What each service does
A screen and recoat abrades the existing finish with a fine mesh screen, cleans the floor and lays one or two new coats on top; no wood is removed and the color does not change. A full sand and refinish takes the floor to bare wood with dust-contained equipment, repairs damaged boards, stains if wanted, and builds two or three new coats.
The four decision rules
Four questions.
- ◆Finish intact everywhere, just dull or lightly scuffed? Recoat.
- ◆Bare or gray wood in the traffic lanes, by the sink or the back door? Sand; gray means water or sun has reached the wood.
- ◆Deep scratches, dark water marks or pet stains? Sand, and plan on replacing the worst boards.
- ◆A new color, or a floor ever waxed or cleaned with oil soap? Sand. A recoat cannot change color, and new finish will not bond over wax or oil.
The water drop test
Put a few drops of water on the most worn spot and wait a few minutes. Beads that sit on the surface mean the finish is intact and a recoat is possible. Water that soaks in and darkens the wood means the finish is gone and that area needs sanding. A white or cloudy haze under the drop means wax or oil soap, which also means sanding.
The tape test
A recoat only works if new finish bonds to the old. In a closet, clean a small area and brush on a patch of water-based floor finish. Let it dry a day, press painter's tape over it and pull. If the finish lifts or flakes, a contaminant such as wax or oil soap is present and the floor needs a full sand. If it stays put, a recoat is viable. Tidal Flooring repeats this test before quoting.
Why waxed floors cannot be recoated
Modern finishes bond to a scuffed surface, and wax or oil soap leaves a film nothing bonds to; screening spreads it, so a recoat over it peels within months. Only sanding removes it.
Many 1920s to 1950s floors in Point Loma, North Park and Coronado were waxed for decades before a modern finish went on. They are refinish candidates, and because many have been sanded before, the remaining wear layer is checked first.
Timelines and the next recoat
San Diego guides published in 2026 put a recoat at 1 to 2 days and a full refinish at 3 to 5. With Bona Traffic HD the floor takes foot traffic after 24 hours and cures fully at 3 days; Bona Mega ONE cures fully in 5. Rugs wait for full cure, and humidity or cool rooms stretch every number.
A recoat while the finish is intact costs $2 to $4 per square foot at Tidal Flooring's 2026 planning range; waiting until wear reaches the wood makes it a $4 to $9 job. A yearly water drop test tells you which side of the line you are on.