How to start a floor recoat business

Step 1: Learn the job

1. Check the floor. Hardwood or LVP, with finish still on it
2. Screen it. A buffer dulls the old finish so the new coat grips
3. Clean it. Vacuum and tack until it is spotless
4. Coat it. Mix the two-part finish and roll it on with a roller on a pole
5. Walk through it. Show the homeowner the care steps and take payment

A recoat doesn't sand the floor down to bare wood. It screens the old, worn finish so a new coat can grip, then puts a fresh coat on top. One person can do an average home in about 3 hours.

The steps are simple to list and take practice to do well.

The most important skill is knowing which floors to walk away from. Stains soaked into the wood, finish worn all the way through, deep gouges and warped boards need a full sand, not a recoat.

How a buff and recoat works

Step 2: Get your equipment and finish

The list is short. You need a floor buffer, screens and pads, a shop vac, a roller on an extension pole and a good finish. You can rent a buffer for about $40 a day, so you don't need to buy one to start.

Use a two-part, water-based urethane. Part A is the finish and Part B is a hardener you mix in on the job. Store polish and one-part poly are softer and wear out faster.

The full equipment list

Step 3: Set up the business the right way

• Pick a business name and form an LLC
• Check your state's licensing rules for floor work, since they are different in every state
• Talk to an insurance agent about coverage for working in homes
• Get a business phone number so your personal number stays personal
• Build a simple website and a Google Business Profile, so homeowners can find you and trust you
• Set up a way to track leads, estimates and follow-ups

Step 4: Price your jobs

Recoats are usually priced by the square foot. Homeowners commonly pay about $1.50 to $3 a square foot, compared with $3 to $8 for a full sand and refinish. Look at what refinishers charge near you, and price so the job is clearly the better deal.

Don't race to be the cheapest. Your finish, buffer rental and marketing all come out of every job. In our example, an average job is $2,499. After $236 of finish, a $40 buffer rental and $250 of marketing to win the job, about $1,973 is left before your labor and taxes. That is an example, not a promise.

More on what a recoat business can make

Step 5: Find your first customers

• Tell the people you already know, and ask them who has wood floors
• Get your first reviews on your Google profile, with before and after photos
• Run Facebook and Instagram ads aimed at homeowners near you
• Call every lead fast and follow up, because most people do not book on the first try
• Come back when the floor is due again, and ask for referrals

The shortcut: how FloorIt fits in

• Your business built in your name in about 14 days
• The full course, plus weekly live calls
• Your finish, applicator kit and first 3 buffer rentals
• Your first 50 leads, on us

Starting alone costs less up front and takes longer. FloorIt costs more up front and gets you working sooner. Both are honest paths, and only you can say which one fits.

How FloorIt works, step by step

Keep reading

• Equipment you need: The equipment you need to recoat hardwood floors: a buffer (rent for about $40 a day), screens and pads, a shop vac, a roller and pole, and a two-part finish.
• No experience needed: No, you don't need flooring experience to start a recoat business with FloorIt. What the training covers, what the job takes, and the floors to walk away from.
• Recoat business income: How much a floor recoat business can make, with a real job example and jobs-per-week math. Every number here is an example, not a promise of what you'll earn.
• How it works: The FloorIt process step by step: apply, check your area, the partnership call, your business built in about 14 days, training, equipment and your first leads.