The most common question we get at Skyline Flooring — right after “how much?” — is “how long will this take?” The answer depends on far more than just the square footage. Demolition, subfloor prep, leveling, pattern complexity, and whether you’re doing prefinished or site-finished all affect the timeline.
After 20+ years and thousands of installations across Sherman Oaks, Encino, Beverly Hills, and greater Los Angeles, here’s the honest, realistic breakdown of how long hardwood floor installation actually takes.
The Quick Answer
| Project Size | Prefinished (glue or nail down) | Site-Finished (sand & finish on site) |
|---|---|---|
| Small (400-600 sq ft) | 2-3 days total | 5-7 days total |
| Medium (800-1,200 sq ft) | 3-5 days total | 7-10 days total |
| Large (1,500-2,500 sq ft) | 5-8 days total | 10-14 days total |
| Whole house (2,500+ sq ft) | 7-12 days total | 14-21 days total |
These timelines include demolition of existing flooring, subfloor prep, installation, and trim work. They assume normal conditions — no major surprises, no severe subfloor damage. Now let’s break it down phase by phase.
Phase 1: Demolition of Existing Flooring (1-3 Days)
Before anything goes in, the old floor comes out. How long this takes depends entirely on what’s there now.
| Existing Floor | Removal Speed | Cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Carpet & pad | Fast — 500-1,000 sq ft/day | $0.50-$1.50/sq ft | Usually leaves a clean subfloor. Tack strips and staples need removal. |
| Laminate/LVP | Fast — 400-800 sq ft/day | $1-$2/sq ft | Floating floors come up quickly. Glued-down LVP is slower. |
| Hardwood (nail down) | Medium — 300-500 sq ft/day | $1-$3/sq ft | Pry bar work. Nails need pulling or grinding flat. |
| Ceramic/porcelain tile | Slow — 150-300 sq ft/day | $2-$5/sq ft | Loud, dusty, labor-intensive. Thinset removal adds time. |
Tile removal is the biggest time factor. A 1,200 sq ft tile removal in a Calabasas or Woodland Hills home can take 3-4 days by itself. See our complete demolition guide for more detail.
Phase 2: Subfloor Preparation (1-3 Days)
This is the phase that most homeowners don’t account for — and it’s the one most likely to add unexpected time to your project.
Concrete Slab Prep (most LA homes)
- Moisture testing: 30-60 minutes. Results are immediate for RH probes; calcium chloride tests require 72 hours but we usually run these in advance of the project start.
- Grinding residual thinset or adhesive: 4-8 hours for an average home. Required after tile removal and sometimes after carpet removal (if glued).
- Self-leveling compound: Application takes 2-4 hours for an average room. But here’s the critical part — cure time is 4-24 hours depending on the product and depth. This is non-negotiable wait time. You cannot install over leveling compound before it’s fully cured. Learn more about our floor leveling services.
- Moisture mitigation: If the slab has elevated moisture, an epoxy barrier adds 1 day (application plus overnight cure).
Wood Subfloor Prep (some older or hillside homes)
- Re-screwing loose panels: 2-4 hours
- Replacing damaged sections: 4-8 hours depending on extent
- Adding underlayment: Half a day for an average home
Our subfloor repair guide covers the five most common issues we find.
Phase 3: Hardwood Installation (1-5 Days)
This is the main event. Installation speed depends on the method, pattern, and complexity of the space.
Installation Methods and Speed
| Method | Speed (per installer) | Common In |
|---|---|---|
| Glue-down (engineered on slab) | 150-250 sq ft/day | Most LA slab homes |
| Nail-down (solid on plywood) | 200-350 sq ft/day | Raised subfloor homes |
| Floating (click-lock engineered) | 300-500 sq ft/day | Budget projects, condos with HOA requirements |
| Herringbone (glue-down) | 100-200 sq ft/day | Feature rooms, high-end projects |
| Chevron (glue-down) | 80-150 sq ft/day | Statement installations |
Most of our crews consist of 2-3 installers, so multiply the per-installer speed accordingly. A two-man crew gluing down engineered hardwood in a straightforward Sherman Oaks ranch home can install 400-600 sq ft per day.
What Slows Down Installation
- Complex room layouts: Closets, angled walls, bay windows, and irregular shapes require more cuts and careful fitting.
- Staircases: Each step takes 30-60 minutes to fabricate and install. A 15-step staircase adds most of a day to the project. Stairs cost $50-$150 per step.
- Transitions: Every doorway, threshold, and material change point needs a custom transition piece. Homes with many small rooms have more transitions than open-concept spaces.
- Running flooring into closets: The right thing to do aesthetically, but each closet is its own mini project with tight spaces and difficult cuts.
- Patterned layouts: Herringbone and chevron take 2-3x longer than straight-lay.
Phase 4: Site Finishing (If Applicable — 2-4 Days)
If you’re installing unfinished hardwood and having it sanded and finished on site, this adds significant time:
- Sanding: 1 day (three passes — coarse, medium, fine grit)
- Staining (if desired): 1 day (application plus dry time)
- Finish coats: 1-2 days (typically 2-3 coats of polyurethane with dry time between each)
- Final cure before furniture: 24-48 hours for water-based poly, 48-72 hours for oil-based
During the finishing phase, the area is completely off-limits. Dust, pet hair, footprints — anything that touches the wet finish becomes permanently embedded. This is when having a pet plan (as outlined in our preparation guide) is essential.
Phase 5: Trim and Completion (Half Day to 1 Day)
- Baseboard reinstallation: 2-4 hours for an average home
- Transition strips and T-moldings: 1-2 hours
- Final cleanup and inspection: 1-2 hours
- Walkthrough with homeowner: 30 minutes
Prefinished vs. Site-Finished: Time Comparison
For a typical 1,200 sq ft project with carpet removal in a Encino or Tarzana home:
| Phase | Prefinished | Site-Finished |
|---|---|---|
| Demo (carpet removal) | 1 day | 1 day |
| Subfloor prep | 1 day | 1 day |
| Installation | 2-3 days | 2-3 days |
| Sanding & finishing | N/A | 3-4 days |
| Trim & cleanup | Half day | Half day |
| Total | 4-5 days | 7-10 days |
Prefinished floors let you use the space sooner, generate less dust and odor, and cost about the same. Site-finished floors give you unlimited color options, a perfectly flush surface with no micro-bevels, and can be matched to existing hardwood in adjacent rooms. Each has its place.
What Causes Delays
In our experience, the five most common causes of schedule overruns:
- Hidden subfloor damage discovered during demo. You can’t see what’s under tile or carpet until it comes up. Water damage, cracked slabs, and deteriorated subfloor panels can add 1-3 days.
- High slab moisture requiring mitigation. An epoxy moisture barrier adds at least one day for application and curing.
- Material delivery delays. This is less about us and more about suppliers. We order materials 2-3 weeks in advance to avoid this, but occasionally a shipment arrives short or with damage.
- Weather affecting site-finished cure times. High humidity slows polyurethane drying. Santa Ana wind season can actually speed things up (low humidity), but extremely hot days above 95°F can cause finish to skin over too quickly.
- Scope additions. “While you’re here, can you also do the hallway closet and the master bathroom?” Mid-project additions are fine, but they extend the timeline.
Let’s Build Your Timeline
Every project is unique, and we’ll give you a detailed, realistic schedule during your free in-home consultation. At Skyline Flooring, we’re known for hitting our timelines — one of the reasons we maintain a perfect 5.0-star Yelp rating from 109+ reviews across Sherman Oaks, Encino, Beverly Hills, Calabasas, and 50+ LA and Ventura County communities. Contact us today or call (818) 300-2205 to get started.