Project Gallery
Hardwood Floor Before and After Photos From Our Crew
Every hardwood floor before and after photo here comes from an Imel and Sons Hardwood Floors job: recoats, full refinishes, patterned floors sanded flat and new installations. Call (541) 479-7919 to talk about yours.
Recoats That Bring Back a Worn Sheen
A recoat is the quietest change in any hardwood floor before and after set, and often the most welcome. Traffic lanes that had gone gray and cloudy take on an even sheen again, and the fine scratches that live in the finish fade from view. The wood itself is never sanded, so its color and character stay exactly as they were.
The crew uses the Bona Traffic HD system, which starts by lifting the contaminants, waxes and oils that build up on a floor over the years. That cleaning step is what lets the new finish bond. Hand-scraped, site-finished, prefinished and antique floors can all be recoated this way.
Recoating is the service Imel and Sons leads with, because it protects a floor long before it needs a full sand-down. Hardwood floor recoating costs less, takes less time and keeps more wood on the boards for the future.
Restoration Work
Refinished Floor Photos of Antique and Mid-Century Hardwood
Some of the most striking refinished floor photos come from older homes. Antique floors and the oak strip floors common in houses from the 1950s and 1960s often arrive scratched, faded or stained from decades of use. Sanding takes them back to bare wood, and the grain that had been hidden under old finish shows clearly again.
A full refinish follows a set routine. Baseboards come off, the floor is sanded with dust containment in place, and stain and protective coats build the surface back up. Each step shows in the after photo: crisp edges along the walls, even color from room to room and a finish without bubbles or debris.
Older floors reward patience. Boards that have been sanded before may have less wood left, so Mike Imel checks each floor before deciding how hard to sand. Hardwood floor refinishing works on antique floors and newer ones alike.
Herringbone and Parquet Floors Sanded Flat
Patterned floors are where sanding skill shows most. In a herringbone or parquet floor the grain runs in several directions at once, so a sander moving in a straight line cuts with the grain on one block and across it on the next. Done carelessly, that leaves cross-grain scratches that stain darkens and every light reveals.
Sanded in stages
The crew works these floors in stages, with a drum sander for the field and smaller sanders for the detail work along walls and in corners. Each pass uses a finer grit than the last, until the surface is flat and the pattern reads cleanly across the room.
The after photos of patterned floors show tight joints, a level surface where blocks had cupped or lifted, and an even tone across every angle. Hardwood floor sanding is the step that makes a patterned floor look intentional again instead of patchy.
New Installations With Inlaid Borders
Not every project starts with an old floor. Some photos show bare subfloor, black paper underlayment and stacks of new planks, followed by a finished room. Imel and Sons installs both solid and engineered hardwood, prefinished and site-finished, in a wide range of designs and patterns.
Inlaid borders are a good example of design work that takes planning. A border frames a room, follows a curved wall or outlines a hearth, and it has to be laid out before the field boards go down. Mitered corners, a consistent reveal and tight joints between species are what separate a clean inlay from a busy one.
Good installation shows in what is missing from the after photo: no gaps, no buckling and no squeaks. Careful hardwood floor installation also includes blending new boards into an existing floor, so an addition matches the rooms around it.
Laminate Projects for Budget-Minded Rooms
Laminate earns its place in the gallery as well. Some homeowners want the look of wood in a rental, a playroom or a busy family room without the cost of hardwood, and laminate gives them a durable plank floor at a more affordable price point.
Laminate photos show a different kind of before and after. Old carpet or a worn floor comes up, the subfloor is checked so it is level, clean and dry, and new planks lock together over an underlayment. The moisture resistant wear layer keeps the finished floor looking new with simple sweeping and vacuuming. Laminate flooring installation is planned with the same care as a hardwood job.
How to Read a Hardwood Floor Before and After
A good hardwood floor before and after shows more than a shiny surface. When you compare floors in any hardwood floor gallery, a few details tell you how well the work was done.
Ask about these same details when you get a quote. A crew that can explain how it handles each one is a crew that plans for them.
- Edges along the walls match the color of the middle of the room.
- Sheen looks even, with no dull patches or streaks.
- Seams sit tight, with no gaps between boards.
- Transitions at doorways are flush and clean.
- Patterned floors show no swirls or cross-grain scratches.
Your Floor Next
Planning Your Own Hardwood Floor Projects in Grants Pass
Most projects start with a question about one room. Mike Imel visits, looks at the floor and explains the pros and cons of a recoat, a refinish, a repair or a new floor before any work begins. The quote is free, and the advice is straightforward.
Imel and Sons Hardwood Floors is family-run, has more than 43 years in business and works across Josephine County, Jackson County and the surrounding Rogue Valley. The crew shows up on time, keeps dust contained while sanding and stands behind the finished floor.
Questions About Our Floor Projects
Every photo here comes from an Imel and Sons Hardwood Floors job. Call to talk about yours.
Monday to Friday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM
Call (541) 479-7919Are these photos of your own work?
Yes. The photos show floors the Imel and Sons crew worked on: recoats, full refinishes, herringbone and parquet sanding, new hardwood installations with inlaid borders and laminate floors. If one of them looks like the floor in your home, call (541) 479-7919 and Mike can explain how that kind of floor is handled, from the first visit to the final coat of finish.
Can my floor look like the after photos?
Often, yes, though every floor starts in a different place. The species, the age of the boards, how much wood is left and any past damage all shape the result. Mike looks at your floor during a free quote and tells you honestly whether a recoat, a refinish or a repair will get you closest to the look you want.
Can you match a stain color I see in a photo?
A photo is a good starting point, but screens and lighting change how a stain looks. The same stain also reads differently on oak, maple and pine. Mike can look at your species and your light during a free quote and talk through which colors will come closest to the one you liked.
Do you work on herringbone and parquet floors?
Yes. Herringbone and parquet floors need a careful sanding approach because the grain runs in several directions. The crew works them in stages with a drum sander and smaller detail sanders, moving to finer grits until the surface is flat. The result is a patterned floor with an even tone and no cross-grain scratches showing through the finish.
Free Quotes
Start Your Own Before and After
A tired floor today can be your own before and after next season. Call Imel and Sons Hardwood Floors Monday to Friday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM, or request a free quote online, and Mike will help you choose the right work for your floor.
Any time
Send a Request
Tell us about your floor and the team will reach out to set up a free estimate.
- A free estimate visit and a clear quote
- The pros and cons of each option, explained