Newington showroom • Serving Connecticut
Verified flooring case study • West Hartford, CT • Completed August 2026
Replace carpet with genuine hardwood and finish both rooms before the homeowners left for vacation
Residential Project · Residential Home
The problem
The homeowners wanted the carpet out of their living room and family room and genuine hardwood in its place — with a firm deadline: the work had to finish before they left for vacation. Solid hardwood complicates a tight schedule because it needs to acclimate inside the home first. Wood adjusts to the indoor temperature and humidity before installation; skip that step and boards can shrink or expand after they're nailed down.
They had considered LVP but chose Somerset High Gloss Collection Natural Red Oak solid hardwood because they preferred the appearance of genuine wood. To protect the three-day acclimation window, a Floors Now team member delivered the material at 9 p.m. after the normal workday so the clock could start immediately.
With acclimation handled, the installation itself was the straightforward part: the crew removed and disposed of 367 square feet of carpet and padding, confirmed the exposed plywood subfloor was in good condition and needed no modification, removed and reinstalled 70 linear feet of baseboard, and nailed down 405 square feet of solid red oak across both rooms. Both rooms were finished in one day before the homeowners left, which pleasantly surprised them.
Project overview
For this August 2026 West Hartford project, the homeowners considered LVP but selected Somerset High Gloss Collection Natural Red Oak solid hardwood because they preferred the appearance of genuine wood. Their upcoming vacation created a firm schedule, and the hardwood still needed three days inside the home before installation. To protect that acclimation window, a Floors Now team member delivered the material at 9 p.m. after the normal workday. The crew then removed 367 square feet of carpet and padding, confirmed the exposed plywood was in good condition without modification, removed and reinstalled 70 linear feet of baseboard, and nailed down 405 square feet of solid red oak across the living room and family room. Both rooms were completed in one day before the homeowners left, which pleasantly surprised them.
Project facts
Project photography
Each image and caption identifies the portion of the verified project that is actually shown.
Scope of work
A 9 p.m. delivery protected the full acclimation and installation schedule.
Common questions
It came down to appearance. These homeowners considered LVP but selected Somerset High Gloss Collection Natural Red Oak solid hardwood because they preferred the look of genuine wood. We install both — the right choice depends on the room, the budget, and what you want underfoot.
To protect the acclimation window. The solid hardwood needed three days inside the home before installation, and the homeowners were leaving for vacation, so a team member delivered the material at 9 p.m. after the normal workday to get the clock started immediately.
It comes out completely. We removed and disposed of 367 square feet of existing carpet and padding, then inspected the exposed plywood subfloor. On this project the plywood was in good condition and needed no modification before the nail-down installation.
The installation itself can go quickly once the material is acclimated and the subfloor is ready. Here we nailed down 405 square feet of solid red oak across the living room and family room — including baseboard removal and reinstallation — in one workday.
Products and planning
Use these resources to compare the materials, preparation, and installation services involved in this project.
Flooring Advice
Focused answers for the questions that need more room than a buyer's guide.
Installation planning · 6 min read
Learn what belongs in a Connecticut hardwood flooring quote, why square footage is only the starting point, and how to compare estimates fairly.
Read the guideCare and maintenance · 6 min read
A finish-aware hardwood care plan for dust, grit, spills, furniture, rugs, sunlight, humidity, cleaning, recoating, and refinishing.
Read the guideChoosing a floor · 6 min read
Choose hardwood in the right order: construction and room fit first, then species, grade, color, finish, sheen, width, and board variation.
Read the guideColor and design · 6 min read
Plan hardwood across connected rooms using sightlines, board direction, width, tone, variation, sheen, transitions, daylight, and room conditions.
Read the guidePlan a project like this West Hartford installation
Share the location, rooms, existing floors, materials you are considering, known preparation needs, and timing. Floors Now will review the details and follow up about the most practical next step.