New Installation
Hardwood Flooring Installation in Shelton, CT
New solid or engineered hardwood, installed by the crew that quotes it — with the subfloor prep and moisture control that decide whether a floor stays flat for decades.
A floor is only as good as what's underneath it
Every install starts days before the first plank goes down. We acclimate the wood on site, meter every batch for moisture, and prep the subfloor flat to within 1/8" over 10 feet. Underlayment, fasteners, and adhesives get matched to the species and to the room — a basement-level engineered floor and a second-floor solid oak floor are not the same job.
We install nail-down, glue-down, and floating systems in solid and engineered wood, including herringbone and custom patterns. Connecticut's humidity swing between February and August is real, and expansion gaps get sized for it rather than by habit.
How long it takes
A typical whole-floor install runs 3 to 5 days including acclimation, plus finishing time if the wood is unfinished. Prefinished wood is walkable the same day it's laid.
Species we install
Pick the wood
before you pick the stain.
Each species takes stain differently — same color on red oak vs. walnut will read completely different. These are the four we install most across Connecticut homes.
Red Oak
1290 lbfThe American classic.
Pinkish-brown with bold, open grain. Takes stain beautifully — most of our refinishing jobs are red oak, and most stain swatches you see online are tested on it.
Janka hardness
White Oak
1360 lbfCooler, tighter, premium.
Slightly harder than red oak with a tighter, more uniform grain and a cooler brown tone. The go-to for wide-plank installs and modern designer stains (gray, weathered, smoked).
Janka hardness
Maple
1450 lbfBlonde, tight grain, very hard.
Cream-blonde with subtle, almost invisible grain — gives a clean, modern look. Hard enough for high-traffic homes, though it can be tricky to stain evenly.
Janka hardness
Walnut
1010 lbfPremium, deep chocolate.
Rich chocolate-brown with dramatic, swirling grain — no stain needed. Softer than oak, so we recommend it for living rooms, bedrooms, and offices over kitchens.
Janka hardness
Stain options
Pick your color.
Pick your wood.
We finish every floor with DuraSeal Premium Wood Finishes — the same stains the trade has trusted for 100+ years. Tones below are previews; actual color varies with your wood grain and lighting.
Showing on
White Oak
Colors shown on White Oak. Natural wood tones vary, so expect your final stain color to vary slightly from board to board.
Country White
Neutral
Fruitwood
Golden Oak
Golden Pecan
Rustic Beige
Weathered Oak
Aged Barrel
Cherry
Colonial Maple
Early American
Golden Brown
Gunstock
Heritage Brown
Medium Brown
Nutmeg
Provincial
Spice Brown
Special Walnut
Antique Brown
Chestnut
Coffee Brown
Dark Walnut
English Chestnut
Espresso
Jacobean
Rosewood
True Black
Ebony
Classic Gray
Dark Gray
Silvered Gray
Warm Gray
Red Mahogany
Royal Mahogany
Sedona Red
Color swatches © DuraSeal Premium Wood Finishes — duraseal.com
Common questions
- What's the difference between solid and engineered hardwood?
- Solid hardwood is one piece of wood all the way through, so it can be sanded and refinished many times. Engineered hardwood is a real wood wear layer over a plywood core, which makes it far more stable against humidity — the better choice for basements and over concrete.
- Can you install hardwood over concrete?
- Engineered hardwood, yes, with a proper moisture barrier and a moisture test on the slab first. Solid hardwood over concrete is a risk we don't recommend in Connecticut basements.
- How long does hardwood installation take?
- Most homes run 3 to 5 days for the install itself. Add acclimation time before, and finishing and cure time after if you've chosen unfinished wood that gets sanded and coated on site.
- Do I need to move out during installation?
- Almost never. We work room by room where possible and seal off the work area. If we're sanding and finishing unfinished wood on site, plan to stay off those rooms for a few days.
Related services
- Hardwood Floor Refinishing in Shelton, CTIf your hardwood floors are scratched, dull, or discolored, refinishing brings them back to like-new condition for a fraction of the cost of replacement.
- Waterproof Luxury Vinyl Plank Installation in Shelton, CTLVP gives you the look of real hardwood with full waterproof protection — the practical answer for kitchens, basements, and houses with kids and dogs.
Where we do this work
Based in Shelton, CT and working across Fairfield and New Haven County. Free in-home estimates, no pressure.
Hardwood flooring experts
Floors built to last.
Built by craftsmen.
Installation, refinishing, and repair across Connecticut. Get a free in-home estimate today.