Hardwood Flooring in Kitchener
Guelph Flooring Pros installs new hardwood flooring and refinishes original wood floors in Kitchener homes. We are a Guelph-based flooring contractor with more than 15 years of experience and over 1500 completed jobs, and hardwood is our core specialty. We work for Kitchener homeowners, landlords renovating older duplexes and contractors who need a reliable floor crew.
Hardwood work in Kitchener splits into two very different jobs. In the older central neighbourhoods, the best floor in the house is often already there, hidden under carpet or linoleum and waiting to be sanded. In post-war and newer areas, owners want new solid or engineered hardwood laid over a subfloor that needs checking first.
We quote both honestly. If your original oak has enough wood left for a full sand, we will tell you refinishing costs far less than replacing it. If it doesn't, we will show you why before recommending new boards. This page covers how we decide, what each option costs in Kitchener and how we get to you from our Guelph shop. For every other floor type in the city, see our main Kitchener flooring page.
1500+
floors completed
Homes around Victoria Park, Mount Hope, Central Frederick and Westmount were mostly built before 1950. Many still have narrow red or white oak strip, and some have maple or softwood in upstairs bedrooms.
Before we quote a refinish, we check what is actually left. We lift a heat register to measure board thickness above the tongue, look for face nails and splits from earlier sandings and test a small area for old wax or oil finishes that block new coatings.
Most original floors in these areas have been sanded once or twice at most. That usually leaves plenty of wood for another full sand and three coats of finish.
Surface scratches, grey traffic lanes and worn finish all disappear with a full sand. We sand in three grit passes, edge along the walls, then apply stain if you are changing colour and two to three coats of finish.
Our hardwood floor refinishing page explains the finishes we use and how long each needs before furniture goes back.
Pet stains that have gone black, water damage near a kitchen or boards cut out for old ductwork can't be sanded away. We cut out the damaged boards and weave in matching reclaimed or new strip, staggering the joints so the repair disappears after sanding.
In century homes, we often source reclaimed oak so the grain and colour match the rest of the room.
If earlier sandings have exposed the tongues, or the floor is a patchwork of repairs, new hardwood is the better long-term value. The same applies to 1950s and 1960s homes in Stanley Park, Rockway and the St. Mary's area, where owners want wood in rooms that were built with carpet.
Many post-war Kitchener bungalows have diagonal board subfloors instead of plywood. Solid hardwood can be nailed over boards in good condition, but loose, cupped or widely gapped planks need attention first.
We re-fasten the boards, plane high spots and add a plywood overlay where the planks can't hold nails reliably. Newer homes in Doon South, Huron Park and Laurentian West usually have OSB over engineered joists, which is ready for nail-down hardwood once we check it for flatness and squeaks.
For condos and finished basements, we switch to engineered hardwood glued or floated over the slab. Our engineered hardwood page covers acoustic underlay and moisture testing for those installs.
Kitchener has four Heritage Conservation Districts: Victoria Park Area, Civic Centre Neighbourhood, St. Mary's and Upper Doon. District plans focus mainly on exteriors, streetscapes and landscapes.
Refinishing or replacing interior floors in those districts usually doesn't need a heritage permit. If your home is individually designated with listed interior features, confirm with the City of Kitchener's heritage planning staff before removing original flooring.
Typical 2026 ranges for Kitchener hardwood work. Your written quote reflects your floor's real condition.
| Work | Typical cost |
|---|---|
| Sand and 3 coats, natural colour | $3.50 to $5.50 per sq ft |
| Sand, stain and 3 coats | $4.50 to $7 per sq ft |
| Screen and recoat, no sanding to bare wood | $1.50 to $2.50 per sq ft |
| New solid oak, prefinished, installed | $11 to $18 per sq ft |
| New engineered hardwood, installed | $9 to $18 per sq ft |
| Refinish existing stair treads | $50 to $100 per step |
Service area
Most Kitchener addresses are 20 to 30 minutes from 5 Edinburgh Rd S along Highway 7, with the east end and Chicopee closest. That is close enough for free on-site measures, same-week quotes and full-day installation or sanding schedules.
For refinishing, plan to be out of the rooms we are working in for the sanding and coating days. We seal doorways with plastic and run dust extraction on our sanders, and we tell you exactly when you can walk on the floor and when furniture can return.
FAQ
We check thickness above the tongue at a heat register, look for exposed nails and splits and note any earlier sanding. Most original oak in Kitchener's older homes has enough wood left for at least one more full sand.
Usually. We match species, board width and grain, often using reclaimed strip for older homes. After the whole floor is sanded and finished together, repairs are very hard to spot.
A living room, dining room and hall typically take three to four days, including drying time between coats. Oil-based finishes need longer before furniture returns than water-based ones.
Free written quote
Free assessment of your original floors or a measure for new hardwood. Call 226-790-3755 or request a quote.
Call or send the form
Tell us the rooms, the floor you want and your timeline.
Free on-site measure
We measure, check the subfloor and take moisture readings.
Itemised written quote
Every line listed. No deposit needed to receive it.
Open Monday to Saturday 7am to 9pm, Sunday 9am to 5pm.