Malden Wood Flooring will replace carpet with hardwood in Malden, MA homes and in surrounding cities including Everett, Melrose, Chelsea, Medford and Somerville. For more than 20 years we have pulled up carpet to find oak floors nobody knew were there, and just as often found a plain subfloor that needed a new hardwood floor laid on it. Either way, the first step is finding out what is underneath.
In older houses, wall-to-wall carpet often went down over perfectly good oak or pine to cover wear or follow a trend. Those floors can come back with a proper sanding. In newer homes and additions, the carpet usually sits on plywood, and the job becomes a new installation. We check both before quoting.
We handle the whole job: carpet and pad removal, staples and tack strip, subfloor repairs, refinishing or installation, stairs, and transitions at every doorway.
What Is Under the Carpet
Hardwood Worth Refinishing
Oak and pine under carpet are often in better shape than expected, protected from sun and traffic. There may be staining where the pad broke down, paint drips along the edges, and holes from tack strip, but most of that sands out. We look at thickness and damage before recommending a refinish.
Floors With Hidden Damage
Pet urine, water from plants or leaks, and old repairs often hide under carpet. Black stains usually mean the wood is damaged below the surface and those boards need replacing. We look under the carpet in several rooms and closets during the estimate so the quote reflects what is there.
Plain Subfloor Only
If there is only plywood or plank subfloor under the carpet, we check it for flatness, squeaks and moisture, then plan a new floor. Solid hardwood can be nailed to a sound wood subfloor; engineered hardwood is an option where height or moisture is a concern.
Removing Carpet the Right Way
Carpet, Pad and Staples
Carpet removal sounds simple, but carpet pad is often stapled every few inches. Every staple has to come out, because one missed staple will tear a sanding belt and gouge a line across the floor. Old pad can also leave residue stuck to the wood that needs scraping.
Tack Strip and Adhesive
Tack strip is nailed around the perimeter of each room and has to be pried up without splitting the boards. In some rooms the carpet or pad was glued down, and that adhesive must be removed before sanding. We identify any older adhesive or linoleum layers before disturbing them, since some older materials can contain asbestos.
Painted Edges in Older Homes
Painters often painted right down to the carpet, leaving paint along the edges of the wood. In homes built before 1978, that paint may contain lead. We check before sanding and follow Massachusetts lead-safe renovation rules, which apply separately from the federal ones.
Refinishing or Installing New Hardwood
Refinishing the Floor You Uncovered
Once the floor is clean of staples and adhesive, we make repairs, then sand through a grit sequence and apply a finish. Many customers choose a natural or light finish for oak that has been under carpet, since it has aged less than exposed floors.
Installing New Hardwood
Where there is no hardwood underneath, or it cannot be saved, we install new solid or engineered hardwood. We match the species to other rooms in the house where possible and let the new wood acclimate before it goes down.
Matching Rooms That Were Never Carpeted
Often a carpeted bedroom sits next to an exposed hardwood hallway. We can weave the floors together at the doorway and refinish both rooms together so the color and sheen match through the house.
Transitions, Stairs and Trim
Doorways and Height Changes
Carpet and pad are thick, so removing them changes floor heights at doorways, closets and the tops of stairs. We plan thresholds, reducers and undercut door casings so every transition is flush or gently sloped, never a trip edge.
Carpeted Stairs
Stairs are often carpeted along with the rooms. We remove the carpet and refinish the treads underneath or install new treads, risers and nosing, quoted by the tread and riser so the stair cost is clear.
Baseboard and Quarter Round
With carpet gone, a gap sometimes shows under the baseboard. We add quarter round or shoe molding, or reset the baseboard, so the edge of the new floor looks finished.
Living With Hardwood Instead of Carpet
Rugs, Pads and Sound
Hardwood is louder underfoot than carpet, especially in a two-family or condo with a unit below. Area rugs with good pads in living rooms and bedrooms, felt pads under furniture, and runners in hallways cut down on footstep noise and protect the finish in the busiest paths.
Cleaning and Allergies
One reason many people switch from carpet is dust. Hardwood does not hold dust, pet hair and allergens the way carpet fibers do, and a dry microfiber mop picks them up easily. Avoid wet mopping and steam cleaners, which push water into the joints between boards.
Rentals and Resale
For landlords, hardwood holds up between tenants in a way carpet does not: a worn floor can be screened and recoated or refinished rather than replaced at every turnover. For sellers, uncovered oak often photographs better than carpet and is something buyers ask about.
When the carpet comes out in a rental, we can fit the refinish into the vacancy between tenants so the unit is ready when the new lease starts.
- 20+ Years on Wood Floors
- Free Written Estimates
- Stairs Priced Per Tread