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From Just $3/sq ft
17+ Years of Local Expertise
Employee Owned
Company
Serving Chicago & 30+ Suburbs
Certified Pet- & Family-Safe Finishes
Big Bro Hardwood is an owner-operated hardwood flooring company serving Evanston and the surrounding North Shore 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 – bringing original oak back to life in Evanston’s pre-war bungalows and Foursquares, uncovering hardwood hidden under decades of carpet in older Queen Anne homes, matching new boards into historic lakefront properties, and refinishing the intricate borders and inlays you find in early 1900s custom houses throughout the city.
The same small crew handles every Evanston project from first measurement to final coat – no rotating subcontractors, ever. We price everything line by line so you know exactly what you are paying for. Vacuum-assisted sanding captures 95% or more of dust, and we finish with Bona and Loba products that are kid- and pet-safe once cured. Call or email us and we will have a free estimate to you within 24 hours.
High-quality Evanston 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 older Victorian and bungalow neighborhoods of West Evanston to the lakefront streets near Northwestern, 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 Evanston 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+ Evanston-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
15,000+ hours
Of hands-on hardwood work
Donatas
Owner
Valdas
Team member
Slavek
Team member
Evanston's mix of Victorian-era houses, pre-war bungalows, and lakefront multi-units each comes with its own subfloor conditions and wood history. Here is how we adapt our work to what is actually under your feet:
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Pre-war homes (late 1800s-1940s): Much of Evanston’s housing stock dates to this era, and original oak or maple strip floors are almost always worth refinishing rather than replacing. For any home built before 1978, we follow EPA Lead RRP protocol – proper containment, HEPA vacuuming, and verification before we leave.
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Hardwood hidden under carpet or vinyl: Homes from the 1910-1950 era frequently have original hardwood buried beneath later floor coverings. We pull back the material, assess the boards closely, and repair or feather in damaged sections rather than starting over.
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Historic districts and custom inlays: Older lakefront and historic-district homes sometimes have decorative borders, inlays, or wider strip flooring. We match species, grade, and board width carefully so repairs and additions disappear into the existing floor.
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Multi-unit buildings on concrete: Mid-century and newer multi-family construction in Evanston often sits on concrete floor systems. We use glue-down or floating engineered systems, low-VOC finishes, and schedule work around building quiet hours.
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Lake Michigan humidity swings: Evanston’s winters bring dry forced-air heat, and summers push humidity up fast. We acclimate wood on site and keep rooms at 30-50% humidity during and after installation to prevent cupping, gapping, and crowning.
In many Evanston homes the original wood is worth saving rather than replacing - the only way to know for certain is to look at the subfloor and boards up close.
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A lot of older Evanston homes have original hardwood hiding under decades of carpet, and this one was no different. Once the carpet came up, the boards underneath were worn, scratched, and dull from years of foot traffic. We sanded them back, repaired the damage, and refinished them - same wood, no replacement needed. 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.
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 June 30, 2026
Donatas May 21, 2026
Donatas April 28, 2026
Yes, and this is one of the most common calls we get from Evanston homeowners. Pre-war oak under carpet is often in better shape than people expect. We carefully remove the covering, assess the boards for damage, repair or replace what needs it, and refinish the rest. Because homes from that era predate 1978, we follow EPA Lead RRP protocols throughout – proper containment, HEPA vacuuming, and verification before we leave.
It can, if the humidity is not managed. Lake Michigan brings cold, dry winters and humid summers, and that seasonal swing makes wood expand and contract noticeably. We acclimate every board on site before installation and recommend keeping indoor humidity between 30-50% year-round. For homes with basements or crawlspaces, which are common in Evanston’s older neighborhoods, we also check subfloor moisture before any work begins.
We do. Many mid-century and newer multi-unit buildings in Evanston have concrete floor systems rather than wood-frame subfloors. Engineered hardwood is usually the right fit for those situations – it handles the moisture conditions concrete can present far better than solid wood. We check subfloor flatness and moisture levels before recommending anything, and we follow NWFA Technical Guidelines on every install regardless of building type.
Matching inlays and period details is work we genuinely enjoy. Older Evanston homes, especially in the lakefront historic districts, often have thicker strip flooring, borders, or custom inlays that need careful attention during sanding. We use vacuum-assisted equipment that gives us precise control, and we source matching species and widths when repairs are needed. The goal is always to make the repair disappear into the original floor.
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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