Hardwood Floor Installation

Hardwood Floor Installation in DuPage County

Nothing matches the look, feel, and lasting value of real hardwood floors. They warm a room visually and physically, they age gracefully with proper care, and they add measurable resale value to DuPage County homes. According to the National Wood Flooring Association (NWFA), homes with hardwood floors sell faster and at higher prices than comparable homes without them. That holds true across the DuPage County real estate market.

At Turn Key Designs, we install both solid and engineered hardwood flooring. We help you choose the right species, finish, plank width, and installation method based on your home’s construction, your household’s traffic patterns, and your design goals.

Solid Hardwood vs. Engineered Hardwood

Solid Hardwood

Solid hardwood is milled from a single piece of wood, typically 3/4 inch thick. It can be sanded and refinished multiple times over its lifetime, which means a well-maintained solid hardwood floor can last a century or more. Solid hardwood is best installed on or above grade (main floors and upper levels, not basements) and requires a plywood or solid-wood subfloor. Installation is nail-down, which creates the most stable and quiet result. This is the right choice for homeowners who want the real thing and plan to stay in their home long-term.

Engineered Hardwood

Engineered hardwood features a real hardwood wear layer (typically 2mm to 6mm thick) bonded to a plywood or HDF core. This layered construction makes engineered hardwood more dimensionally stable than solid, meaning it resists the expansion and contraction caused by seasonal humidity changes that are common in Illinois. Engineered hardwood can be installed over concrete subfloors, over radiant heat systems, and in basements where solid hardwood cannot go. Installation methods include glue-down and floating, and many engineered products can be refinished once or twice depending on the wear layer thickness.

We recommend engineered hardwood when the home has a concrete subfloor, when radiant heat is being installed, or when the project includes below-grade living spaces. For a side-by-side comparison with other flooring types, read our hardwood vs. laminate vs. vinyl flooring guide.

Wood Species We Install

• White Oak is the most popular species in new installations today. It has a tight, consistent grain with warm golden tones and takes stain beautifully across a range of colors from natural to dark espresso. White oak scores 1360 on the Janka hardness scale, making it durable enough for heavy traffic. It works in every design style from farmhouse to modern minimalist.
• Red Oak is the classic American hardwood floor. Widely available, slightly warmer with pink and amber undertones, and the standard in homes built from the 1950s through the 2000s. Red oak is more affordable than white oak and a solid choice for homeowners who want a traditional look.
• Hickory is one of the hardest domestic wood species (Janka rating of 1820). It features dramatic grain variation and natural color range from light blond to deep brown. Hickory is an excellent choice for homes with large dogs and active kids because it resists dents and scratches better than most other species.
• Maple has a light, clean, and consistent grain pattern that takes paint and light stains well. It is a good choice for contemporary interiors where a smooth, uniform floor appearance is the goal.
• Walnut has a rich, dark, luxurious grain that makes a statement. It is softer than oak (Janka rating of 1010), so it is better suited for lower-traffic areas, bedrooms, or homes without large dogs. Walnut floors photograph beautifully and are a favorite in luxury interior design projects.

The Janka hardness ratings referenced above are published by the NWFA’s technical resource library and are the industry standard for comparing wood species durability.

Plank Width and Finish Options

Plank width affects the visual impact of a hardwood floor more than most people expect. Narrow planks (2-1/4 inch to 3-1/4 inch) read as traditional and formal. Wide planks (5 inch to 7 inch) feel modern, open up a room visually, and show more of the wood’s natural grain character. We carry samples across the full width range at our Lombard showroom.

Finish options include:

• Matte and low-sheen finishes are the current standard. They hide scratches better than any other finish type, and they look more natural and less “shiny” than traditional polyurethane.
• Satin finish provides a subtle sheen that splits the difference between matte and gloss. A versatile middle ground.
• Wire-brushed finish adds a textured surface that enhances visual depth and hides wear patterns in high-traffic areas.
• Hand-scraped finish creates an artisan texture for a rustic, aged appearance. Popular in farmhouse and transitional design styles.
• Smooth finish is clean and modern but shows scratches more readily than textured alternatives.

Installation Process

Proper hardwood installation starts days before the first plank is laid. We acclimate the flooring material in your home for three to five days so it reaches equilibrium with the indoor humidity and temperature. This step is essential for preventing gaps, cupping, and buckling after installation.

The subfloor is inspected, leveled, and prepped according to NWFA installation guidelines. Hardwood is installed with proper expansion gaps at all walls, transitions, doorways, and fixed objects. Room-to-room transitions are handled with clean, intentional details. If the hardwood installation is part of a larger kitchen remodel or home renovation, we protect finished floors during any remaining construction work with heavy-duty floor protection.

Hardwood Flooring as Part of a Larger Project

Hardwood is one of our most frequently installed flooring products, and it often runs through multiple rooms as part of broader renovation projects. It pairs naturally with kitchen remodels (as kitchen flooring in living areas adjacent to the kitchen), whole-home renovations, and cosmetic refreshes where updating the floors transforms the feel of the entire house. When hardwood is running through the main living areas, we coordinate with bathroom flooring selections to ensure a cohesive transition at doorways.

See all of our flooring installation options or compare hardwood to laminate and luxury vinyl plank side by side at our showroom.

Serving DuPage County

We install hardwood floors for homeowners throughout DuPage County, including Lombard, Wheaton, Glen Ellyn, Downers Grove, Lisle, Villa Park, Carol Stream, and Winfield.

Request a free hardwood flooring estimate or call us at (630) 353-1186.