenant's belongings can return.

Materials and tools

  • Drum sander and edger on a vacuum
  • Wood filler and replacement boards
  • Water-based finish in satin
  • Fans and plastic sheeting

What it typically costs in the Ontario area

Sand and refinish, 800 square feet installed ($4–$7 per sq ft)$3,200–$5,600
Deep scratches, stains or pet damage (+$1–$3 per sq ft)+$800–$2,400
Finish and sheen test patch+$75–$200
Typical total$4,075–$8,200 (market range, not a quote)

These are typical local ranges, not a quote or an offer; an installer prices the actual job after seeing the floor.

Add-ons often paired with this job

  • Finish and sheen test patch — +$75–$200. A finish and sheen test patch is a flat line.

Why it is done this way

Rentals are priced on speed and results, not on a ten-year plan. The rate here is the middle of the sand-and-refinish band, and the surcharge covers the extra passes and spot repair that pet damage needs.

The business path of the calculator uses the same arithmetic as the other paths: a per-square-foot rate for the service, a surcharge for the condition of the floor, and flat options. The schedule choice is a note for the contractor and does not change the price.

A floor done in this way is plain, durable and ready on a date.

Landlords with several units often ask for one repeatable spec: the same stain, the same sheen and the same finish in every unit, so that a replacement board or a future recoat matches. The spec goes into a simple one-page note the manager keeps for the building.

The other thing worth planning is access. Keys, utilities for the sander and a water supply for cleanup are arranged before the crew arrives, and the unit is checked for leaks first, because a hidden damp spot under a window or a dishwasher would show up after the floor is finished.

What would change the price

  • Several boards need replacing.
  • The stains are deeper and a color change is needed to hide them.
  • A screen and recoat is possible on part of the unit.
  • The unit is bigger than 800 square feet.
  • The work has to happen before a tight move-in date.

More worked examples and guides

Where this leads

Check availability and the price range for this setup

Bookings aren't open yet — a typical Ontario range in about 30 seconds.

Step 1 Range —
    Which floor is it?

    A new floor, a refinish or repair, or a rental, restaurant, office or studio floor.

    How big is the floor?

    Typical: a living room, about 300 square feet here.

    Measure wall to wall; length × width in feet gives the square feet.

    Which floor or service?

    Typical: engineered, prefinished standard plank.

    What is under the new floor?

    Typical in newer Ontario Ranch homes: a concrete slab. Not sure? Pick that and read the slab note.

    Anything to remove first?

    Typical: carpet and pad coming up.

    Anything extra? optional

    Skip if none apply; a slab moisture test comes before any glue-down.

    How big is the floor?

    Typical: a living room, about 300 square feet here.

    Which floor or service?

    Typical: sand and refinish in the natural color.

    What condition is the floor in? pick all that apply

    Pick every item that fits; a good floor needs none.

    Anything extra? optional

    Skip if none apply; stairs and replacement boards are flat lines.

    What kind of property is it?

    Pick the room that carries the most traffic.

    How big is the floor?

    Length × width in feet, or the square feet. Typical: 1,500 sq ft.

    Which floor or service?

    Typical: a maintenance recoat on a floor in good shape.

    What condition is the floor in? pick all that apply

    Pick every item that fits; a good floor needs none.

    When can the work happen? optional

    Typical: after hours or on a weekend. No price change.

    Anything extra? optional

    Skip if none apply; line painting is typical for studios.

    Notes and photos optional

    Optional: a short note or a photo of the floor.

    Additional files (optional) If you like, attach any file related to your request. Nothing is required. Please avoid photos of people, especially children, and documents with personal or financial details. Location data is removed from photos when they are received. Bookings through this site are not open yet, so no one reviews or prices these files. Up to 5 files, 10 MB each: photos (JPEG, PNG or WebP) or PDF.
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      Typical Ontario range—

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      Typical Ontario area hardwood floor prices, square foot by square foot

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