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What it's made of

Built to be restored,
not replaced.

Solid hardwood, real veneers and genuine finishes: materials that can be sanded, repaired and refinished for years to come.

A finish is only as good as what’s underneath it. Here’s what I choose for your home, what’s often used instead, and how each one holds up over the years.

01The core
Solid hardwoodReal timber, the same wood all the way through.

Over timeIt can be sanded, repaired and refinished again and again. This is the kind of wood that gets handed down.

MDF and fibreboardFine wood fibres pressed with resin into a smooth, even sheet.

Over timeSmooth and stable while it stays dry, but edges swell if water gets in, and dents and chips can be filled, not truly restored.

02The panel
Real wood veneer over a quality coreA genuine slice of hardwood, bonded to a stable plywood core.

Over timeIt stays flat and true, and the real wood surface can be carefully refinished.

Particle boardWood chips and glue, compressed and covered.

Over timeLight and affordable, but it can sag under weight, loosens its grip on screws, and crumbles once it swells.

03The surface
Genuine finishesHand-rubbed oils, catalyzed lacquers and quality enamels, built up coat by coat.

Over timeWear can be cleaned, touched up and recoated, so the surface is renewed rather than replaced.

Printed laminates, foils and vinyl wrapsA printed image of wood grain on a thin plastic or paper layer.

Over timeEven-looking at first, but it can lift at the edges with heat and moisture, and it can't be sanded or refinished once it's damaged.

Pressed boards have honest uses, and they keep costs down. But for the pieces you touch, see and live with every day, I choose materials that can be repaired rather than thrown out. Whatever goes into your home, I’ll tell you exactly what it is and why I chose it.

Restore or replace

Why replace when you can restore?

Restoring is about more than cost. It keeps what made the piece worth having in the first place.

  1. 01Original characterHand-cut joinery, softened edges and the patina of real use are things new work can only imitate.
  2. 02Wood you can’t buy anymoreOlder homes often hold dense, tight-grained old-growth timber and species that are hard to find today. Restoring keeps it, and repairs are matched to it.
  3. 03Its historyThe floor your kids grew up on, the cabinet someone built by hand. Restoring keeps the story with the house.
  4. 04Less to landfillIn Metro Vancouver, wood makes up 54% of the construction and demolition waste sent to landfill.1 Restoring keeps good wood in use.
  5. 05Made for generationsA solid ¾-inch floor can typically take up to about five full sandings over its life.2 Cared for, it can serve more than one generation.
And the cost

It usually costs less, too.

Hardwood floors
RestoreReplace = 100%

Refinishing typically costs about one-third to one-half of replacing.3

Kitchen cabinetry
RestoreReplace = 100%

Refinishing cabinets in place typically costs roughly a third of replacing them.4,5

SourcesTypical figures only. Every job differs, and your price comes from an on-site visit.
  1. Metro Vancouver, 2025 Construction and Demolition Waste Composition Study
  2. Wood Floor Business (NWFA), “How Many Times Can a Wood Floor Be Sanded?”
  3. International Floors, “Is Refinishing Hardwood Floors Worth It?” States that replacing can cost 2 to 3 times as much as refinishing.
  4. HomeStars, “Cost to Paint Kitchen Cabinets in Canada: A 2026 Guide”
  5. HomeStars, “Should You Replace or Reface Your Kitchen Cabinets?” The cabinet figure is my estimate, based on the midpoints of the typical ranges in sources 4 and 5.
  6. NWFA, Refinishable Program, citing the NWFA Sand and Finish Guidelines (see “Signs your piece is worth keeping”)

Weighing it up for your own home? Refinish or replace: a short guide →

Before you replace

Signs your piece is worth keeping.

Most wood that looks tired is only tired on the surface. If you recognise these, it can very likely be restored.

  • Scratches and wear that go through the finish, but not deep into the wood.
  • Water marks or stains that stayed at the surface.
  • Minor cupping that settles once the moisture problem is fixed.
  • Enough solid wood or wear layer left to sand. As a guide, the NWFA advises against sanding when less than 3/32″ (about 2.5 mm) remains.6
  • Sound structure: joints tight, boards and fastenings solid.
  • Greying or sun fade on outdoor wood, which is usually only at the surface.

When replacement may make senseWood that’s soft or rotted deep, veneer or laminate that’s lifting and delaminating, boards already sanded too thin, or cabinet boxes swollen by water. If that’s what I find, I’ll tell you plainly.

The process

What restoration actually involves.

Real restoration is a sequence of careful steps, not a wipe-down and a fresh coat.

  1. 01Assess & protectI check the wood, the old finish and the moisture, then mask and protect the room before anything starts.
  2. 02Strip & sandThe old finish comes off, then I sand through progressively finer grits for a flat, even surface.
  3. 03Repair & fillDents, gaps and damaged sections are repaired, filled or patched with matching wood.
  4. 04Stain & colour-matchColour is tested on your wood, in your light, and approved before it goes on.
  5. 05Seal & build the finishA sealer, then finish coats built up one at a time, with a light sanding between each.
  6. 06Cure & handoverThe finish cures before regular use, then we walk through it together with care notes.
Let’s talk

Have a piece worth keeping?

Tell me about your project and I’ll walk you through the materials and finish I’d choose for it.

Free estimate →Text Noah: 250-815-7077