Chicago Wood Flooring

In a city with as much tradition and history as Chicago, wood flooring is an obvious choice for floor remodels anywhere in the metro area. Not only does wood flooring look fantastic, it has a proven track record of excellent performance. Chicago homeowners won't go wrong with this elegant, attractive material, and few who have made the decision to install wooden floors regret it. If you are interested in installing a new floor, wood is a classic that's still as viable and popular today as it was years ago.

Benefits of Wood Flooring in Chicago
Wood flooring can be made from several different species of wood, which in turn can have any number of stains and finishes. This means that there is enough variety in wood flooring that most homeowners are sure to find at least one that will fit their tastes perfectly. Though you have to treat it kindly, a well-maintained wood floor can last for decades. And unlike its look-alike laminate counterparts, real hardwood can be stripped and finished several times to create an entirely new surface even after many years underfoot.

Classic Chicago Wooden Flooring
Having a home with elements that compliment rather than detract from one another is extremely important. Especially in older neighborhoods of Chicago, wooden flooring is a beautiful and practical choice for remodels. The nice thing about wood flooring is that it looks appropriate in almost any setting, but there is a special kind of relationship between wood flooring and classic American architecture. In fact, instead of opting for hardwood that looks new and forest fresh, the use of reclaimed or distressed hardwood flooring in Chicago's more historic settings might be a better match.

Chicago Wooden Flooring Drawbacks
Though there is much to be said for both its appearance and performance, wood flooring is not without its downfalls. For one thing, it will require more attention over its lifetime than some other flooring materials. In Chicago, wood flooring must be protected from exposure to tracked-in grit, snow, slush, and salt during the winter months, as each of these can cause some serious damage.

Perhaps the biggest reason why some homeowners choose not to install wood flooring in Chicago is the price. If you shop around, you're likely to find some real bargains on wood flooring, but when compared to cheaper materials like laminate, the real thing is still going to be a bit on the expensive side. Of the wood flooring jobs we've processed in the Chicago area, most were in the $4,000 to $6,000 range with the most expensive job coming in at about $10,000. Our figures for simulated wood flooring, on the other hand, average significantly less with the highest priced job coming in around $6,000.

Chicago Wood Flooring Installation
Few projects carry the same level of prerequisite experience on the part of the contractor and inconvenience for the homeowner. After letting the wood sit out for a week or two to get used to your home's humidity levels, your contractor will need some time to extensively prepare the subflooring. Plus, sealing the wood flooring will put this area of your home off-limits due to pungent chemical odors. According to data from ServiceMagic, the wood flooring installation in Chicago takes about a week to complete, after the wood planks are ready to go.

Finding a Chicago Wood Flooring Contractor
As technical and precise as the installation of wood flooring in Chicago is, you need someone who has particular experience with this flooring material. ServiceMagic can help. Each and every contractor in our database is put through a rigorous ten-step screening process. But, better yet, we give you access to our quality-controlled customer ratings and reviews. This information will allow you to see what other homeowners thought about their experience with Chicago wood flooring contractors, as well as useful tips about the process of installing wood floors in your home. Plus, these reviews create a powerful incentive for contractors to meet and exceed your expectations. Just remember that ServiceMagic augments, but doesn't replace, existing wisdom about choosing a contractor. You still need to solicit three estimates, build rapport and lines of communication with your contractor, and get a written contract that spells out the details of the project.