Screen and Recoat Cost in Atlanta (2026) | Buff & Recoat Pricing

Your hardwood floors still look decent from a distance, but up close you can see the scratches, the dull spots, and the areas where the finish has worn thin. If you live in Buckhead, Decatur, or East Cobb, you probably know the feeling — the floors aren't damaged, but they've lost their shine. The good news: you might not need a full refinish. A screen and recoat could be exactly what your floors need, and it costs a fraction of the price.

What Does a Screen and Recoat Cost in Atlanta?

In the greater Atlanta area, a screen and recoat typically costs between $2 and $3 per square foot. For a 300-square-foot living room, that works out to roughly $600 to $900. Compare that to a full refinish at $3 to $8 per square foot, and you can see why screen and recoat is the go-to maintenance option for floors that just need a refresh.

Here's how the numbers break down for common room sizes:

• Small bedroom (150 sq ft): $300 to $450
• Living room (300 sq ft): $600 to $900
• Open-concept main floor (800 sq ft): $1,600 to $2,400
• Whole house (1,500 sq ft): $3,000 to $4,500

Nationally, screen and recoat pricing ranges from $1.50 to $4 per square foot depending on the market. Atlanta falls right in the middle — affordable enough to make it a no-brainer for regular floor maintenance.

What's Included in Screen and Recoat Pricing

When you pay for a screen and recoat, you're paying for a specific maintenance process — not a full refinish. Here's what the process involves:

1. Light abrasion (screening): A floor buffer fitted with a fine mesh screen lightly scuffs the existing finish. This creates tiny scratches that give the new coat something to grip. It does not sand through the finish to bare wood.
2. Cleaning and prep: All dust and debris are vacuumed and tack-clothed off the floor. A clean surface is critical for the new finish to bond without bubbles or imperfections.
3. Fresh coat of finish: A new layer of polyurethane — either water-based or oil-based — is rolled or brushed over the entire floor. This fresh coat bonds to the screened surface and creates a seamless protective barrier.

What a screen and recoat is not: it's not a full sand-down. The screening process only touches the top surface of the existing finish. Your stain color stays the same, the wood grain isn't exposed, and the whole job is typically done in a single day. That's why it costs so much less than a full refinish.

Screen and Recoat vs. Full Refinishing: Cost Comparison

This is the comparison most Atlanta homeowners want to see. Here's how the two options stack up side by side:

• Screen and recoat: $2 to $3 per sq ft — one day, no sanding to bare wood, same stain color
• Full refinish (same color): $3 to $5 per sq ft — 2 to 3 days, sanded to bare wood, fresh finish
• Full refinish (color change): $4 to $6 per sq ft — 3 to 5 days, sanded to bare wood, new stain and finish
• Full restoration (repairs included): $6 to $8+ per sq ft — 4 to 7 days, board replacement, gap filling, full refinish

For a 300-square-foot room, the difference is striking: $600 to $900 for a screen and recoat versus $900 to $2,400 for a full refinish. If your floors don't need the heavy treatment, a screen and recoat saves you real money. For a deeper look at full refinish pricing, see our hardwood refinishing cost guide.

When Screen and Recoat Is Enough vs. When You Need Full Refinishing

Not every floor is a candidate for a screen and recoat. Here's how to tell which option your floors need:

Screen and recoat is enough when:

• The finish looks dull or worn but hasn't been scratched through to bare wood
• Surface-level scratches from furniture, pet claws, or foot traffic
• The floor still has its original stain color and you want to keep it
• The existing finish is still intact — just tired-looking
• You last refinished 3 to 5 years ago and want to extend the finish's life

You need a full refinish when:

• Deep gouges or scratches have gone through the finish to bare wood
• You want to change the stain color (screen and recoat cannot change color)
• Water damage has caused dark stains or warping in the wood
• The previous finish is peeling, flaking, or has been waxed over
• The floor has never been refinished and has decades of wear

If you're unsure where your floors fall, our guide on when to refinish vs. replace hardwood floors walks through the decision-making process in detail. And when we visit for a free estimate, we'll give you an honest recommendation — if your floors need more than a screen and recoat, we'll tell you.

Factors That Affect Screen and Recoat Cost

While $2 to $3 per square foot is the typical range, several factors can push your price toward the higher or lower end:

Floor Condition

Floors in good shape with an intact finish are straightforward to screen and recoat. Floors with areas of heavy wear, minor scratches that need spot attention, or old finish that's starting to break down may require extra prep time.

Square Footage

Larger projects tend to have a lower per-square-foot cost because setup and equipment mobilization are fixed costs spread across more area. A whole-house screen and recoat is more cost-effective per square foot than doing a single room.

Finish Type

Water-based polyurethane dries faster, has lower odor, and maintains the wood's natural color. Oil-based polyurethane offers a warmer amber tone and slightly more durability. Water-based finishes cost a bit more per gallon, but the faster dry time can offset that with labor savings.

Furniture Moving

If you need the crew to move furniture in and out of the room, that adds labor time and cost. Moving furniture yourself before the appointment is one of the easiest ways to save money on the project.

Number of Coats

Most screen and recoats involve a single fresh coat of finish. In high-traffic areas like hallways or kitchens, a second coat provides extra protection but adds to the cost and drying time.

How to Save on Screen and Recoat

You don't have to spend more than necessary. Here are practical ways to keep your screen and recoat cost down:

• Move furniture yourself: Clear the room before the crew arrives. This is the single biggest cost-saver.
• Combine rooms: Doing the whole house or multiple rooms at once gets you better per-square-foot pricing than scheduling one room at a time.
• Schedule in fall or winter: Demand for flooring work peaks in spring and summer. Off-peak scheduling can mean faster availability and sometimes better pricing.
• Maintain your floors between recoats: Regular floor cleaning with proper products extends the life of your finish and pushes back the next recoat date.
• Don't wait too long: If you let the finish wear through to bare wood, you'll need a full refinish instead of a simple screen and recoat. Staying on a 3-to-5-year maintenance cycle saves money long term.

Want to see what your project would cost? Try our free flooring cost calculator — plug in your square footage and project details, and get a price in 60 seconds. No phone call needed.

The Bottom Line

A screen and recoat is one of the smartest investments you can make for your hardwood floors. At $2 to $3 per square foot in Atlanta, it costs a fraction of a full refinish and extends the life of your finish by 3 to 5 years. For a typical 300-square-foot room, you're looking at $600 to $900 — done in a single day with minimal disruption to your home.

If your floors are dull but not damaged, a screen and recoat is almost certainly the right call. If you're not sure whether your floors need a screen and recoat or a full hardwood refinishing, we'll tell you honestly when we come out for your free estimate. No pressure, no upselling — just an honest assessment of what your floors actually need.