How To Choose The Best Flooring For Your Space

Chicagoland Pro- Hardwood Installation, Repair and Refinishing 

Are you getting ready to do a renovation and not sure what type of flooring is best for your space. Let us help you make the best choice. 


Obviously, being a hardwood flooring company we are partial to hardwood floors. After 25 years serving the Chicagoland area we have never heard a client tell us that they hate their hardwood floors. In fact, when was the last time you walked into a home or space and thought "I hate these hardwood floors"? Probably never, and that is why we think installing hardwood floors is a good idea and a good investment. We realize that not everyone agrees so we want to help inform you on all the choices so that you can make the best choice for your home or space. 

The number one factor when trying to decide on the type of flooring you should install or add to a space is function. The way the space will be used, the amount of foot traffic, as well as the floors location in a space all play an important role in what type of flooring your choose. While many focus on the design of the space we encourage to first consider function and then narrow down design options based on what floor will perform better for it's designated space. 


1. Hardwood flooring is great because it can provide both functional and beautiful elements to a renovation. Not only will this floor look good and be easy to keep clean, but it is a great investment. Hardwood flooring can outlast the homeowners by many years and adds a significant value to a home. Not only will the floors last but when you are ready to sell your home, buyers will be more interested because of the hardwood flooring. 

Currently, there are many varieties and or types of hardwood flooring options for consumers. Engineered wood is a great option for those not interested in traditional hardwood floor. It not only is more affordable but also is better suited to kitchen and bathroom spaces, or those that have high levels of humidity.

People looking for GREEN Flooring options should consider bamboo or salvaged wood, and realize that traditional hardwood flooring is considered environmentally friendly. Not only does can hardwood flooring last for over a century, but you can make sure that it is certifiably green by contacting the Forest Stewardship Council. The FCS ensures that wood flooring products are grown and farmed responsibly. There are also Green floor finishes like the BONA finish we use at Chicagoland Pro that is guaranteed to have low amounts of VOC's. These options make wood flooring the best choice for those going to "GREEN".

2. Stone flooring can add a modern and upscale look to a home or space but is not considered environmentally friendly and comes at a high cost. Stone flooring can be a great choice for entrance ways and other spaces that are compact. We would not recommend stone flooring for large rooms such as living or dining areas unless you are ready to spend.
Stone flooring comes in many styles and options, but again, it's not always functional for every type of room.  

3. Vinyl & Laminate flooring is good option for people who have high traffic areas or the functionality of the space includes pets, kids and or constant cleaning. These types of floors are easy to clean and will function well in an area that will receive a lot of foot traffic. While it is not an investment or major improvement that will help sell a space, it can a fresh and clean look, if you are doing a remodel or sick of cleaning a carpeted area. There are many varieties to choose from, including some that look and feel like hardwood floors. For those that are interested in hardwood but do not want to spend the money on traditional hardwood, these types of floors are a great option. They will not last as long, but will enhance a space and offer easier cleaning, and less allergens. 

Have a question for our Hardwood Flooring Professionals? 

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Spring 2015 Home Renovation Trends

Spring is here, and along with cleaning homeowners are doing renovations. Recently Hardwood Floor Magazine reported a sizable increase in spring renovation for homeowners across the country. There is no better time than now to start your home project or remodel and we at Chicagoland Pro thought we can help by offering some information on current trends in the hardwood flooring industry.

Spring time is a great time to do home remodeling projects. So what are some of the things that people are investing in this year?

Here are a few that we found to be popular requests this year for hardwood flooring.
Other home renovations and investments that are popular this year include outdoor living areas, outdoor lighting and landscape changes.

When it comes to hardwood floors one of the most popular additions for homeowners this year is hardwood in bathrooms and kitchens. With the advancement of engineered wood, the possibilities are endless. These new types of wood are safer to use in areas that have higher humidity levels, and are much easier to clean. One creative way to mix things up and create a new look in your kitchen without a complete renovation is refreshing kitchen cabinetry and adding hardwood flooring to match.

Recycled or up cycled wood is another new trend that is on a lot of peoples minds as homeowners try to make their homes more environmentally friendly. Not only does salvaged wood save trees, but it also tells a story.

Many people are choosing to do some simple refinishing to their current hardwood flooring and creating dark ebony colors to make their space more modern looking. On the flip side, others are choosing to go with a normal natural look and limiting the amount of shine for a matte finish. Both of these options create a modern and clean feel, offering the benefits of hardwood floors, without the traditional look or a major renovation to your home.

Looking for more tips or help with your remodel? Get in touch with Wayne, from Chicagoland Pro to learn more about our current specials. We offer FREE estimates and can install or refinish your hardwood floors. Our service areas north and northwest of Chicago including Palatine, Arlington Heights, Long Grove, Lincolnshire and Northbrook.

You can also find us on Facebook or Twitter for more tips, tricks and hardwood flooring news.

Spring Clean Your Hardwood Floor

Chicagoland Pro- Hardwood Floor Installation & Finishing 

When the snow is melting, the life is coming back to nature, temperatures are rising, and people are getting happier, you know that spring is here. Sure, there is still some snow on the ground in much of the midwest but we know that spring is this close to being here and the age old concept of "spring cleaning" is knocking at our doors. 

Now, no matter what kind of floors you have, it is important that you get them clean and looking good for all those fun times you are about to have now that the roads aren't impassable due to the weather.

Hardwood flooring is definitely one of the simplest floors to clean and takes the least amount of work. Typically, to keep them in good shape means just having to sweep and vacuum them; you just want to keep all the dirt and dust (and other junk) from making your floors home and ruining them. Now, if you have spills or stains, you may have to use a mop or a wet mop device (the ones that have the spray and you attach the tissue to the base). If you use either one of these, make sure you do not soak your floor with too much of the liquid; use enough to get it clean but not to flood the place. Too much moisture can get in between the seems in the floors and ruin them; this can ruin the backing on the floors and perhaps ruin the finish.

If you are one to prefer carpeting, then what you have to do is vacuum and make sure that the vacuum filter is clean (this will give you a real good job at cleaning your carpet). If you have more aggressive cleanings to do, like for stains, then use a proper cleaning solution and blot the stain, don't wipe or rub.

If you have ceramic floors, then you have a pretty easy cleaning job as well, much like with hardwood flooring, your cleaning job is going to be a lot of vacuuming and easy mopping. However, you may have to do cleaning more regularly, daily almost. You have to do regular cleaning to avoid the buildup of things like mold, mildew, grime, etc. Use clean water and then wipe them dry. Make sure your grout is clean and good to go as well. If you have grout to clean, then mix some mild detergent (1/4 cup) with a gallon of water.

They say April showers bring May flowers, should there be April showers (or any other spring month), then try to keep the water out of the house and off your floors. If you have any questions, then contact Chicagoland Pro - a hardwood flooring company. 

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What You Need to Know About Different Kinds of Hardwood Floors

When doing research for future hardwood flooring projects, make sure you know what each kind of flooring is and how it will affect your project. Typically, when we think of hardwood floors, we think of the traditional are a medium brown that have panels that are a few inches wide. Well, while that is one kind, there are many others. 

Laminate floors. These are less expensive than genuine hardwood floors but they are not necessarily inferior quality. Most laminate floors are made with great quality nowadays and look and feel just like real hardwood. Laminate floors are made up of composite wood with a picture placed on top of the traditional hardwood look. Some kinds are glued into place while newer models are able to be placed and locked with no glue. One lure to this kind of floor is that is more suitable for those with pets.

Some people argue that it is better to use real hardwood that can be sanded down and refinished if there is any damage; while this is a good point, if you want laminate hardwood flooring, go for laminate. However, we will still explore real hardwood types.

Select red oak – this is a top grade hardwood floor. The select red oak is 2-3/4 inches wide. The knots in this type are often very tight and your color options are more limited. You do have the choice of the width as you can get wide choices of species of this kind of floor; you can get other species than the oak as well. For the select red oak, you are looking at a cost of approximately $5 per square foot.

Natural maple is another higher grade. This kind has more color variations than the select red oak. The width for the maple is 3-1/4 inches wide and also comes in widths of 4, 5, or even 6 inch widths. This type of wood floor is a bit more dense than the select red oak as well. How dense is it? Well, this is the kind of wood used for basketball courts and bowling alleys. For the natural maple, you’re looking at an approximate cost of $4 per square foot.   

 Rustic ash is the third kind. This kind has larger knots than the others and still has good color variation. This one is a bit less pricey than the other two kinds and costs approximately $3 per square foot. It is indeed a less classy style of wood and suited more for leisure rooms and lodges.

If you are looking to install hardwood floors in your home, then contact ChicagolandPro – a Palatine Hardwood flooring installation company. 

We have many hardwood flooring specials and other hardwood floor services.

A Few Good Good Reasons To Refinish Your Hardwood Floor

Refinishing Hardwood Floors with Chicagoland Prowww.chicagolandpro.co 

Hardwood floor is a great investment and an asset to any home. Wood flooring, when properly taken care, can last as many as 100 years.

Hardwood flooring should be refinished at least one time in their time lifetime. There are many reasons to do this, but mainly it is a proactive step in protecting your investment. Often people decide to refinish their wood floors to eliminate scratches, stains and dents. Some of these minor issues can be fixed individually but over time the floor will not be able to withstand damage from traffic. At this point refinishing and protecting the floor is a good idea. 

Refinished hardwood floor can also help update the look of a home, allowing for changes in color and style to any room. It does not matter if your goal is to update a space for the purpose of selling or a redecorating project, refinishing your floor can create a completely different look and feel in a room. 

Refinishing do it yourself projects can be a big undertaking for people. It is always advised to get assistance from a professional to insure that the floor is not damaged. When it comes to sanding and staining, it takes a professional with years of experience to do the job right and when done incorrectly can destroy even the best hardwood floor.  

There are tools available and new advancements in refinishing products in recent years.  Time spent away from your home has drastically reduced with some of the new products, and they are also safer; allowing residents to have peace of mind knowing the quality of air after a refinishing project is much better for them and their families. When you start refinishing your hardwood floors ask the contractor working on the project what type of products they use and do some extra research about the options of available to you. Take advantage of the VOC Free and LOW VOC products on the market and get informed. 

Here at Chicagoland Pro we use a Bona refinishing products that has a LOW VOC count and has almost half the drying time compared to traditional products. We are proud to use Bona, as it not only is healthier for our clients but also safer for our staff.

Refinishing floors in your home can be done for a number of reasons. Updating the style or redecorating, protecting your hardwood flooring or simply getting ready to sell your home. Before starting this project it is always important to get in touch with your local hardwood floor professional and get their help in deciding how best to proceed. Some people may find that they may be able to complete the project on their own, but could use some assistance working out a plan and getting a professional opinion. Other people may benefit from having an experienced professional refinish their floor. Either way there is help our there. 

Most flooring professionals,  including Chicagoland Pro offer consolations for free and will help you make a plan based on your needs, wants, home and property. This will help you not only save time and money, but make sure that your are getting the result you want in the end.

Have a question for Chicagoland Pro? Tweet us @ChicagolandPro or stop by our Facebook and post a comment.  

What is Engineered Hardwood ?

Chicagoland Pro - Hardwood Flooring Professionals

Hardwood flooring has evolved from the days of the first pioneers. There are many options for people looking to install new hardwood flooring and it may be difficult to choose the best kind of floor. Once somebody has decided on wood flooring, there are still many choices and decisions to be made before you can actually start the installation process. To help navigate through the options we wanted to help by differencing regular hardwood floor from engineered wood, and give our readers more insight into Engineered Wood flooring.

Firstly, as with any wood floor install, we want to access the function and location of the space where the new floors will be placed. This is important for multiple reasons. The way the space is used and location of new floor will help define the options. Design and humidity levels should be taken into account, along with location.

One of the top trends in home design and style is the addition of wood to areas that in the past were uncommon. Bathrooms and kitchens, along with basements were normally made with tile, linoleum and other materials, but not wood. This is because wood has a tendency to warp and stain if exposed to water. Recently, with new innovation and materials, homeowners and designers are choosing to add wood to these places. Engineered wood is a great choice for those looking to add wood flooring to bathroom and kitchen spaces. While the humidity and water, low levels of exposure to water still will affect it will not cause damage to the floor.

Engineered wood is comprised of many different wood products and is designed to meet specific requirements. This specific designations help to make engineered wood more durable under certain conditions. The wood itself is made of many products and come from different sources. Plywood, particleboard, and remaining pieces from saw mills are all used in engineered wood. The wood is crossed, glued and pressed together to get the final result.  Engineered wood is equal to the same market value as solid hardwood that is 3-4". This is important information if you plan on selling or buying a home with engineered wood.

The range of sizes and styles available in engineered wood varies just as regular hardwood floor options. Sizes can vary and include traditional plank sizes to the latest trend of using wide plank boards for wood floor installations. Styles colors also vary, and are not limited either. Along with the wide planks, recent trends featuring scraped or salvaged wood can also be used with engineered wood installations.

As with any product, the prices and quality of engineered wood varies depending on the manufacturer and wood thickness. The thicker the engineered wood, the longer it will last. Boards that are 2-6 mm in width will last approximately 20-60 years less than boards made 2-6mm in width. The difference being that the thicker boards will be sanded and refinished at least once within that time, and like with any hardwood floor, will need proper care to last the test of time.

Engineered floor can be a great option for those looking to do Do It Yourself floor projects. The tongue and groove system helps to make installation easier and faster than traditional hardwood floors. Having prefinished engineered floor also allows for a faster move in time after the floor is placed in the home. Altogether making DIY projects more efficient overall.

If you are considering a DYI project or interested in installing engineered hardwood floors in your home we always suggest you contact a local professional like Chicagoland Pro to help navigate through the process and get expert advice on your investment.

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