New Construction

Hardwood for new builds, installed once and installed right.

New construction is where a floor either gets a long life or a short one. We work with the builder’s schedule, check subfloor moisture before a single board goes down, and acclimate the material to the house it is going to live in.

On a new home in Yelm or anywhere in the South Sound the floor goes in after drywall and paint but before trim, and it goes in on a subfloor that has often only just dried out. That timing matters. Wood laid on a damp subfloor cups within its first winter. We meter the subfloor and the flooring, compare the two, and do not install until they are within range.

We install solid and engineered hardwood, nail-down, glue-down and floating, across plywood, OSB and concrete. Site-finished floors are sanded flat after install and finished in place, which gives a seamless surface with no bevels. Prefinished floors go in faster and let the homeowner move in the same week.

Builders get a clean handoff: floors protected with breathable paper, trim-ready edges, and a walkthrough before the punch list.

Questions

New Construction FAQ

When in the build should the hardwood go in?

After drywall, texture and paint are complete and the HVAC has been running long enough to bring the house to normal living conditions. Installing earlier than that is the number one cause of cupping in new construction.

Solid or engineered for a new build?

Either can work. Solid hardwood can be refinished more times over its life. Engineered is more stable over concrete slabs and in rooms with big humidity swings. We will look at the subfloor and the room and recommend one.

Do you work directly with builders?

Yes. Most of our new-construction work comes through general contractors and custom builders in Thurston and Pierce counties.

How long does a new-construction install take?

A typical 1,000 to 1,500 square foot site-finished floor takes about a week including sanding and finish cure. Prefinished floors are usually done in two to three days.

Let’s look at the floor together.

Free in-home estimate, written quote on the spot, and honest advice about whether the work is worth doing.