Hardwood Installation in Columbus and Central Ohio

Transit & Flow Group installs solid hardwood flooring for Columbus homeowners who want a genuine wood floor that can be sanded and refinished many times over its life. Solid hardwood is milled from a single piece of wood all the way through, which is different from our Engineered Hardwood service, where a real wood veneer sits over an engineered core built for stability over concrete or radiant heat. Build a preliminary online estimate in the Estimate Builder, or call (614) 382-0000 to talk through your rooms and species options.

Is this the right service for you?

• Wanting solid, all-wood flooring that can be refinished repeatedly over decades rather than replaced
• Restoring or extending original hardwood in an older Central Ohio home
• Replacing carpet or damaged flooring in a dry, above-grade room with genuine hardwood
• Comparing solid hardwood to our Engineered Hardwood service and unsure which fits your home’s subfloor
• Wanting the resale appeal and authentic feel of solid wood in main living areas
• Still deciding on flooring material across multiple rooms, in which case our Flooring Selection design consultation is the better starting point

How pricing works

Hardwood installation is scope-based, range pricing, built around a few factors:

• Square footage and layout. Straightforward rectangular rooms install more efficiently than layouts with lots of closets, stairs, and transitions.
• Subfloor type. Solid hardwood is typically nailed or stapled to a wood subfloor; installation over concrete generally requires a different approach or points toward our Engineered Hardwood service instead.
• Removal of existing flooring. Pulling old carpet, tile, or damaged flooring is priced separately from the new installation.
• Wood species and board width. Species like oak, hickory, and maple vary in cost, and wider boards or custom finishes generally cost more than standard strip flooring.
• Site-finished versus prefinished. Site-finished floors are sanded and coated after installation for a seamless look; prefinished boards arrive with the finish already applied, which usually installs faster.

As general market context, not a Transit & Flow quote, Angi’s 2025 flooring cost data puts solid hardwood installation in the range of roughly $8 to $15 per square foot installed, with wider boards, exotic species, or site-finishing pushing toward the higher end. Enter your project details and photos in the Estimate Builder for a preliminary online estimate. Final scope and price subject to verification on site.

What’s included

• Removal of existing flooring where applicable
• Subfloor inspection and prep appropriate to a nail-down or staple-down installation
• Acclimation period for the wood material before installation, per manufacturer guidance
• Installation of the solid hardwood flooring, including trimming at doorways and built-ins
• Sanding and finishing for site-finished floors, or trim work for prefinished boards
• All workmanship is backed by a 1-year labor warranty on labor, parts, and equipment covered per manufacturer terms.

What’s not included

• Major subfloor repair or replacement, quoted separately if discovered
• Installation directly over a concrete slab (see our Engineered Hardwood page for that scenario)
• Furniture moving beyond what’s arranged in advance
• New baseboards or trim beyond reinstalling existing pieces

Solid hardwood in Central Ohio’s older homes

Neighborhoods like Bexley, Clintonville, Grandview, and the historic districts of German Village and Victorian Village are full of homes with original hardwood, often oak, hiding under decades of carpet or a later flooring update. Solid hardwood’s biggest advantage shows up here: a floor that’s been sanded down over the decades can typically be refinished again, sometimes many times over its life, which is part of why so much of that original flooring is still salvageable today. That same solid construction is also its main limitation. Central Ohio’s humid summers and dry winter heat cause solid wood to expand and contract more than engineered products, and it isn’t recommended over concrete slabs or radiant heat, which is common in additions and finished basements across the region.

That’s the real distinction from our Engineered Hardwood service. Engineered hardwood has a genuine wood veneer over a stable engineered core, which handles concrete and radiant heat and resists humidity swings better, but it can only be refinished a limited number of times. Solid hardwood, installed here, can be sanded and refinished many times over decades, which is a big part of its appeal in older homes, but it’s more sensitive to moisture and temperature swings and isn’t the right fit over every subfloor.

Our process

1. Describe your space online. Room dimensions, current flooring, subfloor type, and photos go into the Estimate Builder for a preliminary online estimate.
2. On-site measurement. Our team confirms dimensions, subfloor type, and whether site-finished or prefinished boards fit your project.
3. Species and product selection. You choose the wood species, board width, and finish that fits your space and budget.
4. Acclimation and installation. Material acclimates per manufacturer guidance, then we nail or staple the new flooring into place.
5. Sanding and finishing, if applicable. Site-finished floors are sanded, stained if desired, and coated after installation.
6. Walkthrough. We review care instructions and confirm you’re happy with the finished floor.

Services completed by appropriately qualified professionals where required.