On a house raised on piers, the wood subfloor and the crawl space below decide how a new hardwood floor behaves. On a slab, a moisture test comes before anything else. We check both before we suggest a species or a width.
Solid hardwood goes in best on a raised New Orleans house, where boards can be nailed to a wood subfloor over joists. Many homes in Uptown, Mid-City and the Marigny are built that way, a few feet above the ground on piers. Before we nail anything down, we check the subfloor for soft spots and termite damage, take moisture readings, and look at the crawl space. Damp air under the house is the most common reason a new wood floor cups in its first summer.
Slab homes in Gentilly, Lakeview and the suburbs are a different job. Solid strip flooring is not nailed straight to concrete, so on a slab we usually suggest engineered wood, or a plywood subfloor over a moisture barrier. The slab has to pass a moisture test first. Either way, the boards sit in the house with the air conditioning running before they go down, so they settle to the same humidity as the rooms they will live in.
Popular choices here are red and white oak in narrow strips, wider planks for older houses, and pre-finished boards when the family needs the rooms back quickly. Unfinished boards are sanded and coated after install, which lets new wood blend with an old floor in the next room. We go over species, width, finish and how the floor meets other rooms before you get a written quote.
Hardwood floor installation in New Orleans: common questions
Can solid hardwood go in a New Orleans slab house?
Not nailed to the bare slab. It needs a plywood subfloor over a moisture barrier, and the slab must test dry. Engineered wood is the simpler route on concrete.
Why did my new wood floor cup after one summer?
Usually moisture from below. A damp crawl space or a slab that was not tested can push water into the bottom of the boards. Fixing the moisture source comes before any floor repair.
Should I pick pre-finished or site-finished hardwood?
Pre-finished goes in faster with no sanding fumes at home. Site-finished can be sanded flat and stained to match an older floor next to it.
How it works
- Free in-home estimate: Call, text or book online. We measure the rooms and check the subfloor.
- Written quote: Material, prep and price in writing.
- Prep & delivery: We plan the order of rooms, deliver material and let wood acclimate.
- Install & walk-through: Our crew installs or refinishes, cleans up and walks it with you.