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From Just $3/sq ft
Owner-Led
Company
Certified Pet- & Family-Safe Finishes
500+ Floors Completed
Solid and Engineered Floors
Big Bro Hardwood is an owner-operated hardwood flooring company serving West Chicago and the surrounding suburbs. We install, sand, stain, refinish, and repair solid and engineered wood floors, starting around $3 a square foot. Over 17 years and 500+ projects across the area, we have worked in all kinds of West Chicago homes – from Victorian and Arts and Crafts houses near the historic downtown to midcentury ranches and split-levels from the 1950s and 1960s, right through to newer subdivision builds with engineered oak over plywood.
You get the same small crew from the first measurement to the last coat – no rotating subcontractors, ever. Every estimate is itemized line by line so you know exactly what you are paying for. We use vacuum-assisted equipment that captures 95%+ of sanding dust, and we finish with Bona and Loba products that are kid- and pet-safe once cured. Call us and we will have a free in-home estimate to you within 24 hours.
High-quality West 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.
Our hardwood floor specialists use advanced dustless sanding systems to keep your home cleaner and sustain the indoor air quality during the sanding process.
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.
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.
We use only certified products from brands like Loba and Bona — safe for families, pets, and perfect for engineered wood floors or solid hardwood flooring.
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.
From the Victorian-era houses near downtown to the midcentury ranches and newer subdivisions on the city’s edges, we handle every hardwood flooring need West Chicago homeowners run into.
We’re a hardwood floor company based in the West Chicago area, with 17+ years of hands-on experience in hardwood floor installation, floor refinishing, staining, and repair services. 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+ West 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
Donatas
Owner
Valdas
Team member
Slavek
Team member
West Chicago's mix of railroad-era Victorians, midcentury ranches, and newer subdivisions means no two floors are the same situation. Here is how we adapt our work to what is actually under your feet:
1
Historic downtown and pre-war homes: Older Victorian, Arts and Crafts, and American Foursquare houses near the historic core often have original narrow-strip oak or maple over plank subfloors. In most cases we can sand and refinish rather than replace. For any home built before 1978, we follow EPA Lead RRP protocol – containment, HEPA vacuuming, and verification before we leave.
2
Midcentury ranches and split-levels: West Chicago has a solid belt of 1950s and 1960s homes with plywood subfloors over joists. We check flatness and moisture before anything goes down. Original strip oak under old carpet is a common find, and it usually refinishes beautifully.
3
Post-1980 subdivisions: Newer homes on the city’s outskirts often have engineered oak or prefinished hardwood over plywood, sometimes with slab sections near entries. We verify subfloor conditions room by room so seasonal movement does not open gaps later.
4
Rehabs and additions: When new wood needs to meet old, we match species, grade, and board width and feather the repair in so the transition disappears.
5
Continental climate and humidity swings: Dry forced-air winters and humid summers stress hardwood year-round. We acclimate wood on site and recommend keeping indoor humidity at 30-50% to prevent cupping, gapping, and crowning.
In many West Chicago homes the original wood is worth saving rather than replacing - but the only way to know for certain is to look at the subfloor and boards up close.
1
Call or send the form, tell us about your floors, and we’ll set a time to come look.
2
We measure, check the wood and subfloor, talk through color and options, and leave you an itemized estimate.
3
Our crew handles prep, sanding, install, stain, and finish on a dust-controlled setup, cleaning up daily.
4
We do a final walkthrough, go over care and timing, and stand behind the work.
This one speaks for itself. A homeowner in West Chicago reached out about a midcentury ranch with floors that had taken decades of wear - deep scratches, scuffs, and a finish so dull the wood had lost all its warmth. We sanded them back, repaired the damage, and refinished everything in place. Same boards, no replacement. Take a look at the before and after photos below and judge the results for yourself.
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 West Chicago staircase remodel: white oak treads, black risers, and horizontal iron spindles, sanded and refinished for a clean, modern look. See the details behind the build.
See how we transformed a dated staircase into a clean, modern Scandinavian look with white oak treads, black risers, and horizontal iron spindles in West Chicago.
Learn moreChoose what you'd like an estimate for
Not sure which one? Learn about wood types →
* This estimate is for budgeting purposes only. Actual pricing may vary based on site conditions, moisture levels, subfloor state, and access. A final quote requires an on-site inspection.
Not sure which one? Learn about wood types →
Red Oak $3–$7 / sq ft
White Oak $4–$10 / sq ft
Maple (clear coat) $4–$9 / sq ft
Maple (stained) $4–$9 / sq ft
Cherry $5–$12 / sq ft
Walnut $7–$15 / sq ft
Hickory $4–$10 / sq ft
Exotic / Other $8–$20 / sq ft
No removal needed
Remove carpet +$0.70–$1.60 / sq ft
Remove vinyl / linoleum +$1.00–$2.50 / sq ft
Remove tile +$1.50–$3.50 / sq ft
Subfloor leveling / repairs+$1.00–$3.00 / sq ft
Moisture barrier / underlayment+$0.70–$1.50 / sq ft
* This estimate is for budgeting purposes only. Actual pricing may vary based on site conditions, moisture levels, subfloor state, and access. A final quote requires an on-site inspection.
Not sure which one? Learn about wood types →
Red Oak $3–$7 / sq ft
White Oak $4–$10 / sq ft
Maple (clear coat) $4–$9 / sq ft
Maple (stained) $4–$9 / sq ft
Cherry $5–$12 / sq ft
Walnut $7–$15 / sq ft
Hickory $4–$10 / sq ft
Exotic / Other $8–$20 / sq ft
Subfloor leveling / repairs+$1.00–$3.00 / sq ft
Moisture barrier / underlayment+$0.70–$1.50 / sq ft
* This estimate is for budgeting purposes only. Actual pricing may vary based on site conditions, moisture levels, subfloor state, and access. A final quote requires an on-site inspection.
Donatas May 21, 2026
Donatas April 28, 2026
Donatas March 27, 2026
Almost certainly yes. Midcentury ranches and split-levels in West Chicago commonly have solid strip oak under decades of old finish or carpet, and solid wood can typically be sanded and refinished multiple times before it is anywhere near worn out. We check thickness and condition first, then sand with vacuum-assisted equipment that captures 95% or more of the dust. A fresh coat of Bona or Loba finish brings those floors back completely. Refinishing starts at $3 per square foot.
Yes. Homes built before 1978 – and West Chicago has a real share of them, especially in the older neighborhoods near the rail lines and downtown – can have lead-based paint or older adhesives present. We follow EPA Lead RRP protocols: proper containment, HEPA vacuuming, and verification before we leave. You do not need to track down a separate contractor. We handle it in-house as part of the project.
The seasonal swings here are hard on wood. Dry winters pull moisture out of boards and can cause gaps; humid summers push them back together. We acclimate every new floor on site before installation and follow NWFA guidelines on expansion gaps. For existing floors, keeping indoor humidity between 30-50% year-round does most of the work. Basements and crawlspaces common in West Chicago homes need a close look for moisture before any installation goes down.
It depends on what is underneath. Post-1980 homes in West Chicago sometimes mix full basements with slab sections, and slabs or areas with higher moisture variance are better suited to engineered wood than solid. We check subfloor flatness and take moisture readings before recommending anything. If conditions support solid hardwood, we will say so. If engineered is the smarter call for your specific situation, we will explain exactly why. Either way, you get a free in-home estimate within 24 hours.
It depends mostly on square footage, the condition of the floors, and whether you’re refinishing or installing new. Refinishing starts around $3 per square foot; new installation 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.
Most refinishing projects take 2–5 days, depending on size, stain, and number of finish coats. You can usually stay home – we 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.
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.
Tell us what you need — we’ll help you figure out the best way to get it done.
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