View source for Top Questions Homeowners Ask Hardwood Flooring Contractors 51990

<html><p> Hardwood floors change a room in ways paint or lighting never can. They quiet a space, add weight and warmth underfoot, and age with a house instead of aging out of it. When I sit down with a homeowner considering new floors or a refinish, the same questions tend to surface. The right answers depend on context, and a good hardwood flooring installer will probe before prescribing. Here is how experienced hardwood flooring contractors think through the most common questions, with trade-offs, numbers you can use, and details you can verify.</p> <h2> What should I choose: solid or engineered?</h2> <p> Both are real wood. The difference lies in construction. Solid planks are milled from a single piece of lumber. Engineered planks have a hardwood wear layer on top of plywood or a similarly stable core.</p> <p> Solid shines in homes with stable humidity and traditional installation over wood subfloors. It can be sanded multiple times across decades, often six to ten, depending on thickness. Engineered handles swings in moisture better, which matters over concrete slabs, <a href="https://wiki-mixer.win/index.php/Maximizing_Natural_Light_with_Strategic_Hardwood_Flooring_Installations_73542">Brooklyn flooring installations</a> in basements, or in climates where winters are dry and summers are muggy. Many engineered options with a 3 to 6 millimeter wear layer can be refinished once or twice, sometimes more if the wear layer is thick and the bevel is gentle.</p> <p> One way to choose is to look below the finished floor. Over plywood or OSB with joists, both systems work. Over a slab, engineered is the safer bet unless you invest in sleepers, a vapor barrier, and meticulous moisture control. I have replaced more cupped solid floors over slabs than I care to count. Every one of those jobs looked fine on day one and failed by year three.</p> <h2> How much will it cost?</h2> <p> You need three buckets: material, labor, and sundries like trim, adhesives, and underlayment. For quality hardwood flooring services in most metro markets, here are ballpark ranges per square foot for materials:</p> <ul>  Solid unfinished oak, maple, hickory: 4 to 9 dollars Solid prefinished domestic species: 6 to 12 dollars Engineered domestic: 5 to 12 dollars Engineered European oak with thick wear layer: 8 to 18 dollars Exotic species or specialty finishes: 10 to 25 dollars </ul> <p> Labor for standard nail-down or staple-down installations over wood subfloors usually runs 3 to 6 dollars per square foot. Glue-down over a slab is slower and messier, so plan 5 to 9 dollars. Floating engineered floors land between 2 and 5 dollars, but that savings can shrink if we have to correct subfloor flatness.</p> <p> Add line items that homeowners often forget: baseboard or shoe molding, 1 to 3 dollars per linear foot; transitions and stair nosings, which can add a few hundred to a few thousand depending on the number of doorways and stairs; moving furniture, 200 to 600 for a typical job; and disposal fees if we remove old flooring.</p> <p> Good hardwood flooring contractors will measure in person before quoting. Square footage is only part of the story. A clean 400 square foot rectangle costs less than the same footage cut into three rooms with five doorways and two floor registers. Waste from layout and defective boards ranges from 5 to 15 percent depending on plank width and the pattern you want.</p> <h2> Which wood species holds up best?</h2> <p> Durability involves hardness, grain, and finish. Janka hardness ratings are a useful but incomplete metric. White oak (about 1360) and hickory (around 1820) both resist dents better than softer woods like walnut (about 1010). But hardness alone will not save a floor from a dog with long nails or chairs without pads.</p> <p> Grain hides wear. Oak’s open grain camouflages scratches better than maple’s tight, pale surface. Walnut earns a loyal following because it looks rich and feels forgiving underfoot, but it will show dents and wear. I have put walnut in formal rooms and primary bedrooms where shoes come off and traffic is lighter. Hickory goes in hallways, mudrooms, and homes with three kids and a lab.</p> <p> Engineered European oak deserves its reputation not due to the species alone but the way it takes reactive stains and matte finishes. A wire-brushed, low-sheen European oak can look newer longer than a glossy maple, even though maple is harder.</p> <p> If the space is commercial or rough-and-tumble, consider site-finished white oak with aluminum oxide in the finish, or a dense exotic if you accept the cost and the color change that sunlight brings.</p> <h2> What finish should I pick: oil, waterborne, or UV-cured?</h2> <p> Finishes have come a long way. Most prefinished floors from a reputable hardwood floor company leave the factory with aluminum oxide embedded in multiple UV-cured coats. They resist abrasion, cure instantly at the mill, and go in without the mess of on-site sanding and finishing. If you want speed, uniformity, and fewer fumes, prefinished is attractive.</p> <p> Site-finished floors let you customize color and sheen, and they give you a flat, monolithic surface without tiny micro-bevels between boards. Waterborne polyurethanes dominate my job sites these days. They dry in 2 to 4 hours per coat, have low odor, and do not amber much over time. Oil-modified polyurethanes take longer to dry and have more odor, but they highlight grain and deliver a warm cast many homeowners love.</p> <p> Penetrating hardwax oils sink into the wood and leave a matte, repairable surface. They look natural, and spot repairs blend better than with poly, but they need more frequent maintenance. I recommend them to clients who accept a maintenance routine similar to caring for soapstone counters: a bit more attention, a beautiful patina as the payoff.</p> <p> Sheen affects cleaning and wear perception as much as chemistry. Gloss shows everything. Satin and matte hide micro-scratches and daily dust. Most families with kids do better with satin or matte.</p> <h2> How long will the job take?</h2> <p> For a simple 600 to 800 square foot project with prefinished flooring installations and straightforward trim, plan three to five working days. Day one is removal and prep. Day two is most of the install. Day three is finishing details. Add a day if furniture needs to move in phases.</p> <p> Site-finished floors take longer. The timeline includes acclimation, sanding, staining if desired, and multiple coats with dry times. A 1,000 square foot job can run seven to ten working days door to door. If humidity is high or temperatures are low, waterborne coats may take longer to cure hard enough for furniture. Most contractors will let you walk in socks the next day but ask for a few days before heavy furniture and a week before rugs.</p> <p> Stairs, border inlays, herringbone patterns, and subfloor repairs all add time. I have spent three full days on a single staircase with returns and landings, and it is time well spent. Good stairs are a craft project, not a commodity.</p> <h2> How do you handle subfloor moisture and flatness?</h2> <p> Floors fail from below more than above. A responsible hardwood flooring installer measures subfloor moisture with a meter, checks ambient humidity, and confirms flatness. For wood subfloors, a difference greater than 4 percent between the subfloor and hardwood moisture content signals trouble. On concrete, we test with calcium chloride or in-slab RH probes when the stake is high. I have seen slabs over new additions come in at 85 to 90 percent RH months after pour. Those floors needed a moisture mitigation system before we could even talk about glue.</p> <p> Flatness matters for squeak prevention and plank stability. The industry target is usually within 3/16 inch over 10 feet. High spots get sanded or planed. Low spots get feathered with a cementitious patch. Telling a client that the prep will cost an extra 500 to 1,500 dollars is never pleasant, but skipping it costs much more in callbacks and movement you can feel underfoot.</p> <p> Vapor barriers and underlayments are not all the same. Over crawl spaces, I like to see a 6 mil poly on the ground below, vents controlled or encapsulation in place, and a felt or specialized underlayment appropriate to the installation method. Over slabs, a full-spread adhesive with a built-in moisture barrier or a trowel-on epoxy system is not overkill if tests show elevated moisture.</p> <h2> Do I need to acclimate the wood?</h2> <p> Yes, but acclimation is not a calendar number. It is a moisture content target. Boxes sitting in a garage do nothing but invite cupping. The right process is to condition the home to lived-in temperature and humidity, open the boxes in the installation area, and let the wood reach equilibrium moisture content close to the subfloor. In my climate, that is often 6 to 8 percent in winter and 8 to 10 percent in summer.</p> <p> How long this takes depends on season and HVAC. Sometimes two days is enough, sometimes a week. Engineered wood needs less acclimation but still benefits from 48 to 72 hours in the space. Solid floors installed tight in January without space for seasonal movement will gap in July. Leave expansion gaps at the perimeter, follow the manufacturer’s nailing schedule, and, if the space is wide, consider a spline and a movement joint under a threshold.</p> <h2> Can hardwood go in kitchens and basements?</h2> <p> Kitchens, yes, if you accept realism. Water will hit the floor near the sink, dishwasher, and fridge. We belt-and-suspenders the dishwasher area with a small leak-pan or a water sensor. We advise clients to wipe spills promptly. A satin, low-sheen finish hides micro-scratches from grit and chair movement. Put felt pads under stools and use a runner in front of the sink. I have installed countless oak and hickory kitchens that still look great ten years later with these habits.</p> <p> Basements are trickier. Direct-to-slab solid hardwood is a gamble that often loses. Engineered glued directly to a dry, tested slab, or floated over a vapor-rated underlayment, is the safer route. Even then, basements without dehumidification drift toward high humidity in summer. If your basement regularly sits above 60 percent RH, expect seasonal expansion and the possibility of cupping without active moisture control. Sometimes the honest answer is that luxury vinyl plank or tile will beat wood in that room, and a good hardwood floor company will say so.</p> <h2> How do pets and kids change the plan?</h2> <p> They do not rule out wood, but they influence species, finish, and layout. Medium to dark, low-sheen finishes hide scuffs. Wire-brushing can be your friend because it slightly lowers the springwood and disguises scratches. Avoid high-gloss. Choose a species with visible grain like oak or hickory. Keep nails trimmed and use felt pads and doormats. If a client wants chocolate-brown maple and has a 90-pound dog, I talk them into a color that masks wear or a different species.</p> <p> Rugs help in hallways and under play areas, but wait at least a week after final coat before placing them to avoid trapping off-gassing or creating witness lines.</p> <h2> What about refinishing versus replacement?</h2> <p> If your floors have at least 3/32 inch of wear layer left and the damage is mostly scratches or a tired finish, refinishing is usually the smartest move. Sanding and finishing often costs 3 to 6 dollars per square foot depending on color work, repairs, and the finish system. Replace boards only where necessary. I keep extra bundles or species matches on hand for patching water damage near a fridge or a plant pot that sat too long.</p> <p> Replacement makes sense when the boards are structurally compromised, the floor has been sanded to the tongue, there is widespread moisture damage, or you want to change board width and layout. Going from 2 1/4 inch strip to 7 inch planks is not a refinish decision, it is a design decision.</p> <h2> Will wide planks cup?</h2> <p> Wide planks move more than narrow ones because each board carries more seasonal expansion and contraction. Engineered wide planks control that movement, which is why they own much of the market for anything wider than 6 inches. If you want 8 or 9 inch solid boards, you must respect the environment. Maintain relative humidity roughly 35 to 55 percent year-round. Use proper nailing and, on wide boards, consider glue-assist even in nail-down installs. I have put in 8 inch solid white oak in older homes with radiant heat that still lies flat after years, but those homeowners run humidifiers in winter and dehumidifiers in summer, and we glued as well as nailed.</p> <h2> Can hardwood go over radiant heat?</h2> <p> Yes, with care. Engineered wood is the default choice for hydronic radiant systems because of its stability. Keep water temps moderate and avoid rapid swings. The slab or subfloor surface should not exceed the manufacturer’s stated limit, often 80 to 85 degrees Fahrenheit. Solid floors can work over radiant if you choose the right species and cut. Rift and quartered white oak behaves better than plainsawn. Avoid beech and maple for radiant projects because they move more with humidity shifts. Glue-down over a proper vapor barrier is common, though some nail-down over sleepers as part of a system. Acclimate longer, and bring the radiant system up slowly after installation.</p> <h2> How loud will it be, and what about dust?</h2> <p> Sanding is noisy, and it creates dust if the contractor’s setup is dated. Modern dust containment systems mount high-efficiency vacuums to the sanding machines and capture most of the dust at the source. “Dustless” is a marketing term. The honest claim is 90 to 95 percent dust capture with good equipment and diligent masking of adjacent rooms. For prefinished flooring installations, noise comes from saws and compressors, and dust is localized to cutting stations. If a client is chemically sensitive, waterborne finishes help. Contractors can schedule stain and finish days when family members and pets are out.</p> <h2> How do I vet a hardwood flooring contractor?</h2> <p> Experience shows in the questions we ask during the estimate. If a bidder does not measure moisture, does not look under the HVAC register to see the subfloor, or waves off your existing squeaks, proceed carefully. Ask for recent jobs you can see, not just old references. Look for insurance certificates and a written scope that lists prep, layout, transitions, and who handles furniture. A strong hardwood floor company is as transparent about what is not included as what is.</p> <p> If you want stairs done, ask specifically about return nosings, skirt boards, and how the contractor plans to handle open sides. Stairs are a skill check.</p> <h2> What maintenance will the floor need?</h2> <p> Daily grit is wood’s enemy. A couple of good mats at entries do more for a floor than any miracle cleaner. Vacuum with a soft head or sweep regularly. Mop sparingly with a cleaner made for your finish. Avoid oil soaps on polyurethane, and skip steam mops altogether. Chair pads are not optional on wood. Replace them when they compact or pick up grit.</p> <p> Refresh cycles vary. High-traffic homes might benefit from a professional clean and a maintenance coat every 3 to 5 years. That is a light abrasion and a new coat of finish, not a full sand. Hardwax oil floors want more frequent refresh in traffic lanes, often annually in busy homes. If you wait too long and wear through the finish into bare wood, a maintenance coat will not bond well, and you are looking at a full refinish.</p> <p> Sunlight moves color. Rugs and UV-blocking window film can even out exposure. Rotate rugs a couple of times a year to avoid ghosting.</p> <h2> Are there sustainable options?</h2> <p> There are, but the greenest floor is often the one you already own brought back to life. If you are installing new, look for certified sourcing such as FSC for tropical species, or choose domestic woods like oak, maple, and hickory, which are abundant and well managed. Engineered floors can be efficient because the core layers use fast-growing species. Finishes matter too. Low-VOC waterborne systems reduce emissions, and good indoor air quality is part of sustainability. Ask your hardwood flooring installer to share product data sheets. A reputable supplier or hardwood floor company should know exactly what they are putting in your home.</p> <h2> What about transitions to tile or carpet?</h2> <p> Plan this before a single board goes down. Height differences drive trip hazards and aesthetic problems. Reducers and T-moldings solve many issues, but they can look clunky if used as a band-aid. When I meet a client, I measure tile thickness plus thinset or carpet plus pad, then choose wood thickness and underlayment to land the height right. For a clean look where wood meets tile, a Schluter profile or a wood threshold custom milled from the same species can bridge differences gracefully.</p> <p> Stair nosings deserve special attention. Factory nosings often do not match color perfectly on prefinished floors. If color uniformity is critical, we might stain and finish nosings on site to blend.</p> <h2> What width and pattern make sense?</h2> <p> Narrow strip floors read traditional and can make a small space feel longer, like stripes on a shirt. Wide planks read calm and modern and can make a big room feel grounded. Herringbone or chevron is a statement and raises both material waste and labor. I quote herringbone at roughly 30 to 50 percent more labor, and waste can hit 15 to 20 percent because of the cuts. Borders and picture frames around rooms sharpen the look in older homes with thick casings and built-ins.</p> <p> Let the architecture lead. A 1920s bungalow welcomes 2 1/4 or 3 1/4 inch strip. A loft with 12 foot ceilings can carry 8 inch planks. I carry samples to the actual space and lay out a few courses so clients can see scale against baseboards and door widths.</p> <h2> Do prefinished micro-bevels collect dirt?</h2> <p> They can, but maintenance and quality of milling matter more than the bevel itself. Micro-bevels exist to mask tiny height differences between boards. They also lower the visible edge so the finish does not chip during seasonal movement. A good vacuum and occasional damp mopping keep bevels clean. Site-finished floors are flat and easier to clean at the seams, but they trade speed for the mess and downtime of on-site sanding.</p> <h2> Can we mix hardwood with existing floors and get them to match?</h2> <p> Yes, with patience. If the existing floor is oak, we can often weave new boards into old, then sand and finish the entire area for a seamless look. Prefinished to prefinished is harder. Manufacturers change stains and finishes over time, and even identical products drift in color as they age in sunlight. When a perfect match is essential and sanding is off the table, we stain and topcoat the new section a hair darker, or we create a threshold that signals the transition intentionally rather than pretending it is not there.</p> <h2> What’s the biggest mistake to avoid?</h2> <p> Underestimating prep. Clients focus on specie and stain, yet the jobs that haunt contractors involve moisture, subfloor flatness, and rushed acclimation. If a bid seems low and vague on those points, it probably leaves those steps out. The quietest, longest-lasting floors come from crews that spend the first day testing, scraping, shimming, and patching. It is not glamorous, but it is the difference between a floor that whispers when you walk and one that complains at every step.</p> <h2> A short checklist before you sign</h2> <ul>  Confirm moisture testing and subfloor prep are included in writing. Align on species, grade, width, and finish, with product names and data sheets. Understand timelines, cure periods, and when you can return furniture and rugs. Plan transitions, stairs, and trim with sketches or photos, not assumptions. Clarify who moves appliances and handles leak protection under sinks and dishwashers. </ul> <p> The right hardwood floor is as much a process as a product. When homeowners ask thoughtful questions and a contractor answers with specifics instead of slogans, the odds of a smooth project rise. Good hardwood flooring contractors do not just sell wood, they manage moisture, movement, and expectations. Done well, your floors will age with your home and carry the marks of a life lived, not a checklist completed.</p><p><p>Modern Wood Flooring is a flooring company</p>
<p>Modern Wood Flooring is based in Brooklyn</p>
<p>Modern Wood Flooring has an address 446 Avenue P Brooklyn NY 11223</p>
<p>Modern Wood Flooring has a phone number (718) 252-6177</p>
<p>Modern Wood Flooring has a map link <a href="https://maps.app.goo.gl/qTN2z31MQs9tQLxc8" target="_blank">View on Google Maps</a></p>
<p>Modern Wood Flooring offers wood flooring options</p>
<p>Modern Wood Flooring offers vinyl flooring options</p>
<p>Modern Wood Flooring features over 40 leading brands</p>
<p>Modern Wood Flooring showcases products in a Brooklyn showroom</p>
<p>Modern Wood Flooring provides complimentary consultations</p>
<p>Modern Wood Flooring provides seamless installation services</p>
<p>Modern Wood Flooring helps homeowners find flooring styles</p>
<p>Modern Wood Flooring offers styles ranging from classic elegance to modern flair</p>
<p>Modern Wood Flooring was awarded Best Flooring Showroom in Brooklyn</p>
<p>Modern Wood Flooring won Customer Choice Award for Flooring Services</p>
<p>Modern Wood Flooring was recognized for Excellence in Interior Design Solutions</p>
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Modern Wood Flooring<br>
Address: 446 Avenue P, Brooklyn, NY 11223<br>
Phone: (718) 252-6177<br>
Website: <a href="https://www.modernwoodflooring.com/">https://www.modernwoodflooring.com/</a>
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<h2>Frequently Asked Questions About Hardwood Flooring</h2>
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<p><strong>Which type of hardwood flooring is best?</strong><br><br>
It depends on your space and priorities. Solid hardwood offers maximum longevity and can be refinished many times; engineered hardwood is more stable in humidity and works well over concrete/slab or radiant heat. Popular, durable species include white oak (balanced hardness and grain) and hickory (very hard for high-traffic/pets). Walnut is rich in color but softer; maple is clean and contemporary. Prefinished boards install faster; site-finished allows seamless look and custom stains.</p><br>

<p><strong>How much does it cost to install 1000 square feet of hardwood floors?</strong><br><br>
A broad installed range is about $6,000–$20,000 total (roughly $6–$20 per sq ft) depending on species/grade, engineered vs. solid, finish type, local labor, subfloor prep, and extras (stairs, patterns, demolition, moving furniture).</p><br>

<p><strong>How much does it cost to install a wooden floor?</strong><br><br>
Typical installed prices run about $6–$18+ per sq ft. Engineered oak in a straightforward layout may fall on the lower end; premium solids, wide planks, intricate patterns, or extensive leveling/patching push costs higher.</p><br>

<p><strong>How much is wood flooring for a 1500 sq ft house?</strong><br><br>
Plan for roughly $9,000–$30,000 installed at $6–$20 per sq ft, with most mid-range projects commonly landing around $12,000–$22,500 depending on materials and scope.</p><br>

<p><strong>Is it worth hiring a pro for flooring?</strong><br><br>
Usually yes. Pros handle moisture testing, subfloor repairs/leveling, acclimation, proper nailing/gluing, expansion gaps, trim/transition details, and finishing—delivering a flatter, tighter, longer-lasting floor and warranties. DIY can save labor but adds risk, time, and tool costs.</p><br>

<p><strong>What is the easiest flooring to install?</strong><br><br>
Among hardwood options, click-lock engineered hardwood is generally the easiest for DIY because it floats without nails or glue. (If ease is the top priority overall, laminate or luxury vinyl plank is typically simpler than traditional nail-down hardwood.)</p><br>

<p><strong>How much does Home Depot charge to install hardwood floors?</strong><br><br>
Home Depot typically connects you with local installers, so pricing varies by market and project. Expect quotes comparable to industry norms (often labor in the ~$3–$8 per sq ft range, plus materials and prep). Request an in-home evaluation for an exact price.</p><br>

<p><strong>Do hardwood floors increase home value?</strong><br><br>
Often, yes. Hardwood floors are a sought-after feature that can improve buyer appeal and appraisal outcomes, especially when they’re well maintained and in neutral, widely appealing finishes.</p><br>
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