Hardwood floor questions, answered

Most solid hardwood can be sanded and refinished, often several times. NWFA says not to sand once less than 3/32 inch of wood is left above the tongue. Boards that are eaten, rotted or worn too thin get replaced one by one. See can my floor be refinished.

Sometimes, and it can be worth checking. La Cumbre removes carpet, and Tony can tell you what shape the wood is in.

Nothing. Estimates are free, and Tony comes out to look within one to three days. Call or text (805) 698-9745, Monday to Saturday, 8 am to 10 pm.

The rooms and roughly how big they are, what wood you think it is, what is wrong with it, and when the room can be cleared. Photos help, and you can text them to the same number.

La Cumbre is based in Carpinteria and works across Santa Barbara and Ventura Counties: Santa Barbara, Montecito, Goleta, Summerland, Santa Ynez, Ventura, Ojai, Oxnard and Camarillo. Most of the work, about 85 percent, is in Santa Barbara. See the service area page, or call to ask about yours.

Yes. We speak English and Spanish, se habla español.

Wood is most of the work. La Cumbre also does stairs (treads and risers), luxury vinyl plank, laminate and carpet, leveled slabs, epoxy garage floors and polished concrete, and removes carpet, old vinyl and old hardwood. Not tile, decks or stair railings. For other floor types, see choosing a floor.

La Cumbre does not publish prices, because the wood, its condition, the color and the size of the job change the number. Tony comes out within one to three days and the estimate is free. See what goes into a price.

It depends most on the wood species and grade, solid or engineered, the pattern and what is under the floor. Tony quotes it after he sees the room, free. See what goes into a price.

Usually the assumptions differ: whether removal is included, what is assumed under the floor, which finish and how many coats, and whether dust control is included. Ask each contractor to list them.

No. The smallest job Tony takes is a single scratch touch-up, and the estimate is free.

$1,000 or 10 percent of the price, whichever is less. That is California’s cap on a down payment for a home improvement contract. See the contract rules.

It can. Any change to the work should be a written change order, signed by both of you, with the price stated before the extra work starts.

Prep, repair, sand, color, finish and cure. Carpet or old flooring comes out, baseboards are taped, damaged boards are fixed, the floor is sanded to bare wood, stained if you want a new color, then sealed. See the step-by-step.

For one to three rooms, La Cumbre plans on four to seven days. Furniture goes back three days after the last coat and rugs after 30. Ask for the schedule for your job in writing. See drying and curing.

About 24 hours after the last coat for light foot traffic on waterborne and hardwax-oil finishes. Oil-modified finishes need at least overnight. Rugs wait much longer: NWFA says at least seven days, and La Cumbre asks for 30.

Sanding makes fine dust. Sanders connected to HEPA vacuums can capture up to 99.8 percent of it, but systems vary in quality. Sealed doorways and covered vents help. Ask your contractor how they control it. See dust control.

Not necessarily, but keep the work area clear and the house ventilated. Some people stay elsewhere for a night or two if they are sensitive to finish odor or have pets or small children.

Waterborne finishes have less odor than oil-modified ones. NWFA says finish odor is normal and not normally harmful. Open windows and use two box fans, one blowing in and one out.

Move out the furniture and rugs, plan to keep pets and children out, and keep the room accessible for the schedule you agreed on.

Usually. Different woods take stain differently, so the color is tinted until they blend. One customer’s floor was part white oak and part red oak; her review is on the home page.

Yes, if it is solid wood or engineered with enough top layer. The floor is sanded to bare wood and re-stained. Try tones in the floor designer.

Yes, but it is the hardest color to get right. Red oak’s pink undertone cannot be removed, oil finishes add yellow, and waterborne finish on white oak can pull tannins and leave brown marks. Ask for a sample on your floor.

It depends on what you want. Waterborne polyurethane is clear, quick drying and lower odor. Oil-modified is amber and slow. Hardwax oil is natural and easy to spot repair but needs maintenance. See finishes compared.

Lower sheens like matte and satin hide scratches and dust better than semi-gloss or gloss.

White oak leads, at 63 percent of members in NWFA’s 2025 survey. Natural, light and brown tones are rising, and gray and red tones are falling. Matte finishes are popular.

Yes: herringbone, chevron, inlaid borders and parquet panels built by hand. Patterns need a very flat subfloor. See herringbone, chevron and parquet.

Yes, after the termites are treated. Eaten boards are cut out and replaced and the subfloor is repaired. In the trade, new wood is often laced into the old so the repair blends. Ask Tony how he would handle yours. See termite damage.

Look for tiny six-sided pellets and small kick-out holes under 2 mm. UC IPM says drywood termites are common on the Southern California coast. A pest-control company should confirm.

Yes. Deep scratches are touched up, and if the whole floor is worn it is refinished. One customer wrote that the crew did a beautiful job on pretty significant scratches.

Cupping means moisture is unequal between the top and bottom of the board, usually from water below or very dry air above. Find and fix the source first. Do not sand until it has dried.

Wood shrinks when air is dry, such as in heated houses or during sundowner winds. Gaps often close when humidity returns. Keep humidity at 30 to 50 percent.

Shallow ones can be sanded and bleached. Dark, deep stains that reached the subfloor mean replacing boards.

Re-fastening the boards or subfloor usually stops it.

Yes. California contractor license #1125785. You can check it with the state contractors board (CSLB). La Cumbre is also accredited by the Better Business Bureau, rated A+.

A description of the work and materials, the price, start and finish dates, a payment schedule, permits, warranty, and the required notices. See the contract guide.

It depends on the jurisdiction. The City of Santa Barbara’s exempt list does not name flooring, so ask the permit counter. Structural subfloor work is more likely to need a permit.

Yes, in a house built before 1978. Federal rules require lead-safe practices for paid work that disturbs painted surfaces. Ask whether the firm is EPA-certified.

Older vinyl tile and adhesive can contain asbestos. It must not be sanded. Have a suspect sample tested by a certified lab first.

Most condos require written approval and an acoustic underlayment rating. Ask your HOA for its rule before ordering.

The City of Santa Barbara and the City of Ventura both allow construction from 7 am to 8 pm daily. Other places and many condos differ.

Vacuum or sweep, wipe spills at once, and use a pH-balanced cleaner on a barely damp mop. Avoid steam mops and vinegar. See floor care.

There is no fixed schedule. NWFA says the trigger is when the floor loses its luster.

30 to 50 percent, at 60 to 80 degrees, according to NWFA.

Yes. Cherry darkens, maple, walnut and oak lighten, and the change is fastest in the first months. Rugs leave outlines.