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From Just $3/sq ft
17+ Years of Local Expertise
Owner-Led
Company
Dust-Controlled Sanding
Moisture Checks Done
Big Bro Hardwood is an employee-owned hardwood flooring company serving Barrington and the surrounding suburbs. We install, sand, stain, refinish, and repair solid and engineered wood floors, starting around $3 a square foot. In 17+ years, we have completed 500+ floors across the area – restoring original oak in Victorian and Queen Anne homes along Barrington’s historic corridors, patching and leveling plank subfloors in prewar Craftsman houses, and installing new hardwood in mid-century colonials throughout the village.
The same small crew handles your project from the first measurement to the last coat – no rotating subcontractors, ever. We price everything line by line so nothing is hidden, use vacuum-assisted sanding that captures 95%+ of dust, and finish with Bona and Loba products that are kid- and pet-safe once cured. Call or email us and we will come out for a free estimate within 24 hours.
Premium Results From $3/sq ft
Quality hardwood flooring in Barrington does not have to mean an outsized bill. Our work starts at just $3, covering everything from refinishing original oak floors in a historic home to installing new engineered hardwood in a newer build. Use our hardwood floor cost calculator to get a fast, realistic sense of what your project might look like before we even walk through the door.
Floors and Stairs Under One Scope
We handle installation, refinishing, staining, repair, and stair work as one coordinated scope, not a patchwork of separate contractors. That matters when you want the treads on your staircase to match the floors in the hallway, or when a repair needs to blend seamlessly with existing boards. One crew, one plan, one finished result that reads as connected throughout the home.
Complex Projects Planned, Not Improvised
Barrington’s older homes bring real complexity – plank subfloors, uneven framing, moisture from full basements, and original wood that needs careful patching. We assess subfloor condition and moisture levels before any work begins, then map out the sequence, materials, and prep steps in advance. Fewer surprises mid-project means better results and less disruption to your home.
GREENGUARD-Certified, Pet-Safe Finishes
We use Bona and Loba products on every finish job. These are GREENGUARD-certified, low-VOC systems that are safe for kids and pets once cured, with no harsh lingering odors. Whether we are finishing solid oak in a century-old Barrington home or sealing new engineered hardwood, you get a durable surface that does not compromise your indoor air quality.
17+ Years of Hands-On Hardwood Experience
Our crew has been doing this work since 2008, and over 500 projects across 30-plus suburbs have sharpened our instincts considerably. We recognize the quirks that come with prewar wood floors – cupping, hidden fasteners, thin wear layers – and we know how to work with them rather than around them. That experience is what lets us give you an honest assessment instead of a sales pitch.
Finish Options Matched to Daily Use
Picking a finish is not just about sheen level. We talk through traffic, pets, drying time, and odor sensitivity before recommending a Bona or Loba system that actually suits how your household lives. We also walk you through what comes after: when to bring furniture back, which cleaners to use, and how to protect your investment so the floors stay looking right for years.
From the older Victorians near the historic district to newer construction farther out, we handle every hardwood flooring need Barrington homeowners run into.
We’re a hardwood floor company based in the Barrington 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+ Barrington-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
Barrington's mix of Victorian-era houses, mid-century ranches, and estate-style properties means the right flooring approach changes depending on what's underneath your feet and how old the structure is.
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Older Homes (Pre-1940)
Barrington’s historic core has some of the oldest housing stock in the northwest suburbs. Many of these Queen Anne, Folk Victorian, and Craftsman homes still have their original oak or pine strip floors over wood-framed subfloors and full basements. We sand and refinish those floors rather than replacing them whenever the boards are sound. For any home built before 1978, we follow EPA Lead RRP protocols – containment, HEPA vacuuming, and verification – before we touch a sander.
2
Rehabs and Additions
Blending new wood into an older Barrington home is one of the trickier jobs we handle. Subfloor heights rarely match perfectly between original sections and additions, and finding a species and stain that reads as one continuous floor takes real experience. We check flatness and moisture in both areas before any boards go down.
3
Mid-Century and Suburban Homes
Homes built from the 1950s through the 1980s typically have full basements and dimensional-lumber framing. Original floors in these houses are often oak and still refinishable with proper sanding and a fresh coat of Bona or Loba finish.
4
Seasonal Humidity in Barrington
Cold, snowy winters followed by wet summers create real humidity swings that move wood. We acclimate every order on site before installation and recommend keeping indoor humidity between 30-50% year-round to prevent gapping, cupping, and squeaks.
In many Barrington homes the original wood is worth saving rather than replacing - the only way to know 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 Barrington reached out about floors in an older two-story that had taken years of wear - boards were scratched, dull, and showing real fatigue under the finish. We sanded them back to bare wood, repaired the damage, and refinished them without touching a single plank of the original floor. Same wood, completely renewed. Take a look at the before and after 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.
Get a realistic budget range in about a minute for refinishing, new installation, replacing carpet with hardwood, or stairs. It’s a starting point, not a firm quote, and we confirm the exact figure with a free in-home estimate.
Choose 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 July 21, 2026
Donatas May 21, 2026
Donatas April 28, 2026
Yes, and we plan for it from the start. Many homes in Barrington’s historic district and along the Lake Street corridor were built in the late 1800s and early 1900s. That means dimensional-lumber framing, hidden plank subfloors, and floors that have shifted over decades. We check flatness and moisture levels before anything goes down, and we address leveling issues as part of the job, not as a surprise add-on. Solid preparation is what makes the finished floor last.
It matters more than most homeowners expect. The area gets cold, snowy winters and fairly wet summers, which means your floors are dealing with real seasonal humidity swings. Wood expands and contracts with those changes. We acclimate every board on site before installation, and we recommend keeping indoor humidity between 30-50% year-round. Basement humidity control is especially worth watching in older Barrington homes with crawlspaces or full basements below wood-framed floors.
Not with us. Pre-1978 homes can have lead-based paint in finish layers or on trim, so we follow EPA Lead RRP protocols for every project that qualifies. That means proper containment, HEPA vacuuming, and verification that the work area is clean before we leave. Barrington has a high share of older homes, and we handle this routinely. You do not need to chase down a separate contractor to manage it.
Almost always, yes. Oak floors in Barrington’s older Queen Anne and Craftsman homes are often thick enough to be sanded and refinished multiple times. We assess the wood depth, check for structural issues, and give you an honest read on whether refinishing makes sense. Refinishing costs significantly less than replacement and preserves the character of original floors that simply cannot be replicated with new material. We will tell you straight if replacement is the better call.
Refinishing starts at $3 per square foot. Final cost depends on floor condition, square footage, number of coats, and whether staining is included. For smaller homes, we offer flat-rate pricing. The clearest way to get a real number for your project is to use our cost calculator for a quick estimate, then schedule a free in-home visit. We provide itemized, line-by-line estimates so you can see exactly what you are paying for.
Most refinishing jobs in an average-size Barrington home take two to four days, depending on coats and drying time. Installation projects vary by scope. You do not have to leave, but the rooms being worked on need to be clear of furniture, and finish fumes require ventilation during curing. We give you a realistic timeline before we start and keep you updated throughout. The same crew handles your project start to finish, so there are no handoff delays.
Our vacuum-assisted sanding system captures 95% or more of dust at the source. It is not completely invisible, but the difference compared to traditional sanding is significant. Surfaces in adjacent rooms stay noticeably cleaner, and air quality during the job is much better. We follow NWFA guidelines throughout. For Barrington homeowners who want to stay in the home during the project, this method makes that much more manageable.
Yes. We use Bona and Loba finishes, which are low-VOC and safe for kids and pets once fully cured. Curing time varies by product and ventilation, and we will tell you exactly when it is safe to bring pets back in and replace furniture. These are professional-grade finishes that hold up well to real household use, including claws and foot traffic, which matters in a family home.
Tell us what you need — we’ll help you figure out the best way to get it done.
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