Hardwood Floor Installation in Cary, NC
From the bare subfloor to the last piece of trim, we lay new wood floors in Cary homes.
- Quotes in writing
- 10 areas covered
Cary Hardwood Flooring lays new wood floors in rooms that have carpet, tile or vinyl today. We come out, measure, look at what's under your feet, and then lay solid or engineered boards.
Why we test the wood before we lay it
The U.S. Forest Service's Forest Products Laboratory says wood takes on moisture from the air and things around it. It also says the water still in wood tends to settle at a level that matches the humidity of the air nearby.
So we go by our moisture meter, not the calendar. We read the new boards and the subfloor (the layer of plywood or concrete the wood sits on). We start once both match what the board maker's instructions call for. The same Forest Service lab says that when the moisture is kept within sensible limits, the big problems that come from wood growing and shrinking can usually be avoided.
Choosing the board
We lay two kinds of board.
- The solid hardwood flooring we lay is one piece of wood from top to bottom.
- The engineered hardwood flooring we lay has a real wood top layer glued to a core of thinner layers.
When the boards come finished from the factory, we lay them and skip the sanding. When they come bare, we sand, stain and seal them in your house, so we can match the color to your other rooms. For white oak, hickory or wide planks, we'll talk through how each one looks and wears before you order.
Where your old floor ends up
If an old floor has to come up, we do that first. Our carpet to hardwood work strips out the carpet, the pad and the tack strips, and we take old vinyl or laminate up the same way.
The Town of Cary says its Citizen's Convenience Center takes household trash and recycling, but waste from private contractors is not allowed there. So we haul the old flooring away ourselves, and we write that into the quote so you can see it.
Keeping the dust where we are
OSHA, the federal agency for workplace safety, says wood dust can become a health problem once sanding and cutting send small bits of wood into the air. It says breathing it in may lead to allergies, other breathing problems and cancer.
So we hang plastic over the doorways of the room we're in and set the saw up outside or in the garage when the weather allows.
How we put your quote together
We measure first, and then we send you a written price. These are the things that move it:
- How many square feet we cover, and how many rooms that is split across.
- What comes up first, and whether the subfloor needs boards fixed or high spots sanded down.
- The board you choose, and whether it needs finishing in your house.
- Stairs, which we can do as hardwood stairs to match.
- The edges: where the new floor meets tile, carpet or a sliding door.
Before you sign with anyone, check that the quote names the species, the board width and who pays for any subfloor repair.
Questions about hardwood floor installation in Cary
Does the Town of Cary want a permit for a new wood floor?
In most cases, no. Cary puts floor and wall coverings on its list of cosmetic projects that don't need a building permit. If you aren't sure about your project, call the town's Inspections and Permits Department on 311 from inside town limits, or (919) 469-4000 from outside.
Should I worry about formaldehyde in engineered boards?
The EPA says composite wood is made by gluing strands, fibers, veneers or boards of wood together, and that flooring is one place it's used. It says formaldehyde, a strong-smelling chemical in those glues, can irritate your skin, eyes, nose and throat. Regulated composite wood made in or shipped into the U.S. after March 22, 2019 has to carry a TSCA Title VI label, the federal formaldehyde rule, and we'll show you that label on the carton.
Can I drop old flooring at the town center myself?
Not for much longer. Cary says that from January 1, 2027, its Citizen's Convenience Center will take only food and yard waste. After that the town points people to Wake County sites, such as the Multi-Material Recycling Facility in Apex and the convenience center in Morrisville, and fees may apply.
Do we need to stay somewhere else while the finish goes on?
That is your call, but plan for fresh air. The EPA says varnishes contain solvents that give off chemicals while they're being used. It says to keep plenty of fresh air coming in and to keep the products away from children and pets.
Why does the trim come off the walls?
We take off the baseboards, the strips of trim along the bottom of each wall, so the boards can stop just short of the wall. We leave that space so the wood has room to swell and shrink, and we put the trim back on over it.
Can new boards go straight over the floor I have now?
Sometimes we can. We check how solid the old floor is and how much height the new layer adds at doors, stairs and appliances. Then we tell you whether it can stay or should come up.
I ordered my flooring online. Will you still lay it?
We can, after we look it over. We check the boxes for moisture and grade, and we make sure there's enough extra to cover the cuts.
How far outside Cary do you go?
We lay floors in Cary and in nearby towns such as Apex, Morrisville, Holly Springs and Fuquay-Varina.
Book a measure
Call us or fill in the quote form with your ZIP code and the rooms you have in mind. We'll come measure, show you board samples and send a written quote. You can see all of our flooring work on the Cary Hardwood Flooring home page.
Ready to talk about your hardwood flooring job?
Call us or send the quote form with your ZIP code and what you need. We will get back to you with a written quote.