Gym refinishing is a multi-step process involving sanding down the existing finish, repairing any damages, applying a new finish, and adding fresh court lines and graphics if necessary. The cost of gym refinishing typically ranges from $4 to $6 dollars per square foot. However, the price will vary depending on the following factors. 
 

Factors Affecting Refinishing Cost

Newly refinished gym floor in Elkhart, Indiana. The floor is maple, new lines and logos were painted and it was finished with Berger Seidle Sport B.

Size of the Gym

Naturally, larger gyms are obviously going to cost more, but the per square foot refinishing rate will likely go down. Most gym refinishing companies have to travel during the summer refinishing season. It’s more profitable for them to stay and work on one gym for an extended period of time then going from one small gym to another. 
 

Extent of Damage or Wear

It’s common for gym floors to need repairs. The most common damage is dead spot’s (where the floor doesn’t have any bounce), cupping or warping from roof leaks, and just general cracked or split boards. 
 

Quality of Finish Desired

There is different levels of finish quality for gym floors and each comes with it’s own price tag. 
 

Oil Based Gym Finish

This is the cheapest and oldest type of gym finish. It is very durable and doesn’t scuff as easy as water based finish, but it does have some downsides. It has high VOC’s, a very strong odor, dries slowly, cures slowly and turns yellow with time. 
 
 

Water Based Gym Finishes 

Water based gym finishes come in both 1 and 2 component form. 2 component means that a hardener is added to the finish before application that will speed up the curing process and make it more resistant to chemical spills. 1 component gym finishes are considerably cheaper, but cure slower and don’t resist chemical discoloration and damage as well. 
In general water based gym finishes dry fast, cure fast, and do not yellow with time. There are two downsides to them however. They cost considerably more than oil based gym finish AND they show shoe scuff marks considerably more (this is a frequent complaint from facilities who switch from oil based to water based gym finish.) We recommend going with high end gym finish like Berger Seidle Sport B. 
 

Gym Floor Re-coats Vs. Gym Refinishing

Gym floor re-coating involves applying a new layer of finish without sanding down the existing surface to bare wood. The floor gets cleaned and buffed, then 1 to 2 new coats of finish are applied. 
Refinishing entails a more thorough process of sanding the floor all the way down to raw wood. At that point, it will require new logos, game lines and coatings. 
 Re-coating is a cheaper and faster maintenance process that should happen every year. However, if the floor is heavily worn, it will need a full refinish. 
 

How Much Does Gym Re-coating Cost? 

To clean and re-coat a gym floor, expect to pay $1 to $2 per square foot. 
 

How Long Does Gym Floor Refinishing Take?

The duration of gym floor refinishing depends on several factors, including the size of the gym, the condition of the floor, and the amount of custom painting and logo work involved.  On average, the process can take anywhere from a two to six weeks.
 

What Happens During the Refinishing Process?

Painting a new logo on a gym floor that is being refinished in Elkhart, Indiana.

Gym floor refinishing typically follows a series of steps:
  1. Cleaning:  Remove all dirt, debris, tape etc. from the floor. 
  2. Marking Game Lines: Most companies will punch tiny holes in the floor to mark the location of old game line intersections. 
  3. Sanding: The floor will be sanded down to raw wood and gone over three to five times depending on the grit of sand paper the refinishers started with. 
  4. Optional staining: If you want any parts of your court stained, (for example the three point arch) this will happen as soon as the sanding is complete. This is not the same as painting logos and game lines. 
  5. Sealing: Two coats of gym sealer will be applied, then buffed smooth. 
  6. Painting: All game lines, logos and custom borders will now be taped off and painted. Generally two coats of paint are applied. 
  7. Finish coating: Once the paint work is complete, the floor will be sealed two more times with whatever finish you opted for. This will encapsulate the painted lines and logos for their protection. 

How Long Do You Have to Wait to Use a Gym Floor After Refinishing?

The drying and curing time for gym floor finishes vary depending on the type of finish used. You should let the gym reach full cure strength if possible before using it. 

 

Average Cure Times For Gym Floors

2 Component water based finish: 48-72 Hours
1 Component water based finish: 5-7 Days
Oil based finish: 7 days to 80% strength, 30 days to 100% strength. 
 

How Often Should Gym Floors Be Refinished?

This will depend heavily on how much your gym gets used and how careful you are with it. On average they will need refinished every 5-10 years.
 
Newly painted three point arch with added pickleball court on a gym floor refinish in northern Indiana.

What Wears Out Gym Floors Quickly? 

Using your gym for anything besides playing sports is going to wear it out quickly. The most common things we see that destroy gym floors quickly are. 
Folding chairs or tables that are used without floor protection. 
 
Things with wheels: Scooters etc. 
Using the gym for potlucks or other meetups other than sports.
 

How To Tell If A Gym Floor Needs Refinished?

If your gym floor has deep scratches, peeling finish or a thick layer of built up finish, its probably time to get it refinished. If it’s been a long time since any maintenance was performed to the floor, this is also a good sign that your gym floor may need refinished. Refinishers will be very hesitant to perform a recoat on an old abused gym floor that has fallen behind on maintenance. The chance of a top coat peeling in case like that is very high. 
 
If your looking for a gym floor refinisher in the midwest, give us a call or fill out a contact form. We provide gym floor refinishing in Michigan, Indiana, Illinois and Ohio.