If your hardwood floors look dull and scratched, you’re probably wondering whether to screen or sand them. The difference in cost alone—$1,500 versus $4,500 for a typical 1,000-square-foot Denver home—makes this decision crucial. But here’s what most homeowners don’t realize: Colorado’s dry climate changes everything about how your floors wear down.
After refinishing thousands of floors across Cherry Hills Village, Highlands Ranch, and Castle Rock for over 20 years, we’ve learned that Denver homeowners often spend thousands more than necessary because they don’t understand when screening is enough. Even more concerning, some try to screen floors that actually need sanding, leading to disappointing results and wasted money.
This guide will help you make the right choice for your specific situation, potentially saving you both money and days of disruption to your home.
What’s the Real Difference Between Screening and Sanding?
The confusion between these two processes costs Denver homeowners thousands of dollars every year. Let’s clear it up.
Hardwood Floor Screening (Screen and Recoat)
Screening—also called screen and recoat—is a light surface treatment that only touches the existing finish layer. Think of it like lightly sanding a painted wall before applying a fresh coat. A buffing machine with a 120-150 grit screen roughens up the current polyurethane finish so new coats will bond properly.
The key point: screening never touches the actual wood. You’re only working with the protective finish on top. This means:
- Your floors keep their current color and stain
- The process takes just 1-2 days from start to finish
- There’s minimal dust compared to sanding
- Costs typically run $1.50-$2.50 per square foot in the Denver area
For a recent project in Highlands Ranch, we screened 1,200 square feet of oak flooring that had light scratches from the family’s two golden retrievers. Total cost: $1,800. The floors looked brand new in two days, and the family never had to move out.
Full Hardwood Floor Sanding
Sanding is the complete removal of all finish layers down to bare wood. Heavy drum sanders equipped with coarse grits (starting at 36 or 40) strip away everything—polyurethane, stain, and a thin layer of wood itself—to give you a completely fresh surface.
This is major refinishing work that:
- Removes 1/32 to 1/16 inch of wood (which matters if your floors have been refinished multiple times)
- Takes 3-5 days, including drying time between coats
- Creates significant dust even with professional containment systems
- Costs $3-$6 per square foot for quality work with dustless equipment
- Allows you to change the stain color if desired
Our dustless refinishing technology captures 99.8% of sanding dust—a critical advantage in Denver’s 5,280-foot elevation, where respiratory health matters. Traditional sanding creates dust that circulates through your HVAC system for weeks. With dustless sanding, our Castle Rock clients can often stay in their homes during the project.
Quick Comparison: Screening vs Sanding
| Factor | Screening | Sanding | Best For |
| Cost (Denver) | $1.50-$2.50/sq ft | $3-$6/sq ft | Surface wear only |
| Timeline | 1-2 days | 3-5 days | Deep damage |
| Wood Removed | None | 1/32 – 1/16 inch | Color change desired |
| Disruption | Minimal | Significant | Bare wood exposed |
Not Sure Which One You Need?
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When Should I Screen vs Sand My Hardwood Floors?
This is the $3,000 question—literally. Make the right call, and you save thousands plus days of disruption. Get it wrong, and you end up paying twice.
Five Clear Signs Your Denver Floors Only Need Screening
- You Can’t Feel the Damage
Run your fingernail across the scratches. If your nail glides over them without catching or dropping into a groove, the damage is only in the finish layer. This is the most reliable test we’ve found in 20 years of refinishing Denver floors.
- The Original Stain Looks Good
If you still like the color and there’s no water damage or dark staining, screening keeps that color while refreshing the surface. One Castle Rock client saved $2,800 by screening instead of sanding because she loved her original honey oak tone.
- High-Traffic Areas Look Dull but Undamaged
Your kitchen entrance, hallway, or living room walkways have lost their shine but show no deep scratches or gouges. This is classic finish wear—exactly what screening was designed to fix.
- Your Last Refinish Was Less Than 10 Years Ago
If your floors were professionally refinished within the past decade, the finish layer likely still has good integrity. Denver’s dry climate wears down finishes faster than the wood underneath, making screening both possible and smart.
- Pet Scratches Are Light and Surface-Level
Light scratches from dog nails that haven’t penetrated to bare wood respond beautifully to screening. We recently screened a Greenwood Village home where two retrievers had created a network of fine scratches. After screening and three coats of water-based polyurethane, you couldn’t tell the dogs had ever been there.
Seven Warning Signs You Need Full Refinishing
- Bare Wood Is Visible
If you can see the actual wood grain through worn spots—usually in doorways or under rugs—the finish is completely gone. Screening won’t help because there’s nothing left to screen.
- Deep Gouges You Can Feel
Furniture dents, deep pet claw marks, or divots that catch your fingernail mean the wood itself is damaged. Only sanding can level these out. A Cherry Hills Village client tried screening first on floors with furniture damage. Two months later, we ended up sanding anyway. She paid $1,600 for screening that didn’t solve the problem, then $4,200 for sanding—$5,800 total versus $4,200 if we’d sanded initially.
- Water Damage or Dark Staining
Dark rings from plant pots, pet urine stains, or water damage that’s soaked into the wood require sanding. If the discoloration has penetrated through multiple finish layers, screening the surface won’t touch it.
- You Want to Change the Stain Color
Going from honey oak to dark walnut? Lightening your floors? You need to sand down to bare wood. Screening only works with the existing color.
- Thick Finish Buildup
If your floors have been screened and recoated three or more times, the finish layers are probably too thick for another screening. The buildup can prevent proper bonding and create a plastic-looking surface.
- Cupping or Crowning
If your floor boards have curled edges (cupping) or raised centers (crowning) from moisture exposure, you need sanding to level the surface. This is actually somewhat common in Denver basements, where humidity fluctuates seasonally.
- Original Installation Was 15+ Years Ago With No Refinishing
If your floors haven’t been refinished in over 15 years, they’ve likely accumulated enough wear that screening won’t be sufficient. The finish has probably degraded too much for proper recoating.
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How Do I Know If I Need Screening or Sanding? The Self-Assessment
Do this three-minute assessment before calling a local wood flooring contractor. It’ll save you from getting talked into services you don’t need.
The Water Drop Test (Most Reliable)
Place small water drops on your floor in three different locations—high traffic area, moderate traffic, and low traffic. Wait five minutes.
- Water beads up: Finish is intact. Screening is likely sufficient if you only have surface scratches.
- Water slowly absorbs: Finish is compromised. You probably need sanding.
- Water immediately soaks in: Finish is gone. Sanding is required.
The Visual Damage Check
Look at your worst damaged areas in bright light:
- Can you see wood grain through the finish? → Sanding needed
- Is the finish peeling or flaking? → Sanding needed
- Are scratches white/cloudy, but you can’t see wood? → Screening may work
- Does it mostly just look dull? → Screening likely sufficient
Is Screening Enough for My Floors? Real Denver Examples
Let’s look at real projects from our 20 years in Denver to see when screening worked perfectly and when homeowners wished they’d sanded.
When Screening Works Perfectly: Highlands Ranch Pet Owner
Sarah’s situation was ideal for screening. Her 12-year-old red oak floors had countless light scratches from two large dogs, but the finish had never been compromised. You couldn’t feel any damage with your fingernail, and the water drop test showed the finish was still intact.
We screened 1,400 square feet and applied three coats of water-based polyurethane. Total cost: $2,100. Timeline: one day of screening, one day of finish application, then 24 hours of curing before light traffic.
If we had sanded those floors instead, the cost would have been $5,600, and the family would have needed to relocate their dogs for four days. Screening saved Sarah $3,500 and three days of disruption.
When Homeowners Regret Screening: Castle Rock Water Damage
Mike’s floors had dark staining around the base of what used to be a large planter. A competitor told him to ‘try screening first’ to save money. He paid $1,400 for the screening.
The result? The stains didn’t budge. They were too deep in the woods. Three months later, Mike called us to sand the floors properly. Full sanding cost: $4,200. His total expense: $5,600 versus $4,200 if he’d sanded initially.
The lesson: when you can see dark discoloration that penetrates into the wood, screening is a waste of money. An honest contractor will tell you this upfront.
Why Denver’s Climate Changes the Screening vs Sanding Decision
Colorado’s unique climate creates flooring wear patterns you don’t see in humid regions. Understanding this helps you make smarter refinishing decisions.
The Dry Climate Advantage for Screening
Denver’s average 40% humidity—sometimes dropping to 20% in winter—creates an unusual situation: your floor finish tends to wear out before the wood underneath shows damage. This makes screening more viable more often than in humid climates where moisture causes wood-level problems.
In Seattle or Miami, homeowners might wait 7-10 years between screenings. In Denver, we typically recommend screening every 3-5 years to catch finish wear before it becomes finish failure.
Why Dustless Technology Matters at 5,280 Feet
If you do need sanding, dustless technology isn’t just a luxury in Denver—it’s a health necessity. At our elevation, respiratory systems already work harder. Traditional sanding creates dust that circulates through your home’s HVAC system for weeks, exacerbating allergies and breathing issues. Our dustless system captures 99.8% of particles, protecting your family and making it possible to stay in your home during the project.
Making the Right Choice for Your Denver Hardwood Floors
The decision between screening and sanding comes down to three questions:
- Can you feel damage with your fingernail? (If yes, sand)
- Do you see bare wood or deep staining? (If yes, sand)
- Do you want to change the color? (If yes, sand)
If you answered no to all three, screening will probably restore your floors beautifully at a fraction of the cost and disruption of sanding.
The mistake we see most often? Homeowners who wait too long to screen and end up needing a full sand. In Denver’s dry climate, a $1,800 screening every 4-5 years can extend the life between full sandings from 10 years to 15 years—saving thousands in the long run.
If you’re still unsure after doing the self-assessment, get a free in-person evaluation. Any reputable Denver hardwood floor contractor should be willing to honestly tell you which service you actually need—even if it’s the less expensive option. That’s the kind of integrity that builds trust over 20 years of serving Cherry Hills Village, Highlands Ranch, Castle Rock, and Greenwood Village.