Character European White Oak Installation Off Glenwood Avenue in Downtown Raleigh, NC
A returning client asked us back for their Downtown Raleigh home off Glenwood Avenue: worn carpet and dated parquet came out, and 1,300 SF of 7.5" character European white oak went down over a sound-dampened slab, finished in a custom hardwax oil blend mixed on site.
Service
Hardwood Floor InstallationSpecies
European White Oak, 7.5" Character Grade
Finish
Custom Blend Natura One Coat Hardwax Oil, Clear + Natural White
Square Feet
1,300 sq ft
Timeline
8 days
Completed
Summer 2026
This Downtown Raleigh project came from a returning client. We had already replaced the floors in their Bloomsbury Estates condo, and when this home off Glenwood Avenue needed the same treatment, they called us first. The scope: remove old carpet and glued-down parquet from the concrete slab, quiet the floor with a glued-in sound dampening layer, install 1,300 square feet of 7.5-inch character European white oak, then sand it flat and finish it on site with a custom blend of Natura One Coat hardwax oil the client chose from samples we mixed in the house.
The Challenge
The home carried two generations of flooring: worn wall-to-wall carpet in the living areas and bedrooms, and dark glued-down parquet in the kitchen and hallways, all sitting on a concrete slab. Old cutback adhesive covered the slab once the parquet came up, and the kitchen slab needed leveling before any wood could go down. The client also wanted a floor that felt and sounded solid, not hollow, and a color that no factory finish offered.
What We Did
We demoed the carpet, pad, and parquet, scraped and prepped the slab, and verified moisture readings before committing wood to concrete. The readings came back good. One bag of self-leveler corrected the kitchen slab. We then glued down Wakol TS 102 sound dampening underlayment across the field, a rubber-cork layer that kills the hollow sound glue-down floors can have and softens every footfall. The 7.5-inch character European white oak was glued down over the TS 102 as a full system, sanded flat with our Bona PowerDrive planetary sander, and finished with a custom blend of Natura One Coat hardwax oil. The blend, Clear cut with Natural White, was mixed on site and sampled on the client's own boards until the color was right. That is a floor only site finishing can produce.
Before
During
After
Products Used on This Project
Project Investment
What Does a Project Like This Cost?
Whole-home installations of this scope, wide plank European white oak over a sound-dampened slab with a premium hardwax oil finish, typically start around $30,000 and can climb well past $48,000 with more costly material selections.
No two floors price the same. Square footage, wood species, repairs, stair configuration, subfloor preparation, and finish selection all move the number, which is why we quote from an in-home assessment instead of over the phone. Our cost guide publishes our current starting rates and typical ranges for every service, and the written proposal you receive covers every line item with no surprises.
Common Questions
Can wide plank hardwood be installed over a concrete slab?
Yes. With verified moisture readings, correct slab preparation, and a full glue-down system, wide plank floors perform well over concrete. This project used 7.5-inch European white oak glued over a sound dampening underlayment on a downtown Raleigh slab, with one bag of self-leveler to correct the kitchen before installation.
What does a sound dampening underlayment like Wakol TS 102 do?
TS 102 is a thin rubber-cork mat that is glued to the slab, with the hardwood then glued to it. It reduces the sound of footsteps in the room and to the spaces below, and it removes the hollow feel some glue-down floors have. It adds real comfort underfoot, which matters in homes and condos alike.
What is a custom blend hardwax oil finish?
Hardwax oil colors can be intermixed, so the finish color is not limited to a catalog. On this project we blended Natura One Coat Clear with Natural White on site and sampled directly on the client's installed boards until they approved the tone. The blend keeps the oak looking raw and natural while the oil penetrates and protects the wood.
Why choose character grade European white oak?
Character grade shows knots, mineral streaks, and wide grain variation, so every board reads differently and the floor has depth that clear grades do not. Paired with a natural-toned hardwax oil, it gives the light, European look without staining, and individual boards can be spot repaired over the years because the finish penetrates rather than films.
Ready to Start Your Project?
Every project starts with a free in-home consultation. We come to you, assess the floor, and give you a written estimate before any work begins.
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