Refinish Furniture Costs

Many of us know that it is possible to refinish wood floors, and some of the same techniques are used to refinish furniture, too. While different techniques will have to be used on antique or valuable pieces, the cost for refinishing furniture is going to be aligned closely to the costs of other items made of similar materials.

The factors that impact the cost to refinish furniture include the general condition of the item, the size and age of it, and what sort of treatments are needed. As an example, to remove the paint from a table, and then repaint or stain it is entirely different from refinishing a stained china cabinet.

Refinishing furniture: wood furniture, by type of furniture.

Other considerations and costs

• There is a huge difference between refinishing and restoration, though, and when a piece is in need of restoration, it will cost many times more than a refinishing project. This is because it needs specific traits preserved, and it may not even qualify for refinishing. If thinking about some restoration, be prepared to pay from $300 to more than $5,000 for items to be restored.
• Refacing or refinishing kitchen cabinetry is not the same as refinishing furniture. The process is far more complex and time-consuming, and the average prices range from $1,500 to much higher. While there may be similar steps, including stripping, sanding and staining or painting, it is a very different task.
• Painting may be part of refinishing, but it comes with entirely different pricing. As an example, to refinish a dresser, you can anticipate paying $300 to $1,000, but to repaint a dresser, the price is rarely going to exceed $600. There are experts in refinishing and separate experts dedicated to repainting.
• We have focused entirely on wooden pieces, but the cost to refinish furniture must also apply to metal, glass, upholstered and other items. Those prices can range from as little as $50 per job to well into the thousands of dollars.

DIY considerations

• It is easy to assume that refinishing furniture is a DIY project. After all, it uses steps that are as simple as sanding or painting. However, it is not an activity well-suited to DIY efforts. There are too many techniques and too many risks of harming a piece of furniture and causing it to lose value. Rather than jeopardize belongings as costly as furniture (whether wood, metal, wicker, antique or simply faded and in need of some sprucing up), it is highly recommended to work with experts.

References

• Craftsman Estimator Costbook, complete series year 2019.
• Latest prices found on Home Depot and other vendor Web sites.
• Literature review of DIY Web sites.