4.9 ★ · 177+ Reviews
Why Wax Removal Is Essential Before Refinishing
For decades, paste wax was the standard finish for hardwood floors. It gave floors a warm, hand-rubbed sheen that homeowners loved. But paste wax and modern polyurethane finishes are incompatible -- polyurethane will not bond to a waxed surface, period.
If you're planning to refinish your hardwood floors with polyurethane, any existing wax must be completely removed first. Even trace amounts of wax residue trapped in the wood grain will cause the new finish to peel, bubble, or turn cloudy within days. Sanding alone does not remove wax -- it just pushes the wax deeper into the wood pores.
Our wax removal process uses professional-grade chemical strippers designed specifically for hardwood floors. We apply the stripper, allow it to dissolve the wax, then scrub and clean the surface thoroughly. Multiple passes may be needed for floors with decades of wax buildup. Once the wax is completely gone, your floors are ready for sanding and a modern finish.
Why Professional Wax Removal Matters
Prevents Finish Failure
The number one reason polyurethane peels on hardwood floors is wax contamination. Professional wax removal eliminates this risk completely, ensuring your new finish bonds properly and lasts for years.
Chemical Stripping, Not Just Sanding
Sanding alone cannot remove wax from wood pores. Our chemical stripping process dissolves wax at the molecular level, pulling it out of the grain where sandpaper cannot reach.
Prepares for Any Modern Finish
Once wax is fully removed, your floors can accept oil-based polyurethane, water-based polyurethane, hardwax oil, or any other modern finish. You're no longer limited to paste wax maintenance.
Accurate Wax Detection Testing
Not sure if your floors have wax? We test before we quote. Using mineral spirits and steel wool, we can confirm wax presence in minutes -- so you never pay for a service you don't need.
How Hardwood Floor Wax Removal Works
Test for Wax
We perform a mineral spirits test on several areas of your floor to confirm wax is present and assess how many layers have built up. This determines the scope of work and your quote.
Apply Chemical Stripper
A professional-grade wax stripper is applied to the floor in sections. The chemical breaks down paste wax and acrylic buildup, dissolving it from the wood grain so it can be removed.
Scrub & Extract
Using rotary scrubbers and absorbent pads, we agitate the dissolved wax and extract it from the wood surface. Heavily waxed floors may require multiple passes to reach clean wood.
Clean & Verify
The floor is thoroughly cleaned and re-tested to confirm all wax has been removed. Only when the surface tests completely clean do we clear the floor for sanding and refinishing.
Why Atlanta Homeowners Choose Oakerds for Wax Removal
We Test Before We Quote
Free wax detection testing on every inspection. If your floors don't have wax, we'll tell you -- and recommend the right service instead of selling you something you don't need.
Complete Removal Guaranteed
We verify wax removal with post-stripping tests before any finish is applied. If wax remains, we strip again. No shortcuts that lead to finish failure down the road.
Full-Service Refinishing Available
Most wax removal projects are followed by sanding and refinishing. We handle the entire process from wax stripping through final polyurethane coat -- one contractor, one timeline, one price.
Experience With Older Homes
Atlanta's older neighborhoods -- Virginia-Highland, Inman Park, Druid Hills, Morningside -- are full of waxed hardwood floors. We've stripped wax from hundreds of pre-war and mid-century homes.
What Our Customers Say
"Our 1940s bungalow had decades of paste wax on the original hardwood. Two other companies said they could just sand it off -- Oakerds explained why that doesn't work and did a proper chemical strip. The refinish has held perfectly for over a year now."
"We tried to refinish our floors ourselves and the polyurethane peeled within a week. Turned out there was wax we didn't know about. Oakerds stripped it all, re-sanded, and refinished. Lesson learned -- hire the pros."
"The crew tested our floors, found wax in every room, and gave us an honest quote for the full job. No surprises, no upselling. The floors look incredible now with a modern satin finish."
"We bought a fixer-upper in Inman Park with original 1920s hardwood under carpet. Oakerds found heavy wax buildup, stripped it, sanded, and finished with water-based poly. The floors are the best feature of the house now."
Frequently Asked Questions
There are two simple tests. First, place a drop of water on the floor -- if it turns white or cloudy after a few minutes, wax is likely present. Second, rub a small area with fine steel wool and mineral spirits -- if the pad picks up a yellowish or brownish residue, that is old wax. Floors installed before the 1970s were almost always finished with paste wax. Oakerds offers free inspections to test your floors.
Hardwood floor wax removal in Atlanta typically costs $3 to $5 per square foot, which includes the chemical stripping process and surface preparation. The final price depends on how many layers of wax have built up, the size of the area, and whether the floors need sanding afterward. Oakerds provides free on-site estimates so you know the full cost before work begins.
Polyurethane and other modern finishes cannot bond properly to a waxed surface. Even trace amounts of wax residue will cause the new finish to peel, bubble, or flake within weeks. Wax fills the wood pores and creates a barrier that prevents adhesion. Complete wax removal is a required step before any polyurethane refinish can be applied successfully. See our <a href="/blog-hardwood-refinishing-cost-atlanta">refinishing cost guide</a> for what to expect after wax removal.
No. Applying polyurethane over wax will result in finish failure. The polyurethane will not adhere to the waxed surface and will peel, crack, or turn cloudy within days to weeks. All wax must be completely stripped from the wood before any polyurethane or water-based finish can be applied. This is one of the most common mistakes in DIY floor refinishing.
Wax removal typically takes 1 to 3 days depending on the size of the area and the number of wax layers that have built up over the years. Floors with decades of paste wax application may require multiple stripping passes. The chemical stripping process includes application time, scrubbing, and thorough cleaning to ensure no residue remains before refinishing.
Hardwood Floor Wax Removal Across Greater Atlanta
Marietta · East Cobb · Smyrna · Kennesaw · Roswell · Sandy Springs · Dunwoody · Buckhead · Brookhaven · Woodstock · Alpharetta · Acworth · Johns Creek · Decatur · Canton · Cumming
Not sure if we serve your area? Call us -- we probably do.
Get Your Free Wax Removal Estimate
Tell us about your project and we'll get back to you within 24 hours.
Prefer to talk? Call (404) 737-7558 -- we answer.