Hardwood flooring in Fairview Heights, IL

The older residential core near Bunkum Road and Ofallon Road was built mostly through the 1970s and 1980s, an era when solid oak strip flooring under wall-to-wall carpet was standard practice for builders. A lot of that wood has never been touched, and it is often in better shape than homeowners expect once we pull back a corner of carpet during the estimate.

Newer condo developments closer to the St. Clair Square corridor sit on slab foundations, which rules out solid wood in favor of engineered hardwood. Owners in these units still want the warmth and resale appeal of real wood, and engineered flooring delivers that over a foundation type solid boards cannot handle.

In the older ranch and split-level homes, we check plywood subfloors for loose panels, squeaks and old adhesive from a prior flooring layer before sanding or installing new hardwood, since a subfloor issue ignored now becomes a much bigger repair once the new floor is down.

For engineered hardwood over slab in the newer condo developments, we test the concrete for moisture content and flatness first. A slab reading too wet needs a vapor barrier or additional dry-out time, since skipping that step is the leading cause of hardwood failure over concrete.

For new installation, our sales team measures the room, checks subfloor or slab condition, and walks through species, width and finish options that fit the home's age and construction type. Material typically acclimates on site for several days before installation to limit movement afterward.

Refinishing jobs begin with a test sand on an inconspicuous board to gauge remaining wood thickness before a stain color is chosen. Dustless sanding equipment keeps mess to a minimum in an occupied home, and stain and finish coats are scheduled with proper dry time before furniture returns.