Hardwood floor installation
Compare local flooring installers for solid and engineered hardwood. 4,508 pros listed in 1,684 cities across 49 states.
Reviewed and updated by the Fixerlane editorial team · How we research
Hardwood Floor Installation by city
What a hardwood installation involves
An installer removes the old flooring, checks the subfloor is flat, sound and dry, fixes squeaks and soft spots, lays an underlayment where the product needs one, installs the boards, and finishes with transitions, thresholds and trim. Site-finished floors are then sanded, stained and coated in place; prefinished boards arrive with the finish already on.
Furniture moving, removing and disposing of old carpet or tile, and taking off and refitting baseboards and doors may or may not be in a quote — ask.
Solid or engineered, and how it is fixed down
Solid hardwood is one piece of wood through its thickness and can be sanded and refinished many times. Engineered hardwood is a real wood wear layer bonded to a plywood or composite core; it moves less with humidity, which is why it is often chosen over concrete slabs, in basements and over underfloor heating.
Boards are nailed or stapled to a wood subfloor, glued down (common on concrete), or installed as a floating floor that clicks together over an underlayment. The manufacturer’s instructions decide which methods are allowed for a product — and following them is usually a condition of its warranty.
Moisture: the thing that ruins hardwood
Wood takes on and gives off moisture, so the boards and the subfloor have to be within the range the manufacturer specifies before installation. A careful installer measures the moisture of both and lets the boards acclimate when the product calls for it. Floors installed too wet or too dry cup, gap or buckle later, and the warranty may not cover it.
Concrete slabs need their own moisture test and, often, a vapour retarder. Ask what readings were taken and keep the record.
How to choose a hardwood installer
- Ask how they will check the subfloor and moisture, and what they do if the readings are out of range.
- Ask whether they follow the flooring manufacturer’s installation instructions, so the product warranty is kept.
- Ask about certification. The National Wood Flooring Association runs a Certified Professional programme and a professional locator (NWFA).
- Check insurance, and a contractor licence where your state requires one for flooring work.
- Get the scope in writing: removal and disposal, subfloor repairs, trim, transitions, furniture moving and stairs.
What affects the cost
- The wood: species, grade, board width, and solid versus engineered.
- Installation method: nail-down, glue-down or floating.
- Site-finishing versus prefinished boards.
- Removing the old floor and subfloor repairs or levelling.
- Room shape, stairs, and patterns such as herringbone that take longer to lay.
- Moisture mitigation on concrete, and trim, thresholds and transitions.
DIY or a pro
A click-together floating engineered floor in a simple room is within reach of a confident DIYer with the right saw. Nail-down solid hardwood, glue-down on concrete, stairs and site-finished floors are where professional tools and experience matter — and where a mistake shows in every board.
Whoever installs it, read the manufacturer’s instructions first; they set the moisture limits, the expansion gaps and what voids the warranty.
Common questions
- Should I choose solid or engineered hardwood?
- Solid can be refinished more times; engineered moves less with humidity and suits concrete slabs, basements and radiant heat. Check what the manufacturer allows for your room.
- Does hardwood need to acclimate before installation?
- Many products do. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions, and ask the installer to measure the moisture of the boards and the subfloor.
- Can hardwood go over concrete?
- Often, as engineered boards glued down or floating, after a moisture test. Solid hardwood is usually not recommended directly on concrete — check the product.
- Is removal of the old floor included?
- Not always. Ask for removal, disposal and subfloor repair to be listed in the quote.
- Prefinished or site-finished?
- Prefinished is quicker and has no on-site coating fumes; site-finished gives a smoother, sealed surface and a custom stain colour.
- What voids a hardwood floor warranty?
- Commonly, installing outside the manufacturer’s moisture limits or methods. Keep the installer’s moisture readings and the product paperwork.
Related services
Sources
Safety and standards advice on this page comes from these publishers. Dates are the ones each page shows.
- National Wood Flooring Association, Real Wood Real Life (homeowner site) (no date shown; read October 2026)