Buff and recoat

You will hear the same job called a buff and recoat, a screen and recoat, or just a recoat. They all mean the same thing. The word "buff" comes from the floor buffer, the machine that does the first step.

Here is how the job goes. First you check the floor. It has to be solid hardwood, engineered, prefinished or LVP, with finish still on it, and no wax or problem cleaners. Next, the buffer screens the old coat so the new one can grip. Then you vacuum and tack until the floor is spotless. Then you mix a two-part, water-based finish and roll it on with a roller on a pole. Last, you walk the homeowner through the floor, go over care, and take payment.

It takes one person about 3 hours on an average home. It brings back the shine, evens out dull traffic lanes and blends in light scratches in the finish. It also adds years of protection, so the floor may not need a full sand for a long time.

It does not fix everything. Scratches that go into the wood, bare gray spots and pet stains in the wood need a full sand. A good recoat business checks the floor first and says so up front.

A buff and recoat brings back a dull, scratched hardwood floor in about 3 hours, without sanding. What it is, what it fixes, what it doesn't, and what it costs.