Should I Hire or DIY: Refinishing red oak floors to a lighter look
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Refinishing red oak floors, should I hire or DIY? That’s the question I wrestled with while staring at our dated hardwood floors and dreaming of a lighter, more modern look. Living in a multigenerational household means renovations are a group decision and thankfully, we (well my mom and I) are usually on the same page. My dad and Jimbo, well they just kind of roll with it.
In this case, Jim was really happy we decided to hire a pro because well, it would have taken forever to do ourselves and some things are left to a pro especially when it comes to refinishing and staining floors.
When we decided to transform our dated red oak floors almost 2 years ago, we faced the classic renovation dilemma: DIY to save money or hire professionals to save sanity?
I’ll walk you through both paths so you can make the smart choice for your situation—and your floors.
Standing on my transformed floors today, it’s hard to remember how stressed I felt about that $45,000 replacement quote last year.
We ultimately hired a PRO but that doesn’t mean you can’t DIY. Just know what you’re getting into (and who doesn’t love a good reality check?). 😉
I’ve got a brand new flooring checklist & guide (click here) that will save you all the research and headaches if you are ready to go, and transform your floors asap. Just input your information (it helps me keep track of the downloads) and I’ll send it right to you!
How To Refinish Hardwood Floors
Let’s get real about DIY floor refinishing. Is it possible? Absolutely! But there’s a reason floor guys make good money—this job is no joke.
Sanding Lessons Learned
If you’re going DIY, sanding is your make-or-break moment. And let me tell you, it’s not as simple as renting a machine and going to town on your floors.
Equipment matters enormously. Many sanders that you rent, may be underpowered compared to professional equipment, which means you’ll spend way more time, sweat more, and potentially end up with less-than-perfect results.
Before you drop cash on a rental, know exactly what type of equipment you need.
Technique isn’t something you magically know.
First-time sanders often create these weird dips, waves, or swirl marks that become painfully obvious once you apply stain.
And yes, they’re permanent unless you sand AGAIN (which, trust me, you won’t want to do). If you’ve never sanded floors before, practice in a closet or somewhere hidden—because mistakes will happen.
Sanding DUST
The dust situation is borderline apocalyptic.
Without professional-grade dust containment, you’ll be finding wood particles EVERYWHERE for months—possibly years.
Spend the extra money and rent dustless sanders if you value your sanity!
I share every piece of equipment and product you need here in my new guide or snag the 11 page freebie for everything you need to know and ask a flooring contractor before hiring them.
And don’t get me started on edge work. The perimeter of rooms requires special edge sanders, and getting flush against baseboards?
That’s hand-scraping territory—the kind of backbreaking work that makes you question all your life choices. I watched our flooring pro for almost a week, on his hands and knees, scraping along the edges and I was SO glad, it was him and no me!
When you calculate the cost per square foot, refinishing instead of replacing can save you upwards of $10 per square foot. See exactly how much you could save!
How To Make Red Oak Look Like White Oak
This is where most DIY projects fall apart and honestly, what terrified me most about tackling this project ourselves. Getting that perfect lighter look isn’t just about slapping on a light stain and calling it a day.
Sample boards are non-negotiable. Those tiny store sample chips? They’re sneaky little liars!
Always, always test stains on actual wood scraps from your own floors. For our project, we created large, swatch-sized samples directly on the sanded floors throughout the house in varying lighting scenarios.
A tip from our floor pro: apply your stain samples before the final sanding. That way, you’ll effortlessly sand away those test patches, keeping your floors spotless and your relationship with your spouse intact!
Timing is everything. Apply stain too quickly after sanding and it won’t absorb properly.
Wait too long and the wood closes up, again preventing proper absorption.
There’s a sweet spot that professionals know instinctively from years of experience.
Application technique drastically affects color. The difference between wipe-on versus rag-off timing can change your final shade completely.
And inconsistent application?
Hello, blotchy nightmare floors!
Water-based products are tricky little devils—they dry incredibly fast.
This means you need to work quickly and confidently, which isn’t exactly beginner-friendly when you’re standing there second-guessing every move.
Most people can’t tell the difference between my refinished red oak and genuine white oak floors—even flooring professionals have been fooled! If you are tired of looking at your dated floors, grab my freebie or low cost guide and just start!
Red Oak Hardwood Floors Stains
The stain selection process deserves its own therapy session, honestly. When we decided to transform our orange-tinted red oak into something lighter and more contemporary, the stain options felt overwhelming.
Understanding what separates amateur from professional refinishers saved me from making a costly hiring mistake. Get my proven contractor checklist now!
Professional floor refinishers bring some serious advantages to the staining game:
Equipment calibration skills. They adjust sanding pressure and speed based on wood condition—something impossible to learn in a weekend warrior session.
Problem-solving experience. When they hit unexpected issues (and trust me, you WILL hit issues), they don’t need to pause and frantically Google solutions while your floors sit half-finished.
One of the issues we had was our hardwood floors (because they are engineered) showed larger gaps between some boards than normal once the old stain was sanded off.
This happens over time from floor boards settling over years and well, it requires a little repair work. Repair work that I am thankful we could leave to the pro!
Time Involved to Refinish Floors
Time efficiency. What might take you a full week of cursing and questioning your life choices can often be completed in 2-3 days by a crew that works together regularly.
Most quality contractors will create test patches in multiple areas of your home to ensure you’re getting exactly the look you want.
Their experience means uniform stain application—no streaks, no blotches, no missed spots that make you die inside a little every time you walk by.
If you’re not sure how to hire or vet a pro, what to ask, or how to spot red flags (so they don’t wreck your floors), grab my free checklist!
Refinished Hardwood Floors Before After
After weighing all factors, we hired professionals—and I’d make the same choice again in a heartbeat.
For under $7 per square foot (versus $3-4 for DIY supplies), we got:
- Perfectly sanded floors with zero amateur marks
- Floor repairs prior to refinishing
- Expert application of the perfect whitewash blend
- Three flawless coats of water-based sealer
- A timeline of 3 weeks (which would have taken us months)
- Zero nervous breakdowns (priceless!)
Our red oak floors now have that light, contemporary look we wanted without the telltale orange tones. The grain remains (it’s red oak, after all), but it’s now a beautiful character feature rather than a dated eyesore that screams “I was installed in 1995!”
I’ve compiled everything I learned the hard way into a resource I wish I’d had when I started. Transform your dated floors without breaking the bank (click here)!
If You’re Still Going DIY: Critical Success Factors
Determined to tackle this yourself? I respect the hustle! Focus on these make-or-break elements:
Preparation is non-negotiable. Remove EVERYTHING from the room, including curtains, art, and switch plates. Seal doorways with plastic sheeting and tape. Cover vents. Seriously, do not skip this step unless you enjoy cleaning dust from places you didn’t know existed in your home.
Rent the best equipment possible. Skip the cheaper sanders and go for the professional-grade rental options. The difference in results is dramatic and worth every extra penny.
Practice your technique. Start sanding in closets or areas hidden by furniture to perfect your approach before tackling visible areas. Consider it your training ground.
Buy more sandpaper than you think you need. Dull sandpaper is the enemy of smooth floors and your patience.
Test, test, test your stain mixture. Our winning formula was the perfect color to neutralize the red tones while maintaining a smidge of warmth. But we went through about 12 test patches to find it! Grab my new guide that compiles EVERY detail of our project in 30+ pages with everything we used and step by step instructions.
The guide is less than the cost of a lunch date so it’s a no brainer and worth your sanity! 🤷♀️
Making Your Decision
Here’s my honest advice: if you’ve never refinished floors before, start with a small space like a bedroom to test your skills and patience before committing to your entire home.
If you’re hiring pros, get at least three quotes, ask to see previous red-to-white oak transformations they’ve completed, and be extremely specific about your expectations for dust containment and timeline. Grab my free contractor checklist here.
Either way, prepare for some disruption. You’ll need to vacate during the sealing process (those fumes are no joke depending on what stain you use), and you’ll need to tread lightly on your new floors for at least a week after completion. The stain we used had hardly NO smell which was amazing.
But the results? Absolutely worth it. Our dated red oak floors are now the showpiece of our multigenerational home, giving us that contemporary look without the massive expense of replacing them entirely.
Ready to take the next step? Download my free contractor checklist to make sure you hire the right pro for your project! The checklist is free right now, so grab it before it moves to a paid product 😉.
Meet Jessica
What started as a hobby, Jessica’s blog now has millions of people visit yearly and while many of the projects and posts look and sound perfect, life hasn’t always been easy. Read Jessica’s story and how overcoming death, divorce and dementia was one of her biggest life lessons to date.
