Sand & Finish Hardwood Floors? Worth It? You Bet Your Polyurethane It Is.

If you're asking whether sanding and finishing your hardwood floors is worth it, you're probably standing on one of two things:

1. A beautiful old floor with some character (and a few scars)

2. A raw wood floor that’s begging for a custom finish

Either way—you’re in the right spot.

Here at McGrath Floor & Design, we’ve been sanding and finishing floors longer than most people have been streaming Netflix. We’ve seen what a proper sand & finish can do—and we’ve seen what happens when it's skipped or done wrong (spoiler: heartbreak and dust).

So let's answer your question:
Is sand & finish worth it?
Yes. If you're looking for custom, long-lasting, one-of-a-kind flooring, it’s not just worth it—it’s unbeatable.

First Off, What Is Sand & Finish Hardwood?

Let’s make sure we’re talking about the same thing.

Sand & finish flooring means you start with a raw, unfinished hardwood floor, and then:

1. Sand it flat and smooth using commercial-grade machines

2. Apply custom stain (or leave it natural)

3. Seal and protect it with professional-grade polyurethane or hardwax oil

This is not the same as slapping a wax over your old floor or buying something “pre-done” off the shelf.

This is the real deal.

Why People Choose Sand & Finish Flooring

Customization

You pick the color. The sheen. The texture. The edge style. The vibe.
It’s like building a suit instead of buying one off the rack.

Want an espresso-stained white oak with a satin sheen? Done.
Want to match that old stair tread or beam in your farmhouse? Let’s do it.

Perfect Fit

Unfinished floors are installed tight and sanded flush after installation. That means:

• No beveled edges catching crumbs

• Seamless transitions between boards

• Perfect flow across rooms

Long-Term Durability

A good finish = decades of beauty.
And here’s the kicker: you can refinish these floors again and again over the decades.

That’s value the box stores can’t offer.

“But Rick, Isn’t That Messy?”

It used to be.
Back in the day, you’d be living in a dust cloud and the house would smell like varnish for a week.

Now? We’ve got:

• Dust containment systems

• Fast-drying waterborne finishes

• Low-VOC products that won’t stink up your space

Our crews are neat, professional, and in/out faster than you’d think—especially if you’re not living in the house during the job.

Is Sand & Finish for Everyone?

Nope. (Bet you didn’t expect me to say that.)

Sand & finish is NOT ideal for:

• Fast flip projects

• Tight timelines

• Floors going over concrete slabs (engineered may be better there)

• Homes with high daily moisture or major temperature swings

In those cases, we’d steer you toward prefinished engineered hardwood—which we also do extremely well.

But if you want:

• Gorgeous, seamless, site-customized wood

• Long-term beauty and flexibility

• Full control of the design Then friend, you’re talking sand & finish, and you’re talking to the right team.

Why McGrath Is the Team to Do It

We’ve sanded and finished thousands of floors across Nashville and Middle Tennessee.

✅ We know wood species like the back of our hand
✅ We understand how stains react to light and grain
✅ We use commercial-grade finishes—not box store poly
✅ We show up when we say we will and get it done right
✅ We’ve got designers, installers, and refinishers on staff who work as a team, not strangers from Craigslist

We offer both traditional oil-based poly (deep, rich tones) and modern waterborne finishes (fast-drying, crystal-clear, and low odor).

And yes—we do custom inlays, stair treads, catwalks, and anything else your dream floor calls for.

What Does It Cost?

Depends on the wood, the layout, the finish, and the prep.

But compared to buying high-end prefinished floors, you can often get a better look and better longevity for the same price or less—especially if you’re reusing existing subfloor or staying within a single species.

Estimates are free.
Quotes are detailed.
And if we say we can do it—we will.

Ready to Bring Your Floors Back to Life?

Let’s get you on the schedule for a free in-home consultation.

Visit our Franklin showroom
Call Rick at (615) 207-0427

Floor guy. Sanding guru. And your go-to for turning "worn out" into "wow." - Rick McGrath