Price guide · Flooring
How much does floor sanding and polishing cost?
- Prices checked November 2026
Price guide
What wooden floor sanding and sealing costs

Wooden floor sanding and sealing
From Buffit's published prices in Cape Town, checked November 2026.
What these prices include: Rates are per m² of floor, sanded to bare timber and sealed; the sealant decides the price.
What changes the price:
Get a price for your job
Tell us the job and a flooring pro that covers your area calls you with a written quote.
What you can ask for
- Vinyl flooringWood-look vinyl planks and tiles.
- Laminate flooringClick-together laminate floors.
- Concrete floorsPolished or coated concrete floors.
- Epoxy flooringHard-wearing epoxy coating for garages and workshops.
- Wooden floorsSolid or engineered wooden floors.
- Floor sandingOld wooden floors sanded and sealed.
Sand and seal, step by step
- When it is needed
- A full sand and seal is for floors that are badly worn, or whose finish has turned flaky, waxy or gummy; a lighter buff and recoat suits floors that are only dull.
- Rough sand
- The first pass takes off the old sealers, oils, grime and wax and gets the floor back to bare wood.
- Medium and fine sands
- Two finer passes smooth the wood so the sealer goes on evenly.
- Sealing
- Three coats of sealer in satin or gloss, with a light sand after the first and second coats.
- Dust
- Sanding is extremely messy without the right machines; dustless sanders with extraction keep the fine dust out of the rest of the house.
- Looking after it
- A sweep and an occasional damp mop keeps a sealed floor looking its best.
Darock Flooring (South African wood floor company), sand and seal, darockflooring.co.za, checked 12 Nov 2026.
More checked prices
How much does a hardwood floor cost?
- Supply and installation, including underlay; levelling and removal extra (Gauteng): Laminate flooring (supplied & installed) | R300 – R800 /m²
- Krono Original 8mm AC4 boards, supply only; sold per box: R199/m² Krono Original 8mm AC4
Prices checked 13 November 2026 ›
How much does it cost to install a new Carpet, Vinyl, Laminated, or Polished Concrete Floor
- Supply and installation, including underlay; levelling and removal extra (Gauteng): Laminate flooring (supplied & installed) | R300 – R800 /m²
- Krono Original 8mm AC4 boards, supply only; sold per box: R199/m² Krono Original 8mm AC4
Prices checked 13 November 2026 ›
Questions about these prices
Where do these prices come from?
From Buffit: businesses that publish their own prices. We copied the figures as published and checked them on 13 November 2026. They are not quotes; every pro sets their own price.
Do I have to hire the pro who quotes?
No. You decide once you have the written quote.
The full guide
General advice, written April 2024.
- Whether you require flooring sanding and polishing or simply wood flooring polish,
- If you can DIY or employ an expert,
- The cost of sanding and polishing floorboards
- Wood flooring polish completes

Floor sanding and polishing or simply wood flooring polish?
Does your flooring simply require polishing or does it require sanding, staining, and refinishing? Due to the distinction in price and outcome, it's crucial you understand the distinctions. Both methods expect a comparable outcome, but in truth, the procedure is completely different. Wood flooring polish fills out little scratches and levels the look, helping to "restore" your flooring. While it does make your flooring appear fresh and brand-new, it does not deal with deeper scratches or imperfections in the long term. Polishing is a fantastic choice if your flooring is still in excellent condition but simply requires some brightening up.
On the other hand, if your flooring is looking tired and used, it may require sanding and refinishing. This is when an expert sands it and gets rid of the floor's existing surface so it can be treated with a brand-new stain or varnish.
So the cost will truly depend upon the state that your wooden floor is in.
Can you sand a floor yourself or should you employ an expert?
Merely polishing a floor is rather simple. However, sanding a floor yourself will not end up as excellent as it would be if you employed an expert. Flooring sanders have a reputation for being rather tough to manoeuvre, so it can be tough to get an even result if you don't have years of experience. The other thing to bear in mind is that polishes and other chemicals can respond in different ways depending upon the sort of lumber your flooring is made from. A wood floor covering expert will know precisely what polishes and chemicals to utilize on your floors.

How much does it cost to sand and polish floorboards?
The cost of sanding and polishing floorboards truly depends on how extensive your task is. If you are merely going to polish your floor, then it is not going to cost you much at all. The application is rather easy. You need to clean the floor of all debris and apply the polish in a zigzag pattern to the desired area. Then use a polisher to polish the floor.
Unlike some tasks, employing an expert to sand and polish your lumber flooring does not require you to spend a lot. This price will differ depending on the condition of the flooring and the kind of polish used.
If the floor needs additional work like countersinking nails, filling holes and reseating boards you will incur additional costs.
Get a quote for your Floor Renewal job today!
Wood flooring polish choices
Nowadays, there is a substantial variety of polishes to select from, consisting of:
- Solvent-based polyurethane
- Water-based polyurethane
- Conventional oil-based varnishes
Solvent-based polyurethane
This is a truly difficult sealant to work with. It is made of some unstable natural substances (VOCs), which can be hazardous until the surface dries. For this reason, it's best to leave this kind of treatment to the specialists.
Water-based polyurethane
Water-based polyurethane is a popular option for medium-traffic locations around your house. It is low-VOC and dries rapidly, so it may be a great option for households who can't leave the house while it's being polished.
Standard oil-based varnish
A conventional oil-based varnish is normally the most popular option in South Africa. They're especially hard-wearing, so they're great in high-traffic locations of a house. Their one disadvantage is that they're sluggish drying, so you'll need to cordon off a location while it's being varnished.
You likewise have a large range of gloss levels to pick from—from matte to high-gloss. Many South African house owners pick a satin surface. This has enough gloss to make a floor shimmer, but it does not mark or stain quickly. A high-gloss surface looks wonderful when it's brand new, but when scratches appear, they are more obvious than on a satin or matte surface.

How to select the Right contactor for the job.
When you get quotes from flooring sanding and polishing services, get their viewpoint on the kind of surface that will suit your floors and way of life.
Do not opt for the least expensive quote. It's much better to pay a bit more for sanding and polishing from a credible business than to conserve a couple of dollars and get less-than-perfect outcomes.
How it works
- 1
Tell us the job
- 2
A flooring pro who covers your area calls you
- 3
Get a written quote and decide