Full Sanding To Bare Wood
Drum sander, edge sander, and buffer, all hooked to HEPA filtration. We take the floor down to bare wood so the new finish bonds properly. Skipping this step is why cheap refinish jobs peel within two years.
Licensed
Licensed & Bonded
Fully Insured
Insured & Bonded
24/7 Emergency
Same-Day Response
Warranty Backed
4+ Years Trusted in Austin
What Is Included In A Dustless Refinish
Every dustless sanding and refinishing job we quote includes the core work below. Add-ons like stain color change, floor repair, and stair refinishing are priced separately because they depend on how much extra material and time the job needs. We itemize everything so you can see exactly what you are paying for.
Gap Filling And Nail Set
We punch down any proud nail heads, screw down squeaky floors, and fill floor gaps at seams with wood filler matched to your species. This is what makes the finished floor look flat and solid instead of patchy.
Stain And Three Finish Coats
One coat of Duraseal or Minwax stain in your chosen color, then three coats of Bona polyurethane finish. Three coats is the standard for a floor that sees daily traffic. Two coats is a shortcut we do not take.
Baseboard And Transition Reinstall
We pull baseboards where needed to sand to the wall, then reinstall them and reset transition strips at doorways. You are not left with a half-inch strip of unsanded floor under the trim.
Full Cleanup And Walkthrough
We clean the work area, haul away debris, and walk the finished floor with you under bright light. You get care instructions and a 5-year workmanship warranty on the finish before we leave.
Dustless Sanding and Refinishing Austin TX, Explained
Dustless sanding and refinishing Austin TX is a wood floor restoration process that strips the old finish, levels the boards, and builds a new protective coating while a vacuum-assisted containment system captures 98% of the dust at the source. We run a drum sander and edge sander hooked to HEPA filtration, then switch to a buffer for the fine passes. No plastic tents taped across your kitchen. No film of sawdust on every picture frame three days later.
Austin floors take a beating. Humidity swings from 30% in January to 80% in June, which drives floor cupping, floor gaps at seams, and that gray, faded finish you see on older oak near the windows. If you have been searching for dustless wood floor sanding near me Austin and getting nothing but guys with a drum sander and a shop vac, we do it differently. We check moisture with a moisture meter before we touch a board, because sanding a wet floor just locks the problem in.
What To Expect During Your Refinishing Job
Here is the day-by-day sequence for a typical dustless refinishing Austin TX project. Timelines shift with square footage, stain choice, and how many coats of finish you want, but this is the shape of the job.
01
Schedule
Call or book online — a real human picks up and confirms a 2-hour arrival window.
02
Diagnose
Licensed tech inspects on-site, then walks you through the cause and your options.
03
Fix
The job is completed to code and done right the first time — no shortcuts, no surprises.
04
Guarantee
Every job backed by a written workmanship warranty — and we stand behind it.
Tools And Methods We Use On Every Job
Tools & Equipment
Drum Sander With Dust Containment System
The main workhorse for taking the floor down to bare wood. Hooked to HEPA filtration, it captures dust at the source instead of throwing it into the air.
Edge Sander
Gets the last 3 to 4 inches along walls, under toe kicks, and around door frames where the drum sander cannot reach. Also tied into the containment system.
Buffer
Runs the final smoothing pass and screens between finish coats. This is what gives the floor a uniform surface so the finish lays flat.
Moisture Meter
Reads moisture content in the wood and subfloor before sanding. We take at least six readings per room so we do not seal in a moisture problem.
Flooring Stapler And Nail Gun
Used on install and repair work to set boards tight. We also use a nail gun to resecure loose planks before sanding so they do not squeak after.
Oscillating Multi-Tool And Pry Bar
For cutting out damaged boards and lifting them without damaging neighbors. Precision work that keeps a repair small instead of turning it into a whole-room replacement.
Floor Roller
Applies polyurethane finish in an even coat without brush marks or bubbles. The right roller makes the difference between a factory-smooth finish and a streaky one.
Methods & Standards
NWFA Sand And Finish Standards
We follow the National Wood Flooring Association guidelines for grit sequence, finish thickness, and dry times. That means starting at 36 grit and working up to 100 or 120 before the first coat. Skipping grits is the fastest way to a floor that looks fine for a year and then fails.
EPA Lead-Safe Protocol
Any home built before 1978 gets the lead-safe treatment: containment, HEPA vacuuming, and proper disposal. We are EPA Lead-Safe Certified, so you are not exposed to lead dust during sanding. This is non-negotiable on older Austin homes.
Moisture Testing Before Sanding
We read moisture content in the wood and the subfloor and compare them. If the difference is more than 4%, we stop and address the moisture source first. Sanding a wet floor just locks in the cupping and wastes your money.
Three-Coat Bona Finish System
One sealer coat and two topcoats of Bona waterborne polyurethane, or three coats of oil-modified if you want the amber tone. We screen and tack between every coat so the layers bond. This is what gets you 8 to 10 years of wear.
When To Schedule Dustless Sanding And Refinishing
01
You just bought a 1970s Austin home and the floors are original but worn.
What we do: We walk the floor, check for lead paint on the trim, and quote a full dustless sand and refinish. If the boards are too thin to sand again, we tell you and quote a new install instead.
→ You move into a house with floors that look new, without a dust cleanup before unpacking.
02
You are selling and need the floors to show well for listing photos.
What we do: We schedule the job around your listing date, usually finishing three to four days before photos. Dustless means you can stage the house the same week.
→ Floors photograph clean and buyers do not see scratches or gray patches in the listing.
03
You run a restaurant or studio and cannot close for a week.
What we do: We do commercial dustless sanding after hours or on your closed days. A 2,000-square-foot space usually takes five nights.
→ You open on time with a refinished floor and no dust in the kitchen or on the equipment.
04
Your floor has water damage from a leak or a dishwasher failure.
What we do: We pull the damaged boards, dry the subfloor, splice in matching wood, then sand and finish the whole room so the repair disappears.
→ The floor is structurally sound and the repair is invisible under the new finish.
How Dustless Refinishing Works In Austin
Austin floors live in a humidity range that most of the country does not deal with. We swing from 30% relative humidity in winter to 80% in summer, and that expansion and contraction is what drives floor cupping, crowning, and gaps at the seams. We plan every dustless refinishing Austin TX job around that cycle. If we sand in February when the air is dry, we know the floor will swell in June, so we leave the right expansion gap at the walls and use a finish that flexes. On slab-on-grade homes, which is most of Austin, we check for moisture wicking up through the concrete before we lay down anything. Older homes in Travis County often have original longleaf pine or oak that is thinner than modern stock, so we measure before sanding to make sure there is enough material left. We also see a lot of engineered hardwood in newer builds, and we check the wear layer thickness before quoting a refinish. If it is too thin, we tell you straight and quote a new install instead. If you are looking for affordable dustless sanding Austin Texas without cutting corners, that honesty is where it starts.
Neighborhoods We Serve
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Zilker
Lots of 1940s and 1950s bungalows with original oak floors. Many have been refinished before, so we measure remaining thickness carefully before sanding again.
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Westlake
Larger homes with engineered and solid hardwood, often with high-end finishes that need a color match. We test stain samples on site so the new finish matches the rest of the house.
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Circle C
Newer builds with engineered hardwood that sometimes has a thin wear layer. We check before quoting a refinish and recommend a recoat if a full sand would go through.
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Downtown Austin
Condos and lofts with concrete subfloors and strict HOA rules on noise and work hours. We schedule around building rules and use dustless equipment to keep common areas clean.
Local Conditions We Plan For
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Summer humidity pushing 80% in June and July
Wood swells and gaps close up. We schedule sanding and finishing with dry times that account for the moisture, and we never seal a floor that is still moving.
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Slab-on-grade foundations common across Travis County
Concrete wicks moisture up into the wood. We test the slab before sanding and recommend a moisture barrier if readings are high.
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Older homes with lead paint on trim and baseboards
Sanding near lead paint requires EPA Lead-Safe protocol. We are certified and follow the containment and cleanup rules on every pre-1978 home.
Zilker Bungalow Oak Floor Rescue
Floor Problems We Fix With Dustless Sanding
Most Austin floors we see have more than one issue going on. Sanding alone will not fix a moisture problem, and finish alone will not hide a cupped board. Here is what we actually solve when we take on a refinish job.
Problem
Gray, faded finish that makes the floor look dirty
Once the finish wears through, the wood underneath absorbs moisture and stains. Waiting another year usually means deeper sanding and more material lost.
Our Fix
We sand past the damaged layer, neutralize any discoloration, and build three fresh coats of Bona finish. Most floors come back looking 20 years younger in four days.
Problem
Floor cupping and crowning from humidity swings
Cupped boards trap dirt in the seams and eventually crack. If the moisture source is not fixed first, a new finish will cup again within a season.
Our Fix
We take moisture meter readings before sanding, identify the source, and flatten the floor only after the moisture level is stable. Then we seal with a finish that handles expansion and contraction.
Problem
Pet stains and odor soaked into the wood
Urine stains go deep and smell comes back on humid days. Sanding alone often leaves a dark spot that shows through the new finish.
Our Fix
We treat the stained area with a wood bleach or oxalic acid, sand it back, and seal with a stain-blocking coat before the color goes down. In bad cases we replace the board.
Problem
Scratches and dents from furniture and dogs
Deep scratches catch dirt and turn into dark lines. Light scratches are cosmetic, but deep ones need sanding to remove.
Our Fix
A full dustless sanding removes scratches up to about 1/16 inch deep. Deeper gouges get filled with wood filler and blended. After three finish coats, the surface is smooth and uniform.
Why Austin Homeowners Choose Dust-Free Sanding
Dust-free floor sanding in Austin Texas is not a gimmick. It changes how long the job takes, how much of your house you have to vacate, and how clean your air stays while we work. Here is what you actually get.
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No Dust, No Plastic Tents
Our dust containment system pulls airborne particles straight into HEPA filters as the drum sander cuts. You can stay in the house, keep the kitchen running, and skip the plastic sheeting taped across every doorway. Customers tell us the air smells like fresh finish, not sawdust.
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Faster Turnaround
Because we are not cleaning up a dust storm between passes, most 1,200-square-foot jobs finish sanding, staining, and the first finish coat in three to four days. Traditional sanding adds a full day of cleanup on top of that, and you still find dust in the vents a month later.
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Healthier Air For Kids And Pets
Old floor finish and wood dust are a real problem for anyone with asthma or allergies. Our HEPA filtration captures particles down to 0.3 microns, and we use low-VOC Bona waterborne finishes that meet EPA standards. That matters when the family is sleeping two rooms over.
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Finish That Survives Texas Humidity
We seal with polyurethane finish built for expansion and contraction. Travis County homes swing 40 degrees and 50% humidity across a year, and a properly sealed floor handles that without cupping or crowning. We also leave you a maintenance plan so the finish lasts 8 to 10 years, not 4.
Licensed, Certified, And Reviewed
Licensed & Certified
- NWFA Certified Sand & Finisher — issued by National Wood Flooring Association
- EPA Lead-Safe Certified — issued by U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
- BBB Accredited Business — issued by Better Business Bureau
- Texas State Contractor License — issued by Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation
Verified Reviews
Google ★★★★★4.9
Had our 1,200 square foot oak floor dustless sanded and refinished. Crew showed up on time, kept the house clean, and the finish looks fantastic. They caught a moisture issue under the kitchen that two other companies missed. Worth every penny.
Yelp ★★★★★4.8
We used them for a rental turnover in Downtown Austin. Three days per unit, no dust in the hallways, and the floors looked new. The property manager asked for their card to use on the rest of the building.
BBB ★★★★★5.0
Professional from the estimate to the final walkthrough. They explained the whole process, gave us a written quote, and stuck to it. The pet stains in our bedroom are completely gone. Highly recommend for anyone in Austin.
Four Years Of Austin Floor Experience
General Wood Flooring LLC has been sanding and finishing wood floors in Austin since 2022. In four years we have handled everything from 1930s bungalows in Travis Heights with original longleaf pine to brand-new engineered hardwood in Circle C that the builder finished wrong. Our lead sander holds NWFA Certified Sand & Finisher credentials, and the crew is EPA Lead-Safe Certified, which matters on any home built before 1978. We are a BBB Accredited Business and carry a Texas state contractor license. We run Bona and Duraseal products because they hold up in this climate, and we do not sub the work out.
- NWFA Certified Sand & Finisher on every dustless refinishing job
- EPA Lead-Safe Certified for pre-1978 Austin homes
- BBB Accredited Business with a Texas state contractor license
- Four years serving Travis County, from Zilker to Round Rock
- Bona and Duraseal finish systems stocked on every truck
What Austin Customers Say About Our Work
Real experiences from customers who chose our Dustless Sanding & Refinishing services.
“We had 1,400 square feet of 1960s oak that was gray and cupped from years of humidity. General Wood Flooring sanded it dustless, filled the gaps, and stained it a medium brown. Four days total. My wife has asthma and she never had a single bad night. The floor looks better than when we bought the house.”
M
Marcus T.
Homeowner, Zilker
“Our engineered hardwood had water damage near the kitchen from a slow leak. They cut out the bad boards, matched the species, and refinished the whole first floor. You cannot tell where the repair was. They also caught that our subfloor was uneven and fixed it before sanding, which nobody else mentioned.”
P
Priya S.
Homeowner, Circle C
“We manage six rental units and needed floors refinished between tenants on a tight turnaround. They did dustless sanding in two units back to back, finished in three days each, and the tenants moved in without a single complaint about dust. Pricing was fair and they stuck to the quote.”
D
David R.
Property Manager, Downtown Austin
Common Questions About Dustless Floor Sanding In Austin
Real answers to the questions we hear most often from local homeowners and property managers.
How much does dustless sanding cost in Austin TX?
Most Austin jobs run $3.50 to $5.50 per square foot in 2026, so a 1,200-square-foot floor lands between $4,200 and $6,600. Stain, extra finish coats, and floor repair push it higher. A basic sand-and-two-coats on a small room can start around $1,800. We give you a written number after the walkthrough, so you are not guessing.
Is dust-free floor sanding worth it in Austin Texas?
Yes, if you are living in the house while we work. The dust-free setup adds roughly 10% to 15% to the job cost, but it saves you a full day of cleaning and keeps dust out of your HVAC system. For anyone with allergies, kids, or pets, that trade is easy. If the house is empty and you do not care about dust, traditional sanding is cheaper.
Who offers dustless refinishing near me in Austin?
We do, and we serve the whole metro: Downtown Austin, Zilker, Circle C, Westlake, Round Rock, Cedar Park, Pflugerville, Georgetown, Dripping Springs, and Lakeway. We are based in Austin and run our own crew, so you are not getting a subcontractor. Call 512 877 7960 and we will get you on the schedule.
How long does dustless sanding take in Austin TX?
A typical 1,000 to 1,500-square-foot floor takes four to five days from sanding to final coat. Sanding is two days, stain and first coat is one day, and the final two coats take two more with dry time between. You can walk on the floor with socks after 24 hours and move furniture back after 72.
Other Flooring Services We Handle
Hardwood Floor Installation
If your existing floor is too far gone for sanding, we install new solid or engineered hardwood from Bruce, Shaw, or Mohawk. We handle the tear-out, subfloor prep, and finish so the new floor matches the rest of the house.
View Hardwood Floor InstallationEngineered Hardwood Installation
Engineered planks are common in newer Austin builds, and they can be sanded once or twice if the wear layer is thick enough. We check that before quoting a refinish, and install new engineered floors when the old ones are done.
View Engineered Hardwood InstallationSolid Hardwood Installation
Solid oak, hickory, and maple are the gold standard for Austin homes that plan to stay in the family. We install with a flooring stapler and nail gun, then sand and finish on site so the color is exactly what you picked.
View Solid Hardwood InstallationHardwood Floor Refinishing
Refinishing is the parent service to dustless sanding. If your floor only needs a screen-and-recoat rather than a full sand, we will tell you. That saves you money and a day of work, and the result looks the same.
View Hardwood Floor RefinishingFloor Staining & Color Change
Want to go from golden oak to a dark walnut or a gray-wash? We test Duraseal and Minwax samples on your actual wood before committing. Color change is the most common add-on to a dustless refinish job.
View Floor Staining & Color ChangeWood Floor Repair
Pet stains, water damage, and cracked boards get fixed before sanding starts. We cut out damaged planks, splice in matching wood, and blend the repair so you cannot find it after the finish goes down.
View Wood Floor RepairContact General Wood Flooring LLC
Call us at 512 877 7960 or send an email and we will get back to you the same business day. We answer the phone Monday through Friday, 8am to 6pm, and we run 24/7 emergency response for water-damaged floors. Same-day estimates across Austin and Travis County.
General Wood Flooring LLC
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Phone
512 877 7960 -
Address
6900 Deep Cir, Austin, TX 78744
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Hours
Mon–Fri: 7AM – 7PM
Sat: 8AM – 4PM
Sun: Emergency Only
24/7 Emergency Available