Big Bro Hardwood, Chicago’s Expert Hardwood Flooring Company

Big Bro Hardwood is an owner-operated hardwood flooring company working across Chicago and the western and northern suburbs. We install, sand, stain, refinish, and repair solid and engineered wood floors, starting around $3 a square foot. In 17+ years, we’ve done 500+ floors around Chicagoland — eviving 1920s red oak in bungalows from Berwyn to Portage Park, bringing greystone floors back in Logan Square, matching new boards into old two-flats, and laying engineered plank over concrete in Lakeview and downtown high-rise condos.

Brazilian cherry hardwood floors refinished in Chicago area.
Hardwood floor with silvered gray stain in Chicago
Special walnut hardwood floor refinishing Chicago area
Brazilian cherry hardwood floor in a formal room, with the natural reddish-brown tone and dense surface typical of this exotic wood species
Dark hardwood refinished by Big Bro Hardwood
Final result of hardwood sanding and refinishing
New 2 1/4 Red Oak hardwood installed, stained with Jacobean color with Loba 2k Duo finish.
Room with big windows and new refinished hardwood flooring

The same small crew handles your floors from the first measurement to the last coat — no rotating subcontractors. We price everything line by line, keep sanding dust to a minimum with vacuum-assisted equipment, and finish with Bona and Loba products that are kid- and pet-safe once cured. We’ll come measure and give you a free estimate within 24 hours.

Why Homeowners Choose Big Bro Hardwood As a Hardwood Flooring Contractor

Premium Results From $3/sq ft

High-quality Chicago flooring doesn’t need a luxury price tag. Our services start at just $3 per square foot. Use our hardwood floor cost calculator for a quick check.

Dustless Sanding Technology

Our hardwood floor specialists use advanced dustless sanding systems to keep your home cleaner and sustain the indoor air quality during the sanding process.

80% of Clients Refer Us

Most of our work comes from word-of-mouth. Clients trust us — and tell their friends. That’s how we’ve earned strong customer satisfaction.

Tailored for Chicago Homes

BBH hardwood floor company works with everything from historic bungalows to high-rise condos. Our wood flooring options are built to handle snow, humidity, and the rhythm of city life.

GREENGUARD-Certified, Pet-Safe Finishes

We finish with Bona (GREENGUARD Gold) and Loba (EMICODE EC1) products – safe for families and pets once cured, on engineered or solid hardwood.

On-Time, No-Stress Projects

Our hardwood flooring contractors keep a tight schedule, respect your home, and stay in communication. The entire process is clear, smooth, and handled by true professionals.

Professional Hardwood Flooring Services for Homes Across Chicago, Illinois

Big Bro Hardwood wood floor contractor offers all kinds of professional flooring services in Chicago:

Hardwood floor installation in progress

Hardwood Floor Installation in Chicago

We install solid and engineered hardwood in red oak, white oak, maple and more. Before laying a board we check the subfloor for flatness and moisture and acclimate the wood, so the floor stays tight through Chicago's seasons.
Sanding and refinishing a hardwood floor

Dustless Sanding & Refinishing in Chicago

Vacuum-assisted sanding keeps the dust down, then color and fresh coats of finish bring dull, scratched or greyed boards back to life - for a fraction of replacement, from $3/sq ft.
Worker staining a hardwood floor

Hardwood Floor Staining in Chicago

Stain colors are tested on your actual floor before anything is committed, so the real tone shows on your own wood — from natural and Jacobean to white-washed and grey.
Hardwood floor repair

Hardwood Floor Repair in Chicago

Water damage, rotted boards, deep scratches, dents, seasonal gaps — our hardwood floor company fixes the damage and matches species, grade and board width so the patch disappears into the surrounding floor.
Worker installing hardwood stairs

Stair Installation & Refinishing in Chicago

Treads, risers, railings and newel posts to match your floors. It's the hand-work that ties a staircase to the rest of the house — done by the same contractor handling your floors.

About Big Bro Hardwood

We’re a local hardwood floor company based in the Chicago area, with 17+ years of hands-on experience as professional wood floor contractors. Our team is small, focused, and takes pride in doing every job right, from the first measurement to the final product.

We’ve completed 500+ Chicago-area projects across the city and the Chicagoland area, and we work closely with every client to make sure the results match their flooring needs — no shortcuts, no guesswork. Big Bro Hardwood wood flooring contractors adhere to the industry’s National Wood Flooring Association Technical Guidelines.

Our wood flooring company believes in clear communication, the best materials, and clean, quality work. More than 80% of our new clients come from satisfied customers who recommend us to family, friends, and neighbors — and we’re genuinely proud to earn that kind of trust.

17+ years

Of experience

500+

Hardwood floor projects completed

30+

Suburbs served

1 crew

No subcontractors - the owner is on every hardwood job

Dan (Donatas), Big Bro Hardwood owner

Dan (Donatas)

Owner

Dan, 41, founded Big Bro Hardwood flooring company, and brings 17+ years of hands-on experience.
Valdas, Big Bro Hardwood team member

Valdas

Team member

47 years old, with 20+ years of experience helping our wood flooring company deliver quality work homeowners can trust.
Slavek, Big Bro Hardwood team member

Slavek

Team member

62 years old, bringing 37 years of experience in stairs, railings, and finish carpentry to every project.

Hardwood Flooring Built for Chicago Homes

Chicago's housing stock and climate change what works on your floors. Here is how our specialists adapt the work by home type and condition:

1

Vintage bungalows & greystones (pre-1940)

Original red oak and maple strip floors can almost always be restored and coated (even after years under carpet) instead of replaced. For pre-1978 homes, we follow EPA lead-safe (RRP) containment. Full replacement is only worth it when boards are cupped through or water-rotted.

2

Two-flats & rehabs

The usual challenge is blending old and new wood. We match species, grade and board width so additions and patches disappear into the existing floor instead of leaving a visible seam.

3

New construction & suburban builds

Wide-plank engineered and prefinished hardwood dominate here. We check subfloor flatness and moisture before any type of work so seasonal movement does not open gaps between boards.

4

Downtown & high-rise condos

Concrete subfloors and building rules drive the method. We use glue-down or floating engineered systems, low-VOC finishes, and schedule around HOA quiet hours, elevator booking, and other nuances.

5

Lake-effect humidity

Chicago swings from dry forced-air winters to humid lake summers. We acclimate wood on site and keep rooms at 30–50% humidity to prevent cupping, gapping, and crowning.

In most older Chicago homes the original wood is worth saving rather than tearing out — but the only way to know for sure is for a professional hardwood flooring contractor to look at your subfloor and the condition of the boards up close.

How We Work as a Hardwood Floor Contractor

1

Call Us Today

Call or send the form, tell us about your floors, and we’ll set a time to come look.

2

In-Home Visit & Consultation

We measure, check the wood and subfloor, talk through color and options, and leave you an itemized estimate.

3

Executing the Plan

Our expert hardwood floor company crew handles all the work on a dust-controlled setup, cleaning up daily.

4

Enjoy Your New Floors

We do a final walkthrough, go over care and timing, and stand behind the work.

Close-up of a hardwood floor

Ready to Transform Your Chicago Hardwood Floors?

Get a free in-home estimate within 24 hours. No pressure, no hidden costs — just honest advice and expert results, and no cutting corners.

Recent Projects by Our Hardwood Flooring Contractors in Chicago, IL

Our team worked in these Chicago homes, from two downtown high-rise condos to a townhome, a full-home rehab and a vintage floor.

Lighter Red Oak in a 23rd-Floor Condo Before and After by Our Hardwood Flooring Company in Chicago, IL

This 23rd-floor downtown Chicago condo has 1,750 sq ft of red oak in a custom Bona White and Fruitwood blend under two coats of Loba Invisible Protect. The lighter tone keeps the oak from reading orange under the large windows. Our hardwood floor contractors completed the job in 5 days within the building's elevator windows.

Learn more

Engineered White Oak in a 25th-Floor Condo by Our Wood Flooring Experts in Chicago, IL

The old glued-down floor in this 25th-floor downtown Chicago condo came out, and new 5/8-inch engineered white oak went down over an Acousti-Tech 7000 sound membrane. Antique Brown under 2K Duo Matte gives the 500 sq ft a deeper, warmer tone with a low sheen. Our professional hardwood flooring crew worked within the building's 9 AM to 4 PM hours and wrapped up in 9 days.

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Light Bona White Hardwood in a Condo by Our Hardwood Floor Specialists in Chicago, IL

Bona White under Loba 2K Duo gives this Chicago condo floor a light, cool white-washed tone. Our wood floor company carried the same color from the bright main room to the kitchen.

Location
Chicago, IL
Wood
Hardwood
Color
Bona White
Finish
Loba 2K Duo

Coffee Brown Floors and an Open-Riser Staircase by Our Local Hardwood Floor Company in Chicago, IL

This Chicago townhome has coffee brown hardwood under Pallmann Pall-X across the open living area and the waterfall-island kitchen. Our wood floor specialists carried the same color up the modern open-riser stair run.

Location
Chicago, IL
Wood
Hardwood
Color
Coffee Brown
Finish
Pallmann Pall-X

White Oak Staircase With Black Risers and Iron Spindles by Our Hardwood Floor Experts in Chicago, IL

As part of a full-home rehab, this Chicago house got new white oak treads, black risers for contrast and a new railing with white oak posts, handrails and horizontal iron spindles. Three coats of Loba 2K Duo protect the stair parts. Our expert hardwood flooring crew completed the staircase in 5 days.

Location
Chicago, IL
Wood
White Oak
Color
Natural white oak, black risers
Finish
Loba 2K DUO, 3 coats

Vintage Hardwood Floor Brought Back by Our Wood Floor Contractors in Chicago, IL

Damaged and broken boards in this vintage Chicago floor were cut out, and new wood was laced in and blended with the boards around it. The bay-window room now has a smooth, even surface in Espresso under Loba 2K Duo. Our hardwood contractors also worked new boards in where the floor meets the tile.

Location
Chicago, IL
Wood
Hardwood
Color
Espresso
Finish
Loba 2K Duo

How Much Will Your Chicago Floor Project Cost?

Get a realistic budget range for your floor in about a minute. It’s a starting point, and we confirm the exact figure with a free in-home estimate.

Clients' Testimonials

star star star star star
Pat Johnson
Pat Johnson
00:56 12 Apr 24
Dan and his team did a great job with our floors he was very thorough, explained the process well and cleaned up at the end of every day. He pays attention to the smallest of details too. I would certainly recommend him for your next flooring project.
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star star star star star
agnes agnes
agnes agnes
15:07 09 Jan 19
Very attentive to details and provides exceptional service! absolute BEST, and by that I mean, superior business to serve his clients. Promised us a beautiful floor and that is just what we got, we got exactly what we had in mind . I had a great experience with Big Bro Hardwood business. I will be calling back for future service! Many Thanks!!!
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star star star star star
TraciC
TraciC
18:15 09 Aug 17
My floors are beyond beautiful! The time spent and the attention to detail went above and beyond my expectations. I would highly recommend Bigbro to anyone... Impeccable work and service!
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Excellent service- was surprised how fast job was done! We were remodeling our whole second floor, so we needed to split job in parts and move our stuff from one room to other. It took half day to finish flooring in our master bedroom and hallway and after we moved everything from the other two rooms, they came and did two kids room in like 8 hours. Easy to communicate, good quality. Would recommend to everyone.
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star star star star star
Andrey Bocharov
Andrey Bocharov
15:28 17 Mar 17
Big Bro Hardwood worked on hardwood remodeling in our 2bd condo (Jan 2017). They worked fast and did an excellent quality job. Representative was very patient and easy to work with. Overall very satisfied and would recommend Big Bro Hardwood to everyone.
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Frequently Asked Questions

Do your specialists work in downtown high-rise condos?

Yes. Condos sit on concrete subfloors and come with building rules, so the method differs from a house. We use glue-down or floating method for engineered wood floors, apply only low-odor (low-VOC) finishes, and handle the building side — booking the elevator, certificate of insurance, and working within HOA quiet hours.

Does Chicago weather affect my floors, and when's the best time to do them?

Chicago swings from dry, heated winters to humid lake-effect summers, and wood moves with it. We acclimate new wood in your home before the work and aim for 30–50% indoor humidity, which prevents winter gaps and summer cupping. You can have floors done any time of year — just keep the heat or AC running normally during and after the job.

Can you restore floors in a historic or pre-1978 Chicago home?

Yes. Our experts have worked on early-1900s oak, maple, and parquet, and hand-cut planks. For homes built before 1978, we follow EPA’s Lead Renovation, Repair and Painting (RRP) Rule (containment, HEPA cleanup, verification), so if the original floor can be saved, we restore it without spreading lead dust.

How much does a hardwood floor project cost?

It depends mostly on square footage, the condition of the floors, and what type of service you need. Refinishing starts around $3 per square foot; new wood floor costs more because of materials. You get an itemized price at the free in-home estimate, and you can get a rough number first with our online cost calculator.

How long does it take, and can we stay in the house during the work?

Most hardwood flooring projects take 2–5 days, depending on size and number of finish coats. You can usually stay home. Our hardwood floor experts seal off work areas and keep sanding dust to a minimum with vacuum-assisted equipment — but you’ll need to keep off the floors while the finish cures (water-based finishes are walkable sooner than oil-based). We give you a day-by-day plan before we start.

Do you require a deposit, and how does payment work?

For most projects, we take a deposit to cover materials and lock in your dates, with the balance due once the work is finished and you’re happy with it. We put the exact terms in writing at the estimate, so there are no surprises.

Let’s Get Your Project Started

Tell us what you need — we’ll help you figure out the best way to get it done.