Varnishing a wooden floor: preparation and finishing

Øens HåndværkerCentralPublished August 2, 2026 · 9 min. read

Lacquering a wooden floor is a surface treatment where the floor is first sanded clean of old lacquer and dirt, and then receives 2-3 coats of floor lacquer. A newly sanded floor should have three coats, while a re-lacquering can get by with two. The floor can withstand light foot traffic after approximately 24 hours, but furniture should not be moved back until after 72 hours.

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

In short

Here are the figures and requirements you need to know before you start sanding and lacquering a wooden floor:

• Sand down to bare wood with grit 24-36, then progressively use 60-80 and 120-150 before lacquering (Junckers, Renovation of lacquered wooden floors, accessed August 2026).
• Apply a maximum of two coats of lacquer per day, and light sand with grit 150-180 between coats (Junckers).
• During the work, the temperature should be 17-25 °C and relative humidity 30-65 % (Gulvfakta, Gulvbranchen under Dansk Industri, accessed August 2026).
• Standard floor sanding with a standard finish costs 175 kr per m2 including VAT for areas of 36 m2 or more. Smaller jobs have fixed area-based prices.
• A solid parquet floor of 14 mm can be sanded approximately 5 times in its lifetime, a 22 mm floor approximately 8 times (Junckers).

How to lacquer a floor step-by-step?

Lacquering a floor involves sanding off the old finish, working through progressively finer grits, removing dust, filling cracks, applying the first lacquer coat and lightly sanding between subsequent coats. Junckers' guide to renovating lacquered wooden floors recommends no more than two coats of lacquer per day (accessed August 2026).

1. Coarse sanding: old lacquer is removed with grit 24-36 until the wood is clean all the way to the skirting boards. This is where the difference between light sanding, sanding, and planing determines how much wood is removed.
2. Medium sanding: grit 60-80 removes scratches from coarse sanding.
3. Fine sanding: grit 120-150 provides the smooth surface on which the lacquer will be applied.
4. Cracks and holes are filled with filler mixed with sanding dust from the floor itself to match the colour. See the procedure in the guide to repairing cracks and holes in wooden floors.
5. Vacuuming and wiping: all sanding dust must be removed, including from skirting boards and frames. Dust that remains will bind in the lacquer film and can only be removed when the layer is sanded down again.
6. Lacquering: the first coat is rolled on in the direction of the wood grain, dries, is lightly sanded with grit 150-180, and then the remaining coats are applied.

The order is the same, whether it is a parquet floor or wide planks. The difference lies in the thickness of the wear layer and how aggressively the floor can be sanded.

How long is the drying time after lacquering a floor?

The drying time after lacquering a floor is approximately 24 hours before the floor can withstand light foot traffic, and 72 hours before furniture can be moved back in (Junckers, accessed August 2026). If you have underfloor heating, the temperature should not be increased until 5 days after treatment according to Gulvfakta from Gulvbranchen under Dansk Industri (accessed August 2026).

These figures assume normal room temperature. If it is cold or very humid in the home, the drying time will be extended, and the lacquer will remain softer for the first few weeks. How to treat the floor during that period is described in the guide to maintaining a newly sanded wooden floor.

How many coats of lacquer should the floor have?

A newly sanded wooden floor should have three coats of floor lacquer, while a re-lacquering of a floor that still has lacquer remaining can get by with two coats. This is stated in Junckers' guide for renovating lacquered wooden floors (accessed August 2026). Fewer coats will not hold up in a home with daily traffic.

The reason is simple: the first coat is partially absorbed into the wood and acts as a primer. The wear resistance comes from coats two and three. In an entryway, kitchen, and hallways in an apartment or townhouse, the top layers are worn away first - and these can be reapplied without the floor needing to be sanded all the way down to bare wood again.

What does lacquering a wooden floor cost?

Standard floor sanding and lacquering cost 175 kr per m2 including VAT from 36 m2. This includes the sanding process and a standard finish; choosing standard lacquer rather than oil does not change the base rate. We assess the floor and confirm any additional work in the fixed quotation.

The table shows current guide calculations for standard sanding with a standard finish. A light surface refresh is a different treatment and is assessed and quoted separately. The quotation confirms the condition of the floor and any additional work. See more examples in our guide to what floor sanding costs, or read about our floor sanding and treatment.

Should you choose lacquer or oil?

Choose lacquer if you want a dense surface with a long time between treatments - a lacquered floor in a typical home usually lasts 8-12 years between sandings, according to Øens HåndværkerCentral's experience. Choose oil if you want to be able to spot-repair damage yourself; however, an oiled floor needs re-treatment with maintenance oil 1-3 times a year depending on wear (Junckers, Care of oiled wooden floors, accessed August 2026).

Lacquer forms a film on top of the wood. This makes the floor easy to maintain and resistant to water, but a deep scratch cannot be polished away locally: it will be visible until the entire room is re-lacquered. Oil, on the other hand, penetrates the wood, and a scratch can be sanded and re-oiled on the individual plank. The trade-off between the two is elaborated in the guide on lacquering or oiling a wooden floor, and if the floor also needs to be lightened, a third option is found in lye treatment of floors.

Can you lacquer the floor yourself?

Yes, but the two critical steps are sanding and dust, not lacquering. In Denmark, wood dust is considered carcinogenic when exposed in larger quantities over a longer period, and the limit value for inhalable wood dust was lowered to 1 mg/m3 measured over an 8-hour workday (Arbejdstilsynet). At the same time, Gulvfakta from Gulvbranchen under Dansk Industri requires 17-25 °C, 30-65 % relative humidity, and a wood moisture content of 6-10 % during the work (accessed August 2026).

These climate requirements are the real DIY pitfall. If you lacquer in a cold room in November or in a draft from an open window, the lacquer will dry unevenly, and you will get streaks and dull patches that can only be corrected by sanding the entire floor down again. The other classic mistake is rented belt sanders: they are heavy, and a second's hesitation in the same spot leaves an indentation that is visible in backlight and can only be corrected with a new re-sanding.

We work with dust-extracting machines and a fixed price before the work starts, and we provide a workmanship guarantee on the job. If you are still considering doing it yourself, read the honest comparison of DIY or professional floor sanding and the review of whether you can live at home during floor sanding.

How long does a lacquered floor last?

A lacquered wooden floor in a typical home usually lasts 8-12 years before it needs to be sanded and re-lacquered - this is the range Øens HåndværkerCentral observes in its projects. How many times the floor can be renovated at all depends on its thickness: a solid parquet floor of 14 mm can be sanded approximately 5 times and a 22 mm floor approximately 8 times, while engineered wood flooring with a wear layer of 3.6 mm can tolerate at most 3 sandings (Junckers, accessed August 2026).

It pays to act while the lacquer is still intact. A dull, superficially scratched finish may be suitable for light sanding and a new coat, subject to assessment and a separate quotation. Once wear reaches bare wood, full sanding may be needed and more of the remaining wood is removed. The signs to look for are explained in our guide to when a wooden floor needs sanding.

Do you want a fixed price for your floor?

Send us the floor area, wood type, and a few pictures of the floor, and you'll get a fixed price without surprises and a response within 24 hours. Call 20 98 88 11 or write to us here - all work is covered by a workmanship guarantee.

Frequently asked questions

Written by

Øens HåndværkerCentral

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

Read more about us