How Much Does Furniture Refinishing Cost in 2024?
Typical Range:
$336 - $921
Typical Range:
$336 - $921
Cost data is based on actual project costs as reported by 2,666 HomeAdvisor members. Embed this data
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Updated September 5, 2024
Written by HomeAdvisor.The average cost to refinish furniture is $628.
Labor is the primary cost factor in furniture refinishing.
Larger items like dining tables and dressers are the most costly.
Refinishing antique furniture costs 20% to 50% more than other furniture.
The average cost to refinish a piece of furniture is $628, with most homeowners spending between $336 and $921. The key factors that influence furniture refinishing costs include the extent and type of damage, labor costs, and furniture material.
Refinishing furniture can preserve unique pieces, reduce waste, and save money compared to buying new furniture. Discover what goes into refinishing costs to decide whether refinishing is the right solution for your furniture.
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National Average | $628 |
Typical Range | $336 - $921 |
Low End - High End | $150 - $1,500 |
Cost data is based on actual project costs as reported by 2,666 HomeAdvisor members.
Labor makes up the bulk of furniture refinishing costs, but other factors like furniture material also impact the tools, expertise, and time required for refinishing.
The type and extent of damage are key factors in furniture refinishing costs. Surficial scratches and stains on one small area are less costly, whereas major damage that extends across the full item may require completely stripping the furniture of all the old paint, varnish, or lacquer. This process typically costs between $100 to $400.
If your furniture has significant damage like broken legs or doors, you may need to repair it before refinishing. Furniture repair costs an average of $200, with prices typically ranging from $100 to $300.
Larger furniture items like beds and wardrobes require more time, labor, and materials to refinish. Refinishing a bed frame can range from $300 to $2,100, while a large dining table can cost as much as $500 to $2,400.
In contrast, smaller items like an end table average $200 to $700, while most chairs cost between $100 to $400 to refinish.
Whether you choose to stain, paint, or varnish will affect your total materials costs for refinishing. Stains are typically the most affordable option and are quicker to apply than paint. You may also choose to apply a varnish alone or on top of your stain or paint. Varnish is a clear layer that sits on top of stain or paint and adds a hard sheen. It’s slightly more costly than stain, but usually less expensive than most paints.
Labor costs typically make up about 85% of the cost of refinishing furniture. Most furniture repair pros charge a flat rate based on their assessment of the item, but some may charge by the hour. Standard furniture repair hourly rates range from $40 to $100 per hour depending upon the contractor’s experience, the extent of repairs, and labor costs in your area.
If you live in a rural area and the contractor has to come to your house, you may have to pay an additional fee for mileage. However, many furniture repair pros work from their shop and give you the option to drop off the furniture item to save on transportation costs.
Refinishing costs vary depending on the material used to make your furniture item.
Furniture Material | Average Refinishing Costs (Including Labor) |
---|---|
Wood | $100–$6,000 |
Wicker | $150–$2,000 |
Metal | $200–$3,000 |
The cost of refinishing wood furniture also depends on the type of wood. For example, spruce and pine are more affordable, while specialty woods like teak, walnut, and cherry require extra care and are typically more costly to refinish.
The size of a furniture item significantly impacts its refinishing costs, as larger and more detailed pieces require more time and materials to refinish.
The following table outlines the average cost of refinishing common items, including labor and material costs:
Furniture Item | Cost to Refinish |
---|---|
Dining Chair | $100–$400 |
Rocking Chair | $200–$500 |
End Table | $200–$700 |
Coffee Table | $200–$800 |
Dresser | $300–$1,900 |
Desk | $400–$5,000 |
Bed Frame | $300–$2,000 |
Dining Table | $500–$2,400 |
Dining Set | $1,000–$6,000 |
Some furniture repairers offer a flat rate based on furniture items, while others charge by the hour. If you have a detailed piece or an antique item, your contractor may provide a custom quote based on the specialized equipment and materials required for refinishing.
Some furniture pieces, like kitchen cabinets, require a different refinishing process than dining or bedroom sets. Although steps like stripping, sanding, and staining are the same, your contractor will also have to perform some construction tasks like removing and replacing cabinet doors.
Refinishing fixed pieces like kitchen cabinets also means that your contractor may have to work in your home, rather than taking the furniture items to their workplace. This additional level of expertise and labor means that costs for refinishing kitchen cabinets can often range from $2,000 to $4,500.
Furniture refinishing costs vary depending on the method your contractor uses. In some cases, your furniture item may require several methods to create the finished product.
If there is extensive damage to the furniture, stripping is often required to remove the old paint, rust, lacquer, or varnish. This prepares the furniture for the refinishing process.
Stripping ranges from $100 to $400 on average, but may be more for large furniture pieces. If your furniture is more than 40 years old, there’s a chance that it may contain lead paint. In this case, your contractor will have to take additional health and safety precautions when stripping the paint. The extra time and risks required to remove lead paint may increase furniture stripping costs.
Before applying any paint or stain, your contractor will usually sand the furniture to ensure an even surface. This also helps to create a strong bond between the material and the stain. Depending on the size and detail of the item, sanding typically costs between $300 to $800.
Once the furniture has been stripped, sanded, and prepared, it may need to be sealed before the final paint or varnish can be applied. Sealing helps evenly disperse the stain or varnish for a smooth finished surface. Sealing furniture typically costs between $80 to $300.
Staining furniture requires your contractor to brush a stain onto the wood, and then allow it to dry. This process may require multiple coats, depending on the furniture material and stain color. In most cases, they will also apply a protective coat to finish the item. Average furniture staining costs range from $100 to $500.
Powder coating is typically used on metal furniture to create a strong, durable finish. It’s a popular technique for wrought iron and aluminum furniture but can also be used on other materials like plastic. Powder coating requires a longer curing time than standard finishing, leading to average costs between $100 to $350.
Upholstered furniture like couches, armchairs, and footstools can be reupholstered to refresh their look, add modern fabric, or repair torn or fading material. On average, it costs between $750 to $3,500 to completely reupholster a couch.
The type of upholstery material will impact furniture upholstery costs. Premium materials like leather or vintage fabrics are more costly, while cotton and acrylic are more budget-friendly. You may also want to consider furniture upholstery cleaning costs, as regular cleaning and maintenance can preserve your upholstery for longer.
Refinishing and painting often go hand in hand, but you may find that your furniture only requires a new coat of paint rather than a refinish. Furniture painting typically costs significantly less than refinishing as your contractor doesn’t need to remove old stain or damage before painting.
Most homeowners spend between $80 to $800 on furniture painting, with contractors charging an average of $40 to $60 per hour. As labor makes up the bulk of furniture painting costs, prices usually depend on the size of the piece. If your contractor has to remove old paint or apply a sealing coat before painting, these costs will increase.
Refinishing antique furniture may require more precision and expertise to preserve its unique quality. Particularly if the piece was built with materials that are difficult to find now, your furniture repairer will have to take extra care to maintain as much of the original work as possible.
Antique furniture refinishing costs are typically 20% to 50% higher than similar pieces of regular furniture. For example, refinishing a standard table might cost $600, but an antique table of similar size might cost anywhere from $720 to $900.
While professional expertise is required for many furniture refinishing projects, there are plenty of steps you can take to keep the process budget-friendly:
Remove hardware like knobs, handles, and other details before you send the piece for refinishing. This reduces work time and can save you money on labor.
Consider shopping for paint or stain yourself. While some pros have products they prefer to use, you can talk to your contractor about purchasing your own products so you can take advantage of sales.
Contact several furniture refinishers in your area to obtain quotes.
If you have multiple pieces that need refinishing, ask your contractor whether they offer bulk rates and get all the pieces done at once.
You may also consider painting the furniture piece yourself if you’re looking for a cost-friendly solution. While stripping, sanding, and other steps in the refinishing process often require expert tools and knowledge to preserve furniture quality, furniture painting may be considered a separate step. If your contractor has already completed the refinishing process and prepared the piece for painting, tackling painting as a DIY can keep your project on budget.
No place is more important than your home, which is why HomeAdvisor connects homeowners with local pros to transform their houses into homes they love. To help homeowners prepare for their next project, HomeAdvisor provides readers with accurate cost data and follows strict editorial guidelines. We surveyed thousands of real customers about their project costs to develop the pricing data you see, so you can make the best decisions for you and your home. We pair this data with research from reputable sources, including the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, academic journals, market studies, and interviews with industry experts—all to ensure our prices reflect real-world projects.
Whether it’s cheaper to refinish or buy new depends on the furniture piece, but in many cases refinishing your furniture is more affordable, helps reduce waste, and preserves unique items. Refinishing wood furniture can often save you as much as 50% compared to buying new.
If you’re using a darker stain color than the furniture stain, you don’t necessarily need to remove the stains before you begin applying the stain. However, you may still want to consider sanding and sealing the piece to help distribute the stain and create an even color.
Refurbishing, sometimes called furniture restoration, is a gentle process that involves light cleaning. It may also include surficial touch-ups to paint and other details.
Refinishing is a more in-depth process where old paint, varnish, or stain is completely removed. Next, the furniture is usually sanded, sealed, and stained or painted. Since refinishing involves more complete and intensive work, it’s generally more costly than basic refurbishing.
If your furniture is made from plywood, particleboard, or Medium Density Fiberboard (MDF), you’ll likely spend more money on refinishing than you would purchasing new. These materials tend to break down more easily than wood or metal, making them less durable and more difficult to successfully refinish.