How a job runs, from walkthrough to final coat.
The same order on every job, whether it is one staircase or the whole first floor. Timing depends on the house, the wood and the weather, so the notes below are typical, not fixed.
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- Free walkthrough and estimateMeasured on site, no obligation.
- Moisture readings firstOn the subfloor and on the new boards.
- Final walkthrough in daylightEvery room and every step, with you.
Six steps, every job
You know what is happening each day, and what comes next.
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01
Walkthrough & measure
We walk the rooms with you, measure every room and stair, look at what is under the floor you have now, and talk through wood, width, color and finish. The estimate is free.
Rooms, stairs, transitions
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02
Moisture check & acclimation
We meter the subfloor and the new boards. New wood stays in the house until its moisture is close to the subfloor’s before it goes down.
Subfloor and new boards
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03
Stain samples on site
Samples go on your own floor, sanded the way the whole floor will be, so you choose the color in your own light.
Natural to Ebony
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04
Install or sand
New boards go down in staggered rows, or the old finish comes off through 36, 60, 80 and 100 grit, with Festool dust extraction running the whole time.
Joints 6″ apart or more · grit 36 to 100
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05
LOBA finish coats & cure
Sealer, then the topcoats, with a light screen between them. We tell you when you can walk on it and when the furniture can come back.
Furniture back after about 5 days
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06
Final walkthrough
We go over every room and every step with you in daylight, and touch up anything you point out before we pack up.
With you, in daylight
Getting the house ready.
A little preparation keeps the job on schedule. We go through it with you at the walkthrough, so nothing here comes as a surprise.
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Clear the rooms
Furniture, rugs and anything on the floor come out of the rooms we are working in. Tell us at the walkthrough if something heavy has to stay.
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Plan around the finish
Rooms being finished are off limits until the coats dry. If the kitchen or the only stair is part of the job, we plan the order with you.
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Keep pets out of the work area
Until the finish has cured, so the last coat dries without paw prints, and nobody walks through wet finish.
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Keep the house at its usual temperature
Run the heat or the air the way you normally do. Wood and finish both do best when the house stays steady.
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Take fragile things off the walls
Big sanders make the floor hum a little. Pictures and shelves next to the rooms we are sanding are safer down for a day.
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Leave a way in
A clear path from the door to the rooms for boards and equipment, and somewhere close by to park.
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Call, text, email and directions on one page, with a button that adds us to your contacts. It is the page our QR code opens.
Is the estimate really free?
Yes. We come out, walk the rooms with you, measure and look at the subfloor. The estimate costs nothing and does not commit you to anything.
How long will the job take?
It depends on the square footage, the subfloor, whether there is a stain, and the drying time between coats. You get a schedule with the estimate.
Can we stay home during the work?
Usually, yes. The dust goes into extractors and the rooms we are working in are closed off. You will need to stay off the floors being finished until the coats are dry.
When can we walk on the floor and move furniture back?
We give you the times for your finish and the weather. Typically light foot traffic in socks comes first, furniture after about 5 days with felt pads on the legs, and rugs a little later.
What happens at the final walkthrough?
We go through every room and every step with you in daylight and touch up anything you point out before we call the job done.
Get a free estimate
Tell us about the floor or the stairs. We’ll call or text you back, set a time to come out, and measure.
Call or text
(773) 886-9178- Area
- Chicago & suburbs
- DS Superior Hardwood Flooring
Thanks, we’ll call you back.
We’ll call to set up a walkthrough and measure.
In a hurry? Call or text us at (773) 886-9178.
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