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Hardwood Floor Installation
Solid and engineered hardwood, nailed or glued depending on the subfloor. Boards acclimatize in the house first, because Ottawa indoor humidity drops hard once the furnace runs and unacclimatized wood gaps by February.
Hardwood, laminate, vinyl plank, tile, carpet and refinishing. Subfloor prepped first, transitions done properly, family run since 1999.
A flooring contractor in Ottawa spends more time on the subfloor than on the floor itself. Call (613) 261-4861 and we will check what is under yours.
We have installed floors across the greater Ottawa area since 1999. Hardwood over 1950s plank subfloors near Mooney's Bay, tile in Orleans bathrooms, vinyl plank in basements where nothing organic should be going down.
Squeaks, hollow spots and cracked grout almost always come from what was under the floor, not the product on top of it.
Six service lines. We will tell you which suits the room, including when it is not the one you asked about.
Each service below has its own page with the detail on how we do it, what it costs and how long it takes. We cover carpet installation, floor refinishing, laminate floor installation, hardwood floor installation, vinyl plank flooring installation and tile floor installation.
Solid and engineered hardwood, nailed or glued depending on the subfloor. Boards acclimatize in the house first, because Ottawa indoor humidity drops hard once the furnace runs and unacclimatized wood gaps by February.
Sanding back existing hardwood, repairing damaged boards, then staining and coating. Older Ottawa homes often have solid oak under carpet that is worth saving rather than replacing.
Click laminate over a level subfloor with proper underlay and expansion gaps at every wall. Skipping the gap is why laminate buckles in a hallway two summers later.
Luxury vinyl plank in basements, kitchens, laundry rooms and rentals. It handles moisture and temperature swings better than wood, which makes it the practical choice below grade in this climate.
Porcelain, ceramic and stone in entries, bathrooms and kitchens. Uncoupling membrane where movement is likely, proper mortar coverage, and heated floor mats installed before tile where you want them.
Bedrooms, basements, stairs and rec rooms. Tack strip, quality underpad and properly stretched carpet, with stair work wrapped and tucked rather than stapled and hoped for.
Every floor we install starts with the layer nobody sees.
We pull the old flooring, screw down loose subfloor sheets, replace any water damaged sections, and flatten high and low spots. Hollow squeaks come from a subfloor that has separated from the joist, and no amount of new hardwood covers that up.
In older homes around Riverside Park and Merivale, the original subfloor is often diagonal plank rather than plywood. That usually needs a plywood layer over it before a modern floor goes down.
Indoor relative humidity here can sit near 50 percent in July and drop under 25 percent in January. Wood shrinks in that dry air, which is why gaps appear between boards mid winter and close again by June.
We reduce that by letting the wood acclimatize in the house before installation, leaving proper expansion allowance at the perimeter, and recommending a humidifier on the furnace where a client wants tight seasonal gaps.
Basements are their own problem. Concrete releases moisture, and the slab stays cold.
Solid hardwood does not belong down there. Engineered wood can work over a proper vapour barrier and subfloor panel. Vinyl plank and tile handle it best. We check slab moisture before recommending anything, and we always build in a subfloor layer for warmth underfoot.
If your basement project is bigger than flooring, our basement renovation service covers framing, insulation and finishes together.
The details at doorways are where cheap flooring jobs give themselves away.
Different materials meet at different heights, so we plan transitions rather than cover them with an oversized strip. Stair nosings get proper returns. Tile at a hardwood boundary gets a level bed so the edge does not chip. Registers and door casings get undercut instead of caulked around.
Flooring goes near the end. After dry wall, after painting, before final trim and fixtures.
In a kitchen renovation we usually run flooring before cabinets in an open plan, or after in a galley, depending on how the appliance heights work out. Either way it is one decision inside a plan, which is why having us run the whole job as your general contractor saves the argument.
Four stages, with the subfloor sorted before any new material arrives.
We measure, test slab or subfloor moisture where relevant, and look for movement and squeaks.
Old flooring out, subfloor screwed, patched and levelled, waste hauled away.
Underlay or membrane down, layout planned so cuts land where they are least visible, then install.
Trim, transitions and thresholds fitted, floors cleaned, and care instructions handed over.
We install floors throughout the greater Ottawa area. Pick your neighbourhood for local detail.
Solid hardwood is a poor choice below grade because the slab holds moisture and stays cold. Engineered wood can work over a vapour barrier and subfloor panel. Vinyl plank and tile hold up better and cost less to fix if water does get in.
Indoor air gets very dry here once the furnace runs, and wood shrinks. Small seasonal gaps that close in summer are normal. Large permanent gaps usually mean the wood was installed without acclimatizing first.
Often yes. Many Ottawa homes have solid oak hiding under carpet, and if there is enough thickness left above the tongue it can be sanded and recoated. We check board thickness and damage before recommending it over replacement.
Light foot traffic in socks is usually fine after about 24 hours, with furniture back after several days and rugs later than that. The exact cure time depends on the coating, and we give you the product's schedule in writing.
Yes. Electric mats go in before the tile, with the thermostat wiring done by a licensed electrician. Bathrooms and entries are where Ottawa clients notice it most in January.
We move standard furniture as part of the job. Appliances, pianos and anything requiring disconnection get discussed upfront so it is clear who is handling what before the crew arrives.
Book a visit and we will check the subfloor, talk through the right material for the room, and quote it properly.
Flooring across the greater Ottawa area since 1999
Book a free consultation. We walk the space with you, talk through what the work involves, and follow up with an itemized estimate.