If your laminate has gone grey in the traffic lanes, dulled around the kitchen or just looks dated, it's tempting to reach for a tin of paint or a borrowed sander. But laminate isn't solid wood. Each board has a printed decor under a resin-impregnated overlay, so sanding works very differently. A few damaged boards may be repairable. When the wear runs across the whole floor, replacement is one option. Below we answer the paint, sand and stain questions, then price a 300 sq ft replacement using our current box prices and our own install and removal rates. You can browse options in our laminate flooring collection.
The short answer on painting, sanding and staining laminate
Each of the three jobs gets a different answer, and all three come down to how the board is built:
- Sanding: not easily. CLASSEN says laminate damage "cannot be easily sanded down as it can with solid wood".
- Staining: no manufacturer guidance. We couldn't find any. Read the flooring and stain makers' instructions before you apply anything.
- Painting: no manufacturer guidance either. EPLF does warn against floor wax and polish, though that warning isn't about paint. Read the flooring and paint makers' instructions before you coat the floor.
What a laminate board is made of
The European Producers of Laminate Flooring describe three layers: "decorative paper + overlay (wear layer)", a core layer and a stabilizing layer. Every layer except the core is "impregnated with synthetic resin" and pressed onto the core under high pressure and high temperature.
CLASSEN, a German laminate manufacturer, says laminate damage "cannot be easily sanded down as it can with solid wood". A worn traffic lane or a scratch through the print isn't as simple to sand out as it would be on a hardwood floor.
What laminate care guidance says about coatings
According to the European Producers of Laminate Flooring (EPLF), floor wax and polish "do not adhere to the resin-impregnated surface of the laminate flooring" and can leave unsightly marks and streaks. That warning covers wax and polish, not paint. If you're thinking about painting, read the paint maker's instructions for your floor and product first.
What Shaw says about standard luxury vinyl tile
Shaw Contract says standard luxury vinyl tile is made of "multiple layers, including a top coat, wear layer, print film, core, and commercial backing".
If you have vinyl plank, read the manufacturer's guidance for your floor before you coat it, sand it or swap out a plank.
Repairing damaged boards instead of replacing everything
Swapping out a few boards may be an option. The European Producers of Laminate Flooring say "professionals can replace badly damaged flooring elements so well that it is not possible to tell the difference visually within the floor as a whole". Check the manufacturer's instructions for your floor.
If the damage is in one spot, replacing those panels may be worth considering. If the wear covers most of the floor, price a repair against a full replacement. Which way to go depends on how much damage there is and which floor you have.
Laminate prices per square foot from our current range
Laminate is sold by the box. To compare prices, divide the box price by how many square feet one box covers. These are the boards we use in the examples below:
| Board | Thickness | Wear rating | Box price | Box coverage | Material per sq ft |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sunshiny SL588 | 15mm | AC3 | $18.25 | 13.75 sq ft | $1.33 |
| Krono K6207 | 12mm | AC3 | $23.00 | 13.61 sq ft | $1.69 |
| Egger EM3209 | 8mm | AC3 | $40.48 | 21.42 sq ft | $1.89 |
| Goodfellow Peking No.012 | 12mm | AC5 | $60.99 | 20.18 sq ft | $3.02 |
Prices are from our current catalogue, checked October 7, 2026.
The gap is wide. The entry board is $1.33 per sq ft and the AC5 board is $3.02, so you pay $1.69 per sq ft more before waste and HST. Box size counts as much as the sticker price, because bigger boxes mean you need fewer of them for the same room. These four boards cover anywhere from 13.61 sq ft to 21.42 sq ft per box. If budget comes first, see our guide to budget German-made laminate for a closer look at the lower end.
A 300 sq ft replacement budget at three price points
We follow these steps when we quote a replacement, and you can do the same with a calculator:
- Add 5% for waste. 300 sq ft x 1.05 = 315 sq ft of plank to buy and install.
- Count the boxes. Divide 315 sq ft by one box's coverage and round up to a whole box.
- Material. Multiply the number of boxes by the box price.
- Installation. 315 sq ft x $1.50 per sq ft, our rate for laminate over 300 sq ft in a house or basement. In a condo it's $2.00 per sq ft.
- Removing the old click floor. 300 sq ft x $1.30 per sq ft in a house. Removal is charged on the measured area only, with no waste added.
- HST. 13% on the subtotal.
All three examples below replace a worn click-lock laminate floor in a house in an M postal code. Labour and removal stay the same, and only the board changes:
| Line | Sunshiny SL588 at $1.33 per sq ft | Krono K6207 at $1.69 per sq ft | Goodfellow Peking No.012 at $3.02 per sq ft |
|---|---|---|---|
| Material | 23 boxes x $18.25 = $419.75 | 24 boxes x $23.00 = $552.00 | 16 boxes x $60.99 = $975.84 |
| Installation labour | 315 sq ft x $1.50 = $472.50 | 315 sq ft x $1.50 = $472.50 | 315 sq ft x $1.50 = $472.50 |
| Removal of old laminate | 300 sq ft x $1.30 = $390.00 | 300 sq ft x $1.30 = $390.00 | 300 sq ft x $1.30 = $390.00 |
| Underlayment | 2 rolls x $50.00 = $100.00 | 2 rolls x $50.00 = $100.00 | 2 rolls x $50.00 = $100.00 |
| Subtotal | $1,382.25 | $1,514.50 | $1,938.34 |
| HST 13% | $179.69 | $196.89 | $251.98 |
| Total | $1,561.94 | $1,711.39 | $2,190.32 |
At $1.89 per sq ft, the Egger EM3209 falls in the middle: 15 boxes for $607.20, a $1,569.70 subtotal and $1,773.76 after HST. For a room-by-room breakdown of the same costs, see our laminate installed cost guide.
Spread over the 300 sq ft you actually floor, the entry board works out to $4.61 per sq ft before HST and $5.21 with it. The Krono is $5.05 and $5.70, and the Goodfellow is $6.46 and $7.30.
Is a paint job cheaper than new laminate?
Get a painting or repair quote for the same area and compare it with the replacement total for the board you'd choose. If the quote comes in higher, replacing is the cheaper route. Our replacement totals cover the boards, installation, removal of the old click floor, two rolls of underlayment and HST. How much of the floor is worn matters too. One scuffed doorway or a single damaged board may be repairable. If the wear is everywhere, put a quote for your floor next to the replacement budget.
In a condo, labour costs a bit more. Installation is $2.00 per sq ft instead of $1.50, and removing an old click floor is $1.60 per sq ft instead of $1.30. On this job that adds $247.50 before HST, or $279.68 with it. Your building may also have its own rules, so check with your property manager before you order.
What these replacement numbers do not include
The estimates cover the flooring, installation, removal of the old click floor, two underlayment rolls and HST. The items below are extra, and we confirm each one when we quote:
- Delivery. Priced by postal code.
- Trim and transitions. Baseboard, quarter round and doorway transitions, measured on site.
- Subfloor levelling and repair. Priced once we see how uneven the subfloor is.
- Stairs and door shaving. Priced once we've seen the floor.
- Glued flooring and tile removal. These take much more work than lifting a click floor, so we price them after a visit.
For removal rates by floor type, including carpet, nailed hardwood, click vinyl and laminate, see our guide to flooring removal cost in Toronto.
Laminate painting, sanding and refinishing questions
Can you paint laminate flooring and make it last?
We haven't found any manufacturer guidance on whether paint sticks to laminate or how well it wears. Before you try it, read the instructions from both the paint maker and the flooring maker.
Can laminate flooring be refinished or sanded at all?
Not the way solid wood can. CLASSEN says laminate damage isn't easily sanded out.
Can laminate flooring be stained a different colour?
We haven't found any manufacturer guidance on staining laminate. Ask the flooring and stain makers before you pick a finish.
Can you paint vinyl plank flooring instead?
Shaw Contract describes the layers in standard LVT but doesn't cover painting or repairing vinyl plank. Read the manufacturer's guidance for your floor before you coat, sand or replace a plank.
What does a laminate replacement cost instead of painting?
For 300 sq ft in a house, including removal of the old click floor, installation at $1.50 per sq ft, two underlayment rolls and 13% HST, the total is $1,561.94 with the entry board, $1,711.39 with the mid-range Krono and $2,190.32 with the AC5 Goodfellow. Delivery and trim are extra, and we confirm them when we quote.
Is a thicker laminate board worth choosing?
Thickness alone doesn't decide it. The Krono and the Goodfellow are both 12mm, yet they differ in AC rating and price. Compare the product details and installation instructions for each board before you choose. For the top of the range, see our AC5 laminate brand guide.
Get a laminate replacement quote in Toronto and the GTA
Send us your room sizes, tell us whether it's a house, basement or condo, and let us know what's on the floor now. We'll put together a replacement estimate using the same waste, box, labour, removal and HST steps shown above. You can request a quote online or reach us through our contact page.
Top Floorings Depot
3781 Victoria Park Avenue, Unit 1, Toronto, ON M1W 3K5
www.topfloorings.com
Call: 416-499-0117
Text: 416-770-8819