Big Bro Hardwood, Winnetka's Trusted Hardwood Flooring Company

Big Bro Hardwood is an owner-operated hardwood flooring company working in Winnetka and nearby suburbs. We install, sand, stain, refinish, and repair solid and engineered wood floors, starting around $3 a square foot. In 17+ years we’ve worked on 500+ floors across the area, from bringing worn white oak back to life in Winnetka’s Colonial Revival and Tudor homes to matching new boards into century-old Georgian houses near Hubbard Woods and the Village Center.

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 stays with your project from the first measurement to the last coat, no rotating subcontractors. We price everything line by line and keep dust down with vacuum-assisted equipment, though no setup removes it completely; edges and corners can leave a little fine residue. We finish with Bona and Loba products that are kid- and pet-safe once cured, and we’ll come measure your Winnetka home for a free estimate within 24 hours.

Why Winnetka Homeowners Choose Big Bro Hardwood as Their Hardwood Flooring Contractor

Premium Results From $3/sq ft

Beautiful floors in Winnetka don’t have to cost a fortune. Our work starts from just $3/sq ft, with an itemized quote after we see your space in person. Curious where your project might land? Try our hardwood floor cost calculator for a quick first look.

17+ Years of Hands-On Hardwood Experience

We’ve spent over 17 years working hands-on with hardwood, learning what each type of floor needs before problems show up. That long-term experience helps us choose the right approach, whether we’re looking at an original strip oak floor or a newer engineered plank.

Owner-Led From Start to Finish

Dan (Donatas) and the same small crew handle your project from the first walkthrough to the last detail. There’s no rotating subcontractors and no handoff between stages, so you always know who’s on site and your questions get answered directly.

Tailored for Winnetka Homes

Winnetka’s housing mix runs from early 1900s houses to newer custom builds and condos, and we plan around what each one actually needs. That means factoring in lake-effect humidity, dry winter heat and how your household really uses its rooms, not a one-size-fits-all approach.

Complex Projects Planned, Not Improvised

Tight hallways, concrete subfloors, custom color blends and tricky room transitions all call for a real plan. Before we start any Winnetka project, we work out access, prep, materials and sequencing in advance, so there’s less guesswork later and fewer surprises along the way.

GREENGUARD-Certified, Pet-Safe Finishes

We finish floors with low-VOC, water-based products only, including Bona and Loba products. Bona carries GREENGUARD Gold certification and Loba is EMICODE EC1 certified, giving Winnetka families and pets a finish that’s safe once fully cured, on solid or engineered hardwood alike.

Hardwood Flooring Services From Your Winnetka, IL Contractor

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

Hardwood floor installation in progress

Hardwood Floor Installation in Winnetka

We lay solid and engineered wood floors, prefinished or finished on site, in red oak, white oak, maple and more. Before anything goes down we check the subfloor for flatness and moisture and let the wood acclimate, so it stays tight through Winnetka's cold winters and humid summers.
Sanding and refinishing a hardwood floor

Dustless Sanding & Refinishing in Winnetka

Vacuum-assisted equipment keeps dust down while we take tired boards back to bare wood. Fresh color and new coats of finish bring dull, scratched or greyed floors back to life for a fraction of replacement cost, starting from $3/sq ft.
Worker staining a hardwood floor

Hardwood Floor Staining in Winnetka

We test color right on your own floor before anything is final, so you see the true tone on your actual wood, not a sample board. Natural, Jacobean, white-washed and grey tones are all on the table.
Hardwood floor repair

Hardwood Floor Repair in Winnetka

Water damage, rotted boards, deep scratches, dents and the seasonal gaps common in older Winnetka homes all get fixed. We match species, grade and board width so the patch disappears into the surrounding floor.
Worker installing hardwood stairs

Stair Installation & Refinishing in Winnetka

Treads, risers, railings and newel posts, built or renewed to match your floors. It's the hand-work that ties the steps to the rest of the house, done by the same crew that handles the rest of your project.

About Big Bro Hardwood

We’re a local hardwood floor company based in the Winnetka 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+ Winnetka-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 Winnetka, Illinois Homes

Winnetka's housing stock and climate change what works on the floors; here is how our specialists adapt the work by home type and condition.

1

Older Homes and Estate-Era Houses

Many Winnetka homes date back to the early 1900s through the 1930s, often with diagonal pine or mixed-species subfloors under the original red oak or maple. Those boards can usually be restored and recoated rather than torn out, even after years hidden under carpet. For homes built before 1978, we follow EPA lead-safe (RRP) rules during any dust-controlled work.

2

Additions and Rehabbed Spaces

When a Winnetka home gets a kitchen addition or a rehabbed family room, the new wood has to match the old in species, grade and board width. We hand-pick boards and lay patches so the seam between original and new flooring disappears, not just blends.

3

Newer Custom Construction

Winnetka’s newer custom homes, especially those built since the late 1990s, often call for wide-plank engineered or prefinished hardwood. Before any work begins, we check subfloor flatness and moisture levels so seasonal movement does not open gaps later.

4

Condos and Lower-Level Spaces

Homes near the lake and ravine areas, along with condos and basement-level rooms on concrete slabs, deal with higher moisture swings. Engineered hardwood with a glue-down or floating system handles that movement better than solid wood in these spots.

5

Lake-Effect Humidity Through the Seasons

Winnetka’s dry forced-air winters and humid summers push wood to expand and contract all year. We acclimate wood on site and recommend keeping rooms between 30-50% humidity to head off cupping, gapping and crowning before they start.

In many Winnetka 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 Winnetka 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.

A Recent Project by Our Hardwood Flooring Company in Winnetka, IL

This Winnetka home shows Golden Oak hardwood in a warm honey tone from the kitchen to the living areas.

Golden Oak Hardwood Floors by Our Hardwood Floor Contractors in Winnetka, IL

A warm honey Golden Oak tone under Pallmann X-Power runs across the kitchen and the living areas of this Winnetka home. Our local wood flooring company carried it into the open rooms as well.

Location
Winnetka, IL
Wood
Hardwood
Color
Golden Oak
Finish
Pallmann X-Power

How Much Will Your Winnetka 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
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 you handle condo and townhome projects in Winnetka, not just single-family homes?

Yes. Winnetka has condos along with its single-family housing stock, and we work within building rules on those projects, including quiet hours and protecting shared hallways and elevators. We’re fully insured and can provide a certificate of insurance for your HOA or building management before work starts.

How soon can your crew start a project in Winnetka after the estimate?

Once you sign off after your Winnetka estimate, we typically start within 2 to 4 weeks depending on our current schedule. Shorter jobs can sometimes fit in sooner without the usual wait. We’ll give you a realistic window once we’ve seen your floors and talked through the scope.

Who actually shows up to do the work at my Winnetka home?

Dan (Donatas) is on every job, and the same small crew stays with your project from the first walkthrough to the final detail. We don’t bring in rotating subcontractors, so the people measuring your Winnetka floors are the same ones finishing them.

Do you work in suburbs near Winnetka too?

Yes. Along with Winnetka, we serve Wilmette, Glenview, Northbrook, Evanston, Highland Park and other nearby suburbs. If your home is on the North Shore, there’s a good chance we already work in your area.

What happens during a free in-home estimate in Winnetka?

We come measure your floors, look at their current condition and talk through what you want, then follow up with a free estimate within 24 hours. Photos can give a rough first number, but the exact price comes from seeing your Winnetka home in person.

Hardwood floors in sunny room

Request a Free Hardwood Floor Estimate

Tell us about your floors and we'll get back to you within 24 hours.

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