Strip And Wax Cost Per Sq Ft
Strip and wax cost per sq ft usually falls in a broad range because floor condition, square footage, furniture moving, and number of coats all change the labor required. A practical commercial estimate is often around $0.50 to $1.50 per square foot, with more complex or heavily soiled jobs running higher.
Typical pricing range
Most current pricing guides place strip-and-wax work in the lower to mid single-digit dollars per square foot, but the most common working range is about $0.50 to $1.50 per sq ft. One calculator-style source lists a basic 2026 cost of about $1.72 to $2.15 per sq ft for a strip-and-wax floor job, while broader market guides show lower averages when projects are larger or simpler.
For contractors, that means the final price depends heavily on scope. A light commercial job with easy access may land near the bottom of the range, while a heavily built-up floor with prep work and multiple finish coats will trend toward the top.
What affects price
The biggest pricing drivers are:
Floor type and finish.
Square footage.
Furniture moving and prep time.
Number of wax coats.
Local labor rates.
Access, travel, and equipment needs.
A floor with old finish layers, scratches, or embedded soil takes longer to strip, which raises labor and chemical usage. Larger jobs often cost less per square foot because setup time is spread across more area, while small jobs usually cost more per square foot.
Commercial examples
One pricing guide shows common project totals often falling between $350 and $2,500 for mid-size interiors, depending on scope. Another source notes that a 10,000-square-foot VCT project can cost a contractor about $0.20 per square foot before markup, with final customer pricing rising based on margin and difficulty.
A separate commercial pricing source lists strip-and-wax services starting at about 30 cents per square foot in some markets, while other market references show typical commercial ranges closer to $0.60 to $1.50 or more depending on the job. This spread is normal because one quote may include only labor and finish, while another may include prep, furniture moving, and deep restoration.
How contractors price it
Many cleaning companies build strip-and-wax pricing from direct labor, chemicals, pads, and equipment, then add markup for overhead and profit. That approach helps explain why two vendors can quote very different rates for what sounds like the same service.
A simple way to evaluate a bid is to ask whether the price includes:
Moving furniture.
Baseboard detail.
Number of coats.
Neutralization after stripping.
Floor finish type.
Dry time and return-to-service expectations.
If those items are not spelled out, the quote may look cheaper than it really is.
When the cost rises
Pricing usually rises when the floor is in poor condition, the space has tight scheduling requirements, or the job involves more than a standard VCT strip and finish. Medical spaces, retail spaces, and high-traffic facilities can also cost more because they require more detailed prep and stricter service windows.
Furniture relocation, after-hours work, and regional labor differences are also major cost factors. In other words, the same square footage can produce very different quotes depending on how hard the job is to complete.
Practical budgeting rule
For budgeting, a reasonable planning number for many commercial strip-and-wax projects is around $0.75 to $1.25 per square foot unless the floor is very clean, very large, or very difficult. If the floor has heavy buildup or requires extensive prep, it is safer to budget above that range.
That makes it easier to compare bids on more than price alone. The best quote is usually the one that clearly defines scope, finish coats, prep, and exclusions rather than the lowest number on the page.
Bottom line
Strip and wax cost per sq ft is not a fixed number, but a range shaped by condition, labor, and service complexity. For most commercial work, a practical expectation is about $0.50 to $1.50 per square foot, with tougher jobs costing more.
If you want to build an accurate price sheet, the next step is to estimate by floor type, building size, and prep level rather than using one flat rate for every site.