Commercial floor sanding: price, timing and finishes

Øens HåndværkerCentralPublished 28 August 2026 · 11 min. read

Floor sanding for commercial premises needs to fit the way the space is used. Standard sanding with a standard finish costs 175 kr per m2 including VAT, or 140 kr excluding VAT, from 36 m2. Drying and curing time depend on the chosen product; a typical plan may allow 1 to 3 days after lacquering before use, subject to the product instructions. Phasing or working outside opening hours may help limit disruption, where access allows. Solid wooden floors can typically tolerate 4 to 6 full sandings, depending on their remaining thickness.

• 175 kr/m2Including VAT and a standard finish, from 36 m2
• 24 hoursReply with a fixed quote
• Workmanship guaranteeOn all performed work

What does floor sanding cost in commercial premises?

Standard sanding with a standard finish costs 175 kr per m2 including VAT from 36 m2, equivalent to 140 kr excluding VAT. Standard oil and lacquer finishes share the same base rate. The table shows illustrative calculations for the standard work; any repairs or other additional work are agreed in the quotation.

The main factors are area, timber, condition and any work beyond standard sanding and finishing. Commercial sites also require planning for access, deliveries, protection and work in stages. These details are included in the quotation before you accept it. Read more about what floor sanding costs per m2.

How long does it take, and when can you reopen?

An oiled floor can withstand light use approximately 1 day after the last treatment, while a lacquered floor requires 1-3 days depending on the number of coats. The sanding itself for an office or shop of 45-80 m2 typically takes a single working day, after which the drying time determines when furniture and goods can be brought back in.

Downtime depends on the chosen finish and the plan for the work. A Friday start may suit a weekend closure, but reopening on Monday cannot be assumed without confirming the application and curing schedule. Underfloor heating also requires planning: Gulvbranchen's Gulvfakta guidance on site conditions for floor sanding specifies waiting 5 days after surface treatment before raising the temperature again. Confirm these conditions before setting a reopening date. Read our guides to how long floor sanding takes and the special considerations for underfloor heating and floor sanding.

Can a worn commercial floor even be sanded?

A worn commercial floor can be sanded as long as there is enough wood left above the tongue and groove. Gulvbranchens Gulvfakta recommends in its guide Sanding, how to do it, that engineered wood floors with a wear layer of 2 mm and below should not be sanded, while solid wood floors, in our experience, can withstand 4-6 full sandings in their lifetime.

We assess the remaining wood before quoting and decide whether the floor needs a light refresh or sanding back to sound wood. The same guide describes filling larger defects, including knot holes over 10 mm across and more than 5 mm deep, as well as nail and screw holes. Holes left by removed shelving may also need repair. Read more about how many times a wooden floor can be sanded.

Lacquer or oil in offices and shops?

Lacquer is the standard choice in commercial settings because, in our experience, a lacquered floor lasts about 10 years before needing new sanding and can withstand daily wet cleaning. Oil is chosen when the floor needs to be repairable in zones without closing the entire premises, but it requires re-treatment every 1-2 years. Gulvbranchens Gulvfakta also notes in its overview of surface treatment of wooden floors that special lacquers are available for high-traffic areas.

Maintenance requirements matter in commercial premises. An oiled floor may need refreshing more often, but worn areas can often be treated locally. A varnished floor still needs routine cleaning and monitoring, even if recoating is less frequent. Compare the options in our guide to lacquering or oiling wooden floors.

What is the difference between floor sanding in an office and a shop?

A shop floor is heavily worn in a narrow path from the door to the cash register, while an office floor is evenly worn by chair wheels and desk legs, and this difference governs both treatment choice and schedule. Gulvbranchens Gulvfakta classifies floor coverings according to use classes in DS/EN ISO 10874 with three main classes: residential, commercial, and industrial. A shop with a street entrance falls into the heavy end of the commercial class, while a private office is subjected to wear closer to that of a residential setting.

In a shop, sand and road salt wear down the floor in the narrow path, while the rest of the area can look almost new. Therefore, shops are typical candidates for either a treatment that can be repaired zonally, or an extra coat of lacquer in the high-traffic area. In an office, the wear pattern is more even, but on the other hand, there are IT equipment, archives, and desks in the way, and the work often has to be divided department by department. In Aarhus Ø, for example, this applies to commercial tenancies on the ground floor in buildings such as Pakhusene and Nicolinehus, where both offices and shops share access roads and elevators with residents. There, we plan the delivery of machines and waste disposal according to the property's rules, not the other way around.

What conditions must be present in the premises during the work?

The building must be enclosed and dry, with suitable indoor conditions before sanding starts. Gulvbranchen's Gulvfakta specifies an air temperature of 17-25 degrees Celsius, relative humidity of 30-65% and wood moisture content of 6-10% during sanding and finishing. Avoid draughts during application and follow the finish instructions.

In practice, this means you don't sand a shop with the main door open, and a newly handed over shell building must be heated well in advance. For larger commercial areas, we always perform a sanding and treatment test in a corner, which you can approve yourself before we proceed with the rest of the area. This way, expectations for the finished result are agreed upon before the entire floor is sanded.

Does floor sanding create dust in premises with IT and goods?

Modern sanding machines operate with connected extraction systems, so most of the dust is collected at the source, but fine airborne dust cannot be completely avoided. The Danish Working Environment Authority classifies wood dust along with quartz dust and carcinogenic sanding dust in its regulations on recirculation of extracted air: air may only be returned to the premises if it can be demonstrated that it is effectively cleaned, and the system in fixed workplaces has a control device that signals insufficient cleaning. This is one of the reasons why professional equipment differs significantly from rental machines.

In commercial settings, it's typically server cabinets, point-of-sale systems, textiles, and open goods that need protection. We cover with plastic, seal door frames, and vacuum between each sanding pass. If the premises need to be clean for opening, we agree on a final cleaning of horizontal surfaces as part of the schedule. Read more about how much dust floor sanding creates.

Planning the work around your business

Commercial work can often be scheduled in stages, at weekends or on closed days. For a 65 m2 shop, agree the sanding, application and curing times before committing to a reopening date. In an open-plan office, working in separate areas may help maintain operations where access and dust controls allow it.

You will receive a fixed price before work begins, so the budget won't shift during the process, and there is a workmanship guarantee on the completed work. Call 20 98 88 11 or write via the contact page, and we will get back to you within 24 hours. See also what floor tasks we handle for businesses, and our complete offer on floor sanding and floor treatment.

Frequently asked questions

Frequently asked questions

Written by

Øens HåndværkerCentral

We sand and surface treat floors, stairs, balconies, wooden decks, and worktops - based in Aarhus Ø and working nationwide. You get a fixed price before work begins and a workmanship guarantee on the work performed.

Read more about us