Hardwood Floor Refinishing in Scranton, PA
What it costs, and what Scranton's housing stock does to the job.
Floor refinishing in a 1938-median city
The median Scranton home was built in 1938 and 51.8% of the city’s housing
predates 1940. For floor refinishing specifically, that is not background color — it is the thing that
decides the job.
With a median build year of 1938, Scranton has one of the oldest housing stocks of any city in Pennsylvania, and a floor described as “the original” here often genuinely is. That cuts both ways: the wood is usually excellent old-growth stock, and it has had ninety years to be painted, carpeted, glued over and patched. Budget for board repair as well as sanding.
More than half of Scranton’s housing was built before 1940 — the median house here went up in 1938, which makes it one of the oldest housing stocks of any city in the state. Practically that means diagonal plank subfloor is the default assumption rather than the exception, and that a floor described as “the original” often genuinely is.
What it costs in Scranton
Northeast PA labor runs below the Pennsylvania baseline, which is why the range below sits under the statewide $3–$8. Installed, materials and labor together:
| Work | Scranton range | Pennsylvania range |
|---|---|---|
| Refinishing existing boards | $3 – $8 a square foot | $3 – $8 a square foot |
An estimate, not a quote. These are planning ranges for Pennsylvania, not a quote. What you actually pay depends on your rooms, your subfloor and the material you choose — final price depends on your project.
Extras are where a Scranton job most often moves away from the band: removing the old floor,
prepping a plank subfloor, and stairs. The
cost estimator prices those separately against your own
room.
Questions worth asking before you book
- What is the subfloor, and what does it need? With 51.8% of Scranton
homes predating 1940, a plank subfloor is a realistic assumption rather than an edge case.
How to identify yours. - Is the old floor coming out or being covered? Covering costs less and is
sometimes the safer answer — particularly over
9×9 tile — but it costs you height at doors and
at the bottom stair riser. - What is the cut-and-waste allowance? A century-old house is rarely square, and
cuts are labor. - What is your PA Home Improvement Contractor number? It is legally required to
be on the estimate. How to check it.