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From Just $3/sq ft
Owner-Led
Company
Certified Pet- & Family-Safe Finishes
Repairs Before Refinishing
15,000+ Hands-On Hours
Big Bro Hardwood is an employee-owned hardwood flooring company serving Berwyn 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 strip floors in Berwyn’s classic brick bungalows, uncovering hardwood hidden under decades of carpet in two-flats, and installing engineered wood over concrete in mid-century condos and multifamily buildings.
The same small crew handles your project from the first measurement to the last coat – no rotating subcontractors, ever. We give you a clear, line-by-line estimate, control sanding dust with vacuum-assisted equipment, and finish with Bona and Loba products that are kid- and pet-safe once cured. Call or email us and we will come to your Berwyn home for a free estimate within 24 hours.
Premium Results From $3/sq ft
Beautiful hardwood floors in Berwyn don’t have to mean an overwhelming bill. Our refinishing work starts at just $3, and installation pricing is straightforward with no hidden markups. Use our hardwood floor cost calculator to get a quick sense of what your project might look like before we even walk through the door.
80% of Clients Refer Us
We don’t spend much on advertising because we don’t need to. About 80% of our work comes from Berwyn homeowners telling a neighbor, a family member, or a coworker about us. That kind of repeat trust isn’t something you can manufacture. It builds one honest project at a time, and we take it seriously.
Finish Options Matched to Daily Use
Picking a finish isn’t just about how shiny you want it. We talk through your household first – kids, pets, odor sensitivity, how quickly you need the rooms back. Then we recommend a Bona or Loba system that fits your wood species and traffic level. You’ll also leave knowing exactly when to move furniture back and how to clean without damaging the new surface.
Floors and Stairs Under One Scope
We handle installation, sanding and refinishing, staining, repair, and stair work as one coordinated job. That means your treads, risers, and main floors can be matched in species, stain, and sheen without the confusion of juggling separate contractors. Everything ties together the way it should.
Serving Berwyn and Nearby Suburbs
We work throughout Berwyn and more than 30 suburbs across the area, but we do it with a small, consistent crew – not a patchwork of subcontractors. The same people who show up on day one are there at the finish. That keeps communication clear and workmanship consistent from the first board to the final coat.
GREENGUARD-Certified, Pet-Safe Finishes
Our Bona and Loba products are low-VOC once cured (Bona GREENGUARD Gold, Loba EMICODE EC1), which matters in the older Berwyn bungalows and two-flats where ventilation can be limited. Kids and pets can return to normal use without worry. We don’t cut corners on finish quality because the air in your home matters as much as the look of the floor.
From the brick bungalows of North Berwyn to the two-flats near the Depot District, we handle every hardwood flooring need with the same small, experienced crew from start to finish.
We’re a hardwood floor company based in the Berwyn 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+ Berwyn-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
Berwyn's mix of 1920s brick bungalows, two-flats, and postwar infill homes each bring their own flooring challenges, and what works in one house may not work in the next. Here is how we adapt our approach to what we actually find on site.
1
Brick Bungalows and Pre-War Homes
Most Berwyn bungalows were built in the 1920s and still have their original oak strip floors under layers of carpet or vinyl. We inspect the boards and subfloor before recommending anything. Where the wood is sound, dustless sanding and refinishing is almost always the better call. Because so many of these homes predate 1978, we follow EPA Lead RRP protocols on every refinishing project, including proper containment, HEPA vacuuming, and post-work verification.
2
Two-Flats and Small Multifamily Buildings
Berwyn’s two-flats often have hardwood on both floors in different conditions. We match stain colors and species as closely as possible when blending old and new wood, and we coordinate scheduling to minimize disruption to occupied units.
3
Rehabs, Additions, and Updated Rooms
When a remodeled room meets original flooring, the transition has to look intentional. We check subfloor flatness and moisture levels before any installation and select species and stain that tie the spaces together cleanly.
4
Condos and Mid-Century Multifamily on Slab
Later condos and mid-century apartment conversions in Berwyn often sit on concrete. We use glue-down or floating engineered systems with appropriate vapor mitigation, and we use low-VOC Bona and Loba finishes that are safe once cured.
5
Seasonal Humidity in the Berwyn Area
Humid summers and freezing winters put real stress on hardwood. We acclimate every board on site before installation and recommend keeping indoor humidity between 30-50% year-round to prevent gapping, cupping, and squeaks.
In many Berwyn 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.
A lot of Berwyn homes have original hardwood hiding under years of carpet, and this one was no different. Once we pulled it back, the boards underneath were worn, scratched and dull from decades of foot traffic. We sanded them back to bare wood, repaired the damaged areas and refinished them from scratch - same floor, no replacement needed. Take a look at the before and after photos 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
Most of the time, yes. Berwyn’s 1920s bungalows were built with site-finished oak strip flooring as standard, and it holds up remarkably well under carpet or vinyl that was laid over it decades later. We lift a corner, check the wood thickness, and let you know what we’re working with before any commitment. Finding original hardwood beneath old carpet is one of the most satisfying discoveries we make in this neighborhood.
It can add a step, but it’s very manageable. We inspect what’s underneath, remove layers as needed, and check the wood subfloor for flatness and moisture before anything goes down. Two-flats in Berwyn almost always have wood-frame floor systems over basements, which is actually ideal for solid hardwood. We follow NWFA guidelines on subfloor prep so the new floor performs the way it should for years.
Berwyn winters are dry and cold, summers are humid. That swing causes wood to expand and contract seasonally, and it can lead to gapping, cupping, or squeaks if humidity isn’t managed. We recommend keeping indoor humidity between 30-50% year-round. We also acclimate every board on site before installation. A simple humidifier in winter and air conditioning in summer goes a long way toward protecting your floor long-term.
It does, and we take it seriously. Older finishes in pre-1978 homes can contain lead. We follow EPA Lead RRP protocols on every refinishing project in those homes, including proper containment, HEPA-filtered equipment, and post-work verification. You don’t need to research the rules yourself. We handle the compliance side completely, so your family isn’t exposed to dust or debris during the process.
Refinishing starts at $3 per square foot, and we offer flat-rate pricing for homes under 1,200 square feet. For a quick estimate before we visit, try our cost calculator. Every in-home estimate is free, itemized line by line, and scheduled within 24 hours of your call. No vague ranges, no surprises when the invoice arrives.
We look at wood thickness, damage depth, and how many times the floor has already been sanded. Most solid oak floors can be refinished several times before replacement makes sense. If the boards are too thin, badly cupped, or structurally compromised, we’ll tell you honestly. We’re not going to push a full installation if a good refinish will do the job and save you real money.
Not necessarily for the whole project. Our vacuum-assisted sanding system captures 95% or more of dust at the source, so air quality stays much better than with traditional equipment. Finish coats do need dry time between applications, and some areas will be off-limits temporarily. We’ll walk you through the realistic schedule before we start so you can plan your days without guessing.
We primarily use Bona and Loba finishes, both low-VOC and water-based. Once fully cured, they’re safe for kids and pets. We also work with Pallmann and DuraSeal depending on the project. We’ll recommend the right sheen and durability level for your household. Every finish we use is chosen because it performs well in real homes, not just because it looks good on a spec sheet.
Tell us what you need — we’ll help you figure out the best way to get it done.
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