Flooring FAQs

Hardwood floor refinishing typically takes 3 to 5 days depending on the size of the area and the type of finish selected. The process involves sanding the existing floor down to bare wood, applying your chosen stain color, and sealing with a durable finish coat. We offer water-based, oil-based, acid-cured, and moisture-cured finishes to match your durability and appearance preferences.

Yes, AG Construction is a MHIC-licensed contractor, meaning we hold a Maryland Home Improvement Commission license for hardwood floor installation and refinishing. We are also HomeAdvisor Screened and Approved for over 10 years, an Angi Super Service Award recipient in 2023, and featured on Houzz as a trusted local flooring professional.

AG Construction serves the greater DC Metro area including Frederick County, Howard County, Baltimore County, Anne Arundel County, Carroll County, and Montgomery County in Maryland, as well as Northwest DC and Southwest DC. We provide free estimates with no obligation anywhere within our service area, typically scheduling within one to two business days.

Yes, AG Construction provides free, no-obligation estimates for all flooring projects throughout the DMV area. You can request an estimate by calling 240-246-4561 or filling out the contact form on our website. We typically schedule in-home consultations within one to two business days and provide detailed written quotes covering materials, labor, and project timeline.

For over a decade, our loyal customers have chosen us for our:

The length of your project will depend on the scope of work. Hardwood refinishing can take 3-5 days, while installation projects may take longer. We’ll provide a detailed timeline during your consultation.

We work with our clients to ensure their flooring project fits their budget. Contact us to discuss financing options and see how we can help you achieve your flooring goals.

It moves with square footage, the fiber and weight of the carpet you choose, the pad, the number of stairs, how much old flooring has to come out, and whether the subfloor needs repair. We do not publish a per square foot carpet price because the honest answer changes with the carpet. Aaron Goodman measures the actual rooms and gives you a written estimate free of charge, and you never pay more than that estimate shows.

Most homes are a single-day job: the old carpet and pad come out in the morning and the new carpet is stretched in and trimmed before we leave. Large houses, several flights of stairs, or subfloor repairs can push it into a second day, and we tell you which one yours is before we start.

Usually one day. We remove the existing carpet and pad and install the new carpet the same day so your household is disrupted as little as possible. Larger homes, stair flights, or subfloor repairs can add a day, and you will know that before we schedule.

Yes. AG Construction is MHIC licensed and insured, and the same owner-supervised crews that handle our residential work handle our commercial projects.

Yes. Every Fairfax project starts with a free, no-obligation written estimate at your home or property. Call 240-246-4561 or use our contact form.

Yes. AG Construction is licensed and insured, and owner Aaron Goodman personally oversees every project.

Most Maryland hardwood refinishing jobs run $3 to $8 per square foot, which works out to roughly $3,000 to $8,000 for a typical 1,000 square foot home. The exact price depends on the floor's condition and the finish you choose. Estimates are free and carry no obligation. Call 240-246-4561.

Yes. Every Columbia project begins with a free, no-obligation estimate.

Yes. Every flooring project in Gaithersburg starts with a free, no-obligation estimate. Call 240-246-4561 or send us a message and we will schedule a visit.

Yes. AG Construction is MHIC licensed and insured, which is the license required for home improvement work in Maryland.

Yes. Call 240-246-4561 or use our contact form and we will come to your Rockville home to measure and quote at no cost.

It depends mostly on the wear layer thickness: thicker wear layers survive pets, kids, and traffic for many more years. We help you match the wear-layer grade to how the room actually gets used.

Most single rooms are done quickly, often within a day, while whole-home projects take longer. We give you a real timeline for your square footage at the free estimate.

AG Construction installs a wide range of hardwood species including oak, maple, walnut, cherry, bamboo, birch, pine, and heart of pine. We offer both pre-finished hardwood that is ready to walk on immediately after installation and unfinished hardwood that allows custom staining to match your exact color preferences. Our team serves Frederick, Baltimore, DC, and surrounding counties.

To maintain newly installed or refinished hardwood floors, sweep or vacuum regularly to remove grit that can scratch the surface, use a damp mop with a hardwood-specific cleaner rather than excess water, place felt pads under furniture legs, and use area rugs in high-traffic zones. Avoid harsh chemical cleaners and steam mops, which can damage the finish. With proper care, hardwood floors can last 25 years or more before needing refinishing.

Yes, and stairs are the most labor-intensive carpet work in a house. Every tread and riser is cut and fastened individually and the pile direction has to stay consistent down the flight. Tell us how many flights you have and whether you want wall-to-wall carpet or a runner over exposed treads, and it goes into the same free estimate.

Yes: offices, retail, and multifamily properties across Maryland, DC, and Northern Virginia. We help you pick species and finish systems rated for the traffic your space actually sees.

Yes. While it depends on the material and condition of your existing flooring, installation options that allow for installation over preexisting floors are available.

Absolutely! Your wood expands based on the moisture in the room, so you must allow the wood to acclimate, or it could cause damage to the material during installation.

You cannot use solid hardwood in high-moisture areas. Since the wood will absorb the moisture, it will cause your wood to become damaged and difficult to maintain.

This is not recommended. The high moisture level below grade is detrimental to all types of hardwood, so it’s best to install this type of flooring on the ground floor or above.

Full bathrooms and rooms with regular standing water are better served by luxury vinyl. For kitchens, entries, and living areas, modern laminate performs very well.

AG Construction operates as a small, local business that cares deeply about its customers. We have less overhead than the bigger guys, so we can offer lower prices for hardwood floor installation in Georgetown. At the same time, we’re committed to providing the highest quality service and craftsmanship.

Yes. COREtec is one of the luxury vinyl brands we install regularly, and we can walk you through how it compares to standard LVP at your free estimate.

Yes. All four are in Fairfax County, which is part of our regular Northern Virginia service area, along with Fairfax, Arlington, Alexandria, McLean, Falls Church, and Tysons Corner. Call 240-246-4561 for a free estimate.

Montgomery, Howard, Frederick, Anne Arundel, Carroll and Prince George's Counties in Maryland, all of Washington DC, and Fairfax, Arlington, and Loudoun Counties in Northern Virginia. We are based in Woodbine, MD and we do not travel to the Eastern Shore or the Delaware beaches, so if you are in Ocean City, Salisbury or Rehoboth we are not the right contractor for you.

Often yes, over flat, stable hard surfaces like tile, vinyl, or wood. The subfloor needs to be level and sound, which we check before quoting the job.

Yes. Fairfax, Arlington, and Loudoun Counties in Virginia, including McLean, Falls Church, Tysons Corner, Leesburg and Ashburn, all of Washington DC, and Montgomery, Howard, Frederick, Anne Arundel, Carroll and Prince George's Counties in Maryland. Call 240-246-4561 and we will confirm scheduling for your address.

Refinishing involves sanding the entire floor surface down to bare wood and applying a new stain and finish coat, which is ideal for floors with widespread scratches or fading. Restoration is a less invasive approach that addresses specific areas of damage through spot sanding, stain matching, and recoating. Restoration can save hundreds to thousands of dollars compared to full refinishing or replacement.

More often than residential floors, because traffic is heavier: many busy spaces need attention every few years. A maintenance recoat between full refinishes stretches the interval considerably.

A recoat (screen and recoat) lightly abrades the existing finish and applies a fresh top coat, fast and economical when wear is only in the finish. A full refinish sands to bare wood for deeper damage or a color change.

We schedule commercial refinishing around your operation wherever the job allows, including evenings and weekends by arrangement. Talk through your hours with us at the estimate.

If the boards are structurally sound, refinishing is almost always the more economical route: it removes the old finish and surface damage and makes the floor look new for a fraction of replacement cost. We will tell you honestly at the free estimate which your floor needs.

Most hardwood floors will benefit from refinishing at least once a decade, with earlier attention for excessive wear or severe damage.

No, you can change stain colors and aesthetics during the refinishing process, unlike when you’re simply adding a new layer.

Most oak floors need refinishing every seven to ten years depending on traffic and care. If the finish looks dull or worn through in walkways but the wood is sound, it is time.

Yes. Oak takes stain more evenly than almost any other species, so refinishing is the perfect moment to go lighter, darker, or shift the tone entirely.

Both refinish very well. Red oak keeps warm pink undertones under most stains, while white oak leans cooler and suits natural and gray-toned finishes. We help you choose based on which oak you have.

Yes. Pine is softer, so it demands finer sanding technique and more careful equipment handling to avoid gouges and uneven spots. It is a job where experience really shows.

Yes. We can sand lightly to preserve patina or take the floor back to fresh wood, depending on the look you want. It is your call, and we walk through the options at the estimate.

Restoration is usually recommended if damage to your floors extends beyond the finish.

Working on hardwood floors is highly risky, requiring specialized tools and knowledge. Refinishing alone can lead to disaster when handled poorly, while restoration requires even more advanced knowledge and tools to achieve satisfactory results.

Yes, you’ll need to move furniture out of the rooms where your floors are being restored. The same is true for refinishing your hardwood floors. It’s a good idea to plan this once you know the schedule for your restoration so you can find a safe place to store any furniture for the duration of the process.

A wood floor doesn’t necessarily need to be restored if it doesn’t have damage, but it should be refinished at least once every decade to limit wear and keep scratches from getting so deep they warrant restoration.

We help you narrow it down based on the wood species, the light in the room, and the look you are after, and we can sample colors on your actual floor so you see the real result before committing.

Yes. Stain needs bare wood to absorb evenly, so a proper sand-down always comes first. Applying stain over an existing finish leads to blotchy, short-lived results.

Often once or twice, depending on the product and its wear layer. Strand-woven bamboo is harder to sand than wood, so it takes the right equipment and experience. We assess it at the estimate.

Yes. Antique heart pine responds beautifully to a careful sand and refinish, and preserving that original material is almost always worth more than replacing it.

Maple is notoriously tricky to stain because its tight grain absorbs unevenly. It looks its best with a natural or lightly toned finish, and if you do want color, professional application matters more on maple than almost any other species.

Solid oak can typically be sanded and refinished many times over decades of service, which is a big part of its long-term value.

Yes, and older pine often hides beautiful wood under decades of finish. Softer boards need a careful, experienced sanding approach, which is exactly the kind of work we do.

Yes. Solid walnut sands and refinishes beautifully, and because dents and scratches show more on darker wood, a periodic refinish keeps it looking its best.

Yes. Alongside new installation we sand, refinish, and restore worn wood floors throughout Annandale, which is often the more economical route when the boards are sound.

Yes. We restore and refinish hardwood floors for commercial properties as well as homes in Potomac. Reach out with your square footage and timeline for a free quote.

In most cases, yes. If the boards are structurally sound, refinishing sands away the old finish and surface damage and restores the floor for a fraction of the cost of replacement.

Most residential floors need refinishing every seven to ten years, depending on foot traffic and how well they are maintained. If the finish looks worn but the wood is sound, it is usually time.

Refinishing sands off the old finish and surface scratches, then recoats. Restoration goes further for floors with deep damage, water stains, or missing boards. We can tell you which your floor needs during the free estimate.

No, and that is the honest trade-off. Once a luxury vinyl floor wears through its wear layer it gets replaced rather than sanded. Hardwood can be refinished several times over its life, and refinishing existing hardwood in Maryland runs $3 to $8 per square foot, well under the cost of replacing the floor. That is why we still recommend real wood in some rooms even when the customer called us about vinyl.

Yes, but it’s challenging and must be done correctly. The patterning means that sanding and preparation will take longer. Because the ultimate goal of refinishing is to enhance the appearance, we strongly recommend hiring a professional. If done wrong, you can cause irreversible damage.

If your floor is dull, has patches or worn spots, stains, scratches, or discoloration, it may be time to refinish your floor. Floors generally start looking worn and damaged around 10 to 15 years after installation.

Installing a moisture barrier will help protect your parquet floor against water damage. Once installed, sweep, dust, mop, and vacuum the floor regularly. But, be careful not to use too much water. You should also be careful not to use too much wax or chemical cleaners, as these can damage the floor and dull the appearance. If you have pets, be sure to trim their nails regularly to prevent scratches.

Carpets, rugs, and furniture are the most common cause of dark spots. Rotating these every so often will ensure even sun exposure. You can also apply polyurethane, varnish, or lacquer to help protect the wood from UV radiation damage.

It’s not difficult at all. The design of parquet floors makes it easy to perform “spot repairs.” The damaged piece(s) can be removed and replaced with a similar piece of wood. Further, a qualified repair professional should be able to match the tone/color of the wood to match the existing flooring.

In most cases, yes. It’s wood that has sprayed-on coats of polyurethane or, in many cases, stain. Because it’s prefinished, installation is faster and creates less mess in your home. However, the process makes it look like plastic, and you may not have as visible a grain pattern as parquet floors that are finished after installation.

There are several species of birch. The varieties most often used for home flooring include paper birch, yellow birch, and sweet birch. A hardwood flooring expert can help you decide which option is right for your home.

The number of times you can refinish hardwood flooring depends on whether you install engineered or solid hardwood. While more affordable, engineered wood can only be refinished a time or two. On the other hand, solid hardwood can be refinished four to six times throughout its lifetime.

Luxury vinyl plank is waterproof, scratch-resistant, and more affordable than solid hardwood, making it ideal for kitchens, bathrooms, basements, and high-traffic areas where moisture is a concern. Modern LVP products from brands like Coretec closely mimic the appearance of real wood grain. AG Construction installs both options and can help you choose the best flooring for each room based on your budget and lifestyle.

Carpet wins on comfort and quiet; LVP wins on water resistance and easy cleaning. Many of our customers use both, carpet in bedrooms and LVP in kitchens and basements, and we can quote both in one visit.

Yes. Carpet-to-hardwood and carpet-to-LVP conversions are some of our most common projects, and we handle the full job from tear-out to finished floor.

Laminate has a dense wood-fiber core with a printed wear surface and feels harder underfoot; LVP is vinyl through its core and handles standing water better. Laminate often wins on scratch resistance, LVP on moisture.

AG Construction is a leader in luxury vinyl flooring. With more than 10 years of experience in the flooring industry, we are committed to providing excellent customer service at a price you can afford. We don’t believe in passing customers from sales rep to sales rep. Instead, you’ll work closely with owner Aaron Goodman throughout your entire project, from your first call to the time our crew walks out the door at project completion.

Both are luxury vinyl with a durable wear layer. LVP (luxury vinyl plank) mimics wood boards, while LVT (luxury vinyl tile) mimics stone or ceramic tile. We install both, and the right choice mostly comes down to the look you want.

The core of quality luxury vinyl is waterproof, which is why it works so well in kitchens, bathrooms, and basements where hardwood is risky. Proper installation matters at the seams and edges, and that is our job.

Four layers of COREtec give it strength, stability, comfort, and waterproofing. A cork underlayment makes the floor more pleasant underfoot. The patented core made from wood dust, limestone, and PVC provides durability and water resiliency. On top, you have a premium vinyl surface plus an invisible coating for added protection against dents and stains.

COREtec Plus is a giant leap forward in luxury vinyl flooring. It’s 100% waterproof, can be installed in wet areas and will never swell when exposed to water. It also doesn’t expand or contract under normal conditions. COREtec Plus planks offer a quieter, warmer vinyl floor that is naturally resistant to mold and mildew

It is one of the better ones. The core is waterproof and it installs over concrete, wood, or existing tile, which is exactly the situation most basements present. We still check the slab for moisture and flatness before quoting, because prep is what makes the floor last.

In some rooms, yes. The rigid core and the attached cork backing make it quieter and warmer underfoot than a bare click-lock plank, and it is more forgiving of a subfloor that is not perfectly flat. In a spare bedroom a good standard LVP is plenty. We install both and we will say which one we would put in your rooms.

LVP is a layered vinyl floor built to look like wood boards: a printed design layer under a clear wear layer, over a rigid waterproof core. It delivers a wood look in rooms where real wood is risky.

One of the best. Its waterproof core handles concrete slabs and the humidity swings basements see, where solid hardwood would cup or gap.

Many quality LVP products include an attached pad. Where they do not, or where sound matters, like upstairs rooms, we recommend the right underlayment for the product and the space.

Because the person who quotes your floor is the person answerable for it. Owner Aaron Goodman measures and writes the estimate himself, AG Construction MD LLC is MHIC licensed (#104041) and insured, and we have been installing floors in the DC area for more than 10 years with a 5.0-star Google rating. We are a service-area business, so we come to you instead of selling from a showroom, and the estimate costs nothing. Call 240-246-4561.

Same material, different shape. LVT is luxury vinyl in squares or rectangles that imitate stone, slate, travertine or ceramic, sometimes with a grout line. LVP is the same vinyl in long boards that imitate wood. The wear layer, the core and the installation method matter far more to how the floor lives than which format you pick, and we install both.

Wear layer is measured in mils and it is the best single predictor of how long a luxury vinyl floor keeps looking new. Around 12 mil suits bedrooms and light-traffic rooms, 20 mil and up is where we point households with dogs, kids and busy kitchens, and commercial spaces go higher still. Our LVP wear layer guide walks through the tradeoffs in detail.

Usually yes, and that is a large part of why it took over basements and kitchens. Concrete gets checked for moisture first, because a slab that wicks water will ruin any floor laid over it, and both concrete and old tile need flattening and filling before anything goes down. Most luxury vinyl manufacturers want the subfloor flat to roughly 3/16 of an inch over 10 feet, and hitting that number is a real part of the job.

Yes. Removal of the old carpet and pad is part of a standard replacement job, so you are not left arranging disposal yourself.

Bedrooms, basements, stairs, and media rooms, anywhere warmth, softness underfoot, and sound absorption matter more than easy mopping.

Matting that will not fluff back, stains that return after cleaning, lingering odors, and wrinkles or ripples are all signs the carpet or its pad is done. If it is more than a decade old, replacement usually beats another cleaning.

We remove the old carpet and pad, check and prepare the subfloor, then install the new pad and carpet with proper stretching so it wears evenly and stays flat.

Sometimes, especially in houses built before the 1970s. When we pull carpet and find sound wood underneath, we will tell you, and refinishing it usually costs less than new flooring. Maryland hardwood refinishing runs $3 to $8 per square foot depending on condition and finish.

Offices, retail spaces, and multifamily properties across Maryland, Washington DC, and Northern Virginia, for both new flooring installation and hardwood restoration.

We schedule around your operation as much as the job allows, including phased work so you can keep serving customers. Bring your timeline to the free estimate and we will build the plan around it.

With the right species and a commercial-grade finish, yes. Harder woods plus durable finish systems and a sensible maintenance schedule keep commercial hardwood looking sharp for years.

In many cases yes. We can section the space and schedule around your hours where the layout allows, and we build that plan with you before work starts.

Everything a wood floor needs: new installation, refinishing, restoration and repair, sanding, and staining, across Maryland, Washington DC, and Northern Virginia. We also help you choose the right species, from oak and maple to walnut and cherry.

Call 240-246-4561 or use our contact form. We come to your home or property, measure, look at the floor condition, and give you a written estimate at no cost and no obligation.

Many steps go into choosing the correct type of hardwood. The presence of pets, the moisture level in your home, and style preference can all factor into which hardwood you choose.

You should also be sweeping and mopping regularly, using a hardwood floor cleaner every month or so, and adding a new layer of finish every few years to get the most out of your floor.

Often, yes. Paint can be sanded away if the boards underneath are thick and sound. We evaluate the floor first and tell you honestly whether restoration will get the result you want.

Far less than most people fear. We use dust-conscious sanding equipment that captures the majority of dust at the machine, and we contain and clean the work area as part of the job.

Solid hardwood can usually be sanded many times over its life. Engineered hardwood depends on the thickness of its wear layer, and some older floors have already used theirs up. We check this at the estimate before recommending anything.

Rooms need to be cleared of furniture and the floor accessible. We go over exactly what to expect, including timeline and how soon you can walk on the floor, when we quote the job.

Yes. Staining during a refinish is exactly how you do it: we sand the floor to bare wood, apply the stain color you choose, then seal it with protective finish coats.

Harder species like oak, maple, and hickory resist dents and daily wear best, which is why oak is the most common choice for busy family homes. Softer species like pine and walnut trade some hardness for character and color.

Solid hardwood is one piece of wood through its full thickness and can be refinished many times. Engineered hardwood has a real-wood top layer over a stable core, which makes it a better fit over concrete and in basements.

That is part of every estimate. We look at your rooms, traffic, pets, and budget and recommend species and finishes that will actually hold up in your house, not just look good in a photo.

Quality strand-woven bamboo is extremely hard, harder than most traditional hardwoods, and stands up well to busy households. Lower-grade horizontal bamboo is softer, so construction matters when you shop.

Yes. Bamboo is a grass that regrows to harvestable size in a few years instead of decades, making it one of the fastest-renewing flooring materials available.

Yes, and it is part of the appeal: American cherry deepens to a richer reddish brown with light exposure over its first years. Rugs and furniture can leave lighter patches, so it pays to rotate them early on.

Cherry is softer than oak, so it suits moderate-traffic rooms best. What you trade in hardness you get back in a warm, furniture-grade look that few other floors match.

Dining rooms, studies, bedrooms, and formal spaces where its color can be the centerpiece and traffic is moderate.

It is flooring cut from the dense heartwood at the center of longleaf pine. Much of it today is reclaimed from old buildings, with tight growth rings and a depth of color new pine cannot match.

Yes. The heartwood is considerably denser and harder than standard pine, which is why floors made from it have survived a century or more of use.

Yes, slightly. Maple is one of the harder domestic species, which is why it is used for gym floors and bowling lanes, and it stands up well in busy homes.

Anywhere you want a clean, bright, modern look: its fine, uniform grain and light color make rooms feel larger and suit contemporary homes especially well.

It is durable, widely available, takes stain evenly, and its grain hides everyday wear better than smoother species. That combination is hard to beat for busy households.

Red oak has warmer, pinkish undertones and a more pronounced grain. White oak is slightly harder, with cooler brown tones, and takes modern gray and natural finishes especially well.

Botanically pine is a softwood, but it has been used as flooring in American homes for centuries. It is grouped with hardwood flooring because it installs and refinishes the same way.

It is softer than oak, so it will pick up dents and marks with use. Most people who choose pine consider that patina part of its farmhouse charm rather than damage.

Walnut is softer than oak or maple, so it can dent under heavy traffic, but its rich chocolate color is unmatched. It shines in dining rooms, bedrooms, and lower-traffic spaces, or paired with rugs in busier rooms.

Yes. Unlike most woods that darken, walnut gradually lightens with sun exposure, mellowing toward warmer honey tones over the years.

Quality laminate has a tough wear layer that shrugs off pet claws, chairs, and daily traffic. Like any floor, the grade you choose matters, and we steer you to products that hold up.

Yes. We install, refinish, and restore floors throughout Northern Virginia, including Fairfax, Arlington, Alexandria, McLean, Falls Church, Vienna, Tysons, and Loudoun County towns like Leesburg and Ashburn. Call 240-246-4561 for a free estimate.

Yes. We work throughout Washington, DC, alongside Maryland and Northern Virginia, for both homes and businesses. Call 240-246-4561 to schedule a free estimate.

No. Estimates are free and we do not add travel fees within our Maryland, DC, and Northern Virginia service area. Confirm scheduling for your address at the free estimate.

Yes, every week. We are a service-area business based in Woodbine, MD, and Northern Virginia is part of our regular coverage, so there is no travel surcharge for Fairfax work.

Hardwood installation, refinishing, restoration, sanding and staining, plus luxury vinyl plank and carpet, for both homes and commercial properties across Fairfax and Northern Virginia.

Fairfax, Annandale, McLean, Tysons Corner, Falls Church, Herndon, Reston, Chantilly, and Great Falls, plus Arlington and Alexandria next door. Call 240-246-4561 and we will confirm scheduling for your address.

We measure and quote free, help you choose material, remove the old flooring if needed, prepare the subfloor, and install the new floor properly the first time.

Resurfacing sands the existing hardwood down to fresh wood, removing surface scratches and the old finish, then applies a new stain and protective coats. It renews the floor without the cost of replacement.

We serve Columbia and the surrounding Howard County communities. Call 240-246-4561 to confirm scheduling for your address.

We schedule commercial work around your operation as much as the job allows. Talk through your timeline with us during the free estimate.