Hardwood Flooring in Corte Madera, CA

Most of Corte Madera went up during the postwar tract-building years, which makes it one of the more predictable towns in the county to work in. Ranch-style homes, mostly single story, and a fairly consistent mix of slab and raised foundations depending on which side of town you are on. When we quote a job here we usually have a good idea of what is under the existing floor before we are through the front door.

Predictable does not mean we skip steps. Sixty-year-old framing still settles, and the flatter parts of town sit low enough that we check moisture as carefully as we would anywhere else in Marin. What it does mean is fewer mid-job surprises and a schedule that tends to hold the way we quoted it.

Call today for a free estimate on installation, refinishing, or repair in Corte Madera.

What Is Usually Under a Corte Madera Floor

Postwar tract houses tend to have layers. Carpet over pad, sometimes over an older sheet vinyl, sometimes over the original hardwood, all sitting on a plywood or plank subfloor. Pulling that up is the part of the job with the most unknowns in it, and it is why we would rather look before quoting than after. One thing worth knowing on houses from this era: sheet flooring and the adhesive under it, in homes built before the early eighties, can contain asbestos. It is not dangerous sitting there undisturbed. It becomes a problem when someone tears it up with a scraper. If we find it, we stop and tell you, and that becomes a job for an abatement contractor rather than something we work around quietly. Most of the time it is not there and the floor underneath is in better shape than anyone expected. Newer parts of Novato have the same layering without the asbestos-era question.

Oil Finish or Water-Based, and Which One Fits the House

Two finishes cover most of what we install. Water-based polyurethane goes down clear, stays close to the natural color of the wood, cures fast, and takes wear well. Oil-based penetrating finishes soak into the wood instead of sitting on top of it, give a warmer and more matte look, and can be spot-repaired without redoing the whole floor, which matters if you have dogs. The tradeoff is that oil finishes need periodic re-oiling and water-based ones eventually need a full recoat instead. Neither is better. They fit different houses and different tolerances for upkeep. Neither will get recommended here because it is what we happened to buy in bulk. We will show you both on your actual floor, in your actual light, before you decide.