Hardwood Floor Refinishing Cary NC

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Hardwood Flooring Company Cary

Grades Hardwoods is a premier hardwood floor refinishing service dedicated to providing exceptional results and customer satisfaction. We understand the value of your hardwood floors as a significant investment and a crucial element of your home's aesthetic appeal. Our team takes pride in delivering an honest assessment of your floor's condition and recommending the best solutions tailored to your needs.


Hardwood floors are renowned for their timeless beauty and elegance, making them a sought-after flooring choice for homeowners. However, over time, hardwood floors can show signs of wear and tear. At Grades Hardwoods, we offer a comprehensive range of services to restore and enhance the natural beauty of your hardwood floors.


Our services include quality hardwood cleaning, buffing, dust-free sanding, staining, and wood floor installation. We use only the highest quality products and equipment to ensure a flawless finish that meets the highest standards.


When you choose Grades Hardwoods for your hardwood floor refinishing needs, you can trust that your project will be handled with professionalism and respect. We take the time to understand your requirements and strive to exceed your expectations. Our team is committed to completing every project on time and to the highest standards, ensuring that your hardwood floors are restored to their former beauty.


Grades Hardwoods proudly serves Cary, Apex, Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill, Carrboro, Garner, Clayton and Smithfield. Whether you need a deep clean or refinishing of your hardwoods, trust Grades Hardwoods to deliver top-notch service you can rely on.

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B E N E F I T S

Hardwood Floor Refinishing Cary

Eco Friendly

No more toxic fumes. Grades Hardwoods is known for its eco-friendly approach when it comes to wood floor refinishing and selecting the right floor coatings for your home. We use professional refinishing products. Our most recommended finishes are LOBA Waterborne products. LOBA has a full line of GreenGuard Certified finishes that are extremely durable and environmentally safe. LOBA products are also safe for your kids and pets.

Dust Free Sanding

Wood floor sanding used to be a dust nightmare. Not anymore. Airborne wood dust, a known carcinogen, is a job site hazard. We contain the dust with an above industry dust containment system using HEPA filters. Easier, cleaner, safer! That is our goal while providing quality floor refinishing and dust free sanding in your home.

Maintenance Program

At Grades Hardwoods we offer floor cleaning, refinishing wood floors and maintenance. We help our clients to make the most out of their wood floors and advise them how to best maintain them. This could be a screen and recoat, which is the best kept secret in the hardwood flooring industry. But it shouldn’t be because it can save you time and money over the life of your floor.

Professional Deep Cleaning

When your floor has built-up dirt, grime and scuff marks and daily maintenance isn’t enough to cut through ground-in dirt on your floors, Grades Deep Clean System will bring it back to life. This deep clean and polish system is the quickest and easiest way to remove all the dirt, grime, and build-up on your wood flooring. With no need to vacate your home, this system protects your investment and keeps wood floors looking beautiful.

Family Owned & Operated

As a smaller family-owned business, as opposed to a large hardwood flooring company, we will take the necessary time to make sure the job gets done right. We’ll never try to up-sell you but instead will work hard to put a smile on your face and earn your ongoing business.

Customer Satisfaction

We provide transformational restoration with our state-of-the-art equipment to offer you the best possible results. Check out our sister company, Lightning Clean Carpet's five star reviews. If you have any questions about your wood floors, we’d love to help. Call today for a free assessment and quote. We may be able to save your investment by restoring your hardwood floors. Satisfaction guaranteed!

Google 5 Star Reviews

  • Raleigh, North Carolina

    "Uli was excellent to work with, always quick to respond, fair on pricing and showed up on time! We had hardwood floors that in a short four year span had taken a beating from everyone being home over the pandemic and our kids and dogs being home from college. We had dull floors with some surface scratches as well as some deep groove scratches. not only was Uli able to make those surface scratches disappear he color corrected the deeper groves and they are no longer noticeable! I highly recommend Uli and Grades Hardwoods to make your hardwoods look brand new again! I could not be happier with the results - thank you Uli!" 

    –Karen Benoit

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  • Durham, North Carolina

    "I have worked with Uli for several years in my property management business. I have always found his work to be of the highest quality, with great attention to detail, while making sure I have a realistic expectation for the outcome of the job. Highly recommend Uli and his team for flooring cleaning and refinishing." 

    –Leslie Page 

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  • Chapel Hill, North Carolina

    "We are very happy with the work that was done on our floors! Highly recommend!" 

    –Nicole Else-Quest


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  • Raleigh, North Carolina

    "Refinished wood floors, changing dark floors to light, natural tone with an invisible protective finish. Beautiful floors and he was always available to answer questions and very helpful." 

    –Jackie Kelly


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  • Raleigh, North Carolina

    "Grades Hardwoods and their team do thorough, high-quality work. We couldn't be more thrilled/relieved to have found this company to service our locations for years to come." 

    –Baren South

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  • Clayton, North Carolina

    “Uli cleaned and resealed my hardwood floors. They absolutely look beautiful. Didn't think they could come out that nice but they really did. He's very professional, courteous, and really takes pride in his work. I highly recommend using him for any of his services.”

    –Tim Costin

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  • Raleigh, North Carolia

    "Uli did a great job refinishing my oak floors from the 1950s. He was willing to walk the house with me and give his opinion on how to make my floors look their best and maintain them in the future."

    –Alan Gardner

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Discover Why Our Natural Oil Finishes and Quality Work Earn Us Five-Star Google Reviews!

Grades Hardwoods, located in Cary, NC, has garnered numerous five-star Google reviews, reflecting the exceptional value and service they provide in the realm of hardwood floors, particularly in areas like North Raleigh and Chapel Hill. These reviews highlight several key reasons why customers are consistently satisfied with their experience.


One of the primary factors contributing to Grades Hardwoods' positive reputation is their commitment to quality craftsmanship. Customers often mention the impeccable finish and durability of their hardwood floors after refinishing. The company is known for using high-quality materials and techniques that result in floors that not only look stunning but also withstand the test of time. This attention to detail and dedication to excellence are reflected in the glowing reviews from satisfied customers.


Another aspect that customers frequently appreciate is Grades Hardwoods' professionalism and customer service. Reviewers often mention the friendly and knowledgeable staff who go above and beyond to ensure customer satisfaction. From the initial consultation to the final inspection, the team at Grades Hardwoods is praised for their communication, reliability, and willingness to address any concerns promptly. This level of service creates a positive and stress-free experience for customers, leading to glowing reviews and repeat business.


Grades Hardwoods stands out for its exceptional workmanship and natural oil finish expertise. Customers consistently praise the quality of their work, especially regarding the application of natural oil finishes on hardwood floors.


Natural oil finishes are preferred by many customers for their environmentally friendly nature and the way they enhance the natural beauty of wood. Grades Hardwoods' expertise in applying these finishes ensures that the floors not only look beautiful but also have a durable and long-lasting finish. Customers appreciate the attention to detail and the craftsmanship that goes into achieving a flawless natural oil finish, which sets Grades Hardwoods apart from other flooring companies.


The company's commitment to quality work is evident in every step of the process, from the initial consultation to the final inspection. Customers often mention the thoroughness of the team at Grades Hardwoods, who take the time to assess the condition of the floors and recommend the best course of action. This attention to detail results in a finished product that exceeds customers' expectations and earns them rave reviews.


In addition to their expertise in natural oil finishes, Grades Hardwoods is also known for the overall quality of their work. Whether it's refinishing hardwood floors or installing new ones, customers trust Grades Hardwoods to deliver outstanding results. The company's dedication to quality is evident in the materials they use, the techniques they employ, and the care they take in every project.


Overall, the combination of Grades Hardwoods' expertise in natural oil finishes and their commitment to quality workmanship is why customers consistently give them five-star reviews. Whether you're looking to refinish your existing hardwood floors or install new ones, Grades Hardwoods is the go-to choice for exceptional work that exceeds expectations.


In addition to their craftsmanship and customer service, Grades Hardwoods is also praised for its expertise in hardwood floor refinishing. The team at Grades Hardwoods has extensive knowledge and experience working with a variety of hardwood floors, including those in older homes with unique challenges. Customers value this expertise, as it ensures that their floors are treated with care and restored to their original beauty.


Lastly, customers appreciate the convenience and efficiency of working with Grades Hardwoods. From scheduling appointments to completing the refinishing process, customers find that Grades Hardwoods makes the entire experience seamless and hassle-free. This commitment to customer convenience, combined with their exceptional craftsmanship and service, is why Grades Hardwoods continues to receive five-star reviews from satisfied customers in Cary, Apex, North Raleigh, Chapel Hill, and beyond.

Prefinished or Unfinished Hardwood Flooring 

Which is better?

From an aesthetic perspective, there is no comparison to the beauty and warmth of unfinished hardwood flooring that is sanded and finished on site by an expert flooring craftsman. However, prefinished flooring is a much faster process, you can walk on it right after it is installed. It’s done!


Unfinished new or refinished hardwood flooring as an investment in your home, you can be assured that it is going to be there for a long time. The hardwood floor that you choose is something that you will see, walk on, and appreciate every day, and for those reasons, we believe that the extra days required for on-site sanding and finishing is of minimal inconvenience when compared with the many years that you will enjoy your new or refinished hardwood floors. 


What are the main differences between the two?

  • Prefinished hardwood flooring has been finished – sanded, stained, and coated with polyurethane – in a factory. It only needs to be installed, which means it’s cut and nail it to the subfloor. Your new floor is done. This type of flooring is factory-finished. Each board has been finished individually with sprayed-on coats of polyurethane. The boards are then oven baked with aluminum oxide to create an extremely hard acrylic finish. Because each board is finished individually, this creates a beveled edge along each side of the board. When prefinished hardwood flooring is installed, there will be a micro-bevel or groove in between each board. This creates a floor that is not totally flat, and each board will have a visible line in between it. 


  • Unfinished flooring is raw hardwood that must first be installed and then sanded and refinished on site. Unfinished flooring is raw wood with no beveled edges. When unfinished hardwood flooring is sanded and finished on site, there are no lines in between the boards, and you will get a perfectly flat, smooth floor.


Advantages to Prefinished Flooring
  • Time: Prefinished flooring is a faster process. Once prefinished flooring is installed, you can walk on it and put furniture on it immediately. With an unfinished hardwood floor, the sanding process may take several days and then you will have to wait another several days to put furniture back on the floor.


  • Less Mess: Prefinished flooring is less messy than an unfinished floor that will need to go through a sanding process. Sanding does create dust during the actual sanding process, though our dustless system definitely cuts down on the mess.


  • No Smell: With prefinished flooring, there are no chemical smells because there are no chemicals being applied. The flooring has already treated in the factory where it was made. It is true that the smell from refinishing and applying an oil based polyurethane is intense, difficult to deal with, and not healthy to inhale; however, with the new green products that we recommend and use, our clients do not have to deal with the harsh smell and/or chemicals of an oil based poly. For applications of oil based polyurethane, we insist that our clients be out of the house. For most residential homes, we use Bona water based polyurethanes which have very low VOCs, are environmentally friendly, and have almost no smell at all. We also recommend and frequently use Rubio oils, which have NO VOCs and no smell.


  • Cost: Prefinished flooring usually costs less overall than unfinished flooring. Though prefinished flooring may cost more for the actual material, with the reduced labor costs of only an installation, prefinished flooring usually ends up being less expensive than unfinished hardwood flooring that is installed and then sanded and finished on site.


Advantages of Unfinished Flooring
  • Appearance: Unfinished flooring looks like real wood. It is our opinion that prefinished flooring looks plastic-y and factory-made, with a less noticeable grain pattern making it appear less warm. Unfinished hardwood that has been finished on site by an expert hardwood flooring professional looks like a work of art. There is nothing that compares to the natural warmth and beauty of a hardwood floor that has been sanded and treated by a real craftsman. 


  • Finish Options: The creative possibilities with unfinished floors are nearly unlimited. From the countless different species of wood available, to innumerable stain colors, to the many different finish options, the sky is the limit with unfinished floors. We also do all of the new finish options including hardwax oils like Rubio Monocoat. We can create a blue or even a green floor! 


  • Matching existing flooring in the home:  If you have existing hardwood flooring in the home that you want to match, adding unfinished wood flooring is the way to go. You will be able to match the species of wood, and a professional hardwood floor refinisher can play with stains and colors on the unfinished wood to match the existing floor.


  • Uniform stain color:  Prefinished flooring that is stained a dark color will only be stained on the face of the board. Because of the beveled edge, when a darkly stained prefinished floor is installed, sometimes you can see the underside or lighter portion of the wood along the edges when you look at the floor from far away. When unfinished hardwood is installed and finished on site, the wood is smooth and uniform, and stain is applied to all visible areas.


  • Cleaning:  The beveled edges of a prefinished floor also create a trap for additional dirt, dust, and grime which can be more difficult to clean than a floor that has been finished on site and is totally flat.


  • Repairs: If a hardwood floor that has been finished on site gets scratched, it can be spot repaired by taping off boards and sanding those individual boards down to raw wood and then refinishing them. If prefinished flooring becomes scratched, a whole section of the floor may need to be replaced, or the entire floor may need to be sanded in order to correct the problem.


Over time, both prefinished and unfinished flooring will get some surface scratches from normal wear and tear. Unfinished flooring that has been treated with a water based or an oil based polyurethane can be buffed and re-coated every few years to revitalize the top coat of poly and remove surface scratches. We highly recommend you maintained your hardwood floors by doing this process every couple of years, homeowners will never need a complete sanding! This buff and coat procedure is not an option for prefinished flooring. Prefinished flooring can be sanded down to raw wood, but due to the high number of polyurethane coats applied in the factory, the wood must be sanded down deeper into the material than a hardwood floor that was sanded and treated on site. This means that a prefinished floor cannot be sanded as many times as an unfinished floor as it will more quickly become too thin to re-sand. And with prefinished flooring, the beveled edge will be decreased with sanding, but it will never go away completely.


We refinish both prefinished and unfinished flooring, feel free to call us for advice!

919-336-1562

Why choose our hardwood flooring services?

Grades Hardwoods is the top choice for natural oil finishes in Cary, Raleigh, Durham, Apex, and surrounding areas. With their expertise and commitment to quality, Grades Hardwoods ensures that your hardwood floors receive the best treatment possible. They specialize in natural oil finishes, which are preferred by many customers for their environmentally friendly nature and ability to enhance the natural beauty of wood.


When you choose Grades Hardwoods for your natural oil finish needs, you can expect exceptional customer service and craftsmanship. Their team of experts will work closely with you to understand your vision and provide recommendations to achieve the perfect finish for your hardwood floors. Whether you're refinishing existing floors or installing new ones, Grades Hardwoods has the skills and experience to deliver outstanding results.


Customer satisfaction is guaranteed with Grades Hardwoods. They take pride in their work and strive to exceed your expectations with every project. Their commitment to excellence is reflected in their numerous five-star Google reviews, where customers consistently praise their natural oil finishes and quality workmanship.


In addition to their natural oil finishes, Grades Hardwoods offers a wide range of hardwood flooring services to meet your needs. From refinishing hardwood floors to installing new ones, Grades Hardwoods has the expertise and experience to handle any project, big or small.


If you're looking for a hardwood flooring company that specializes in natural oil finishes and serves Cary, Raleigh, Durham, Apex, and surrounding areas, look no further than Grades Hardwoods. With their commitment to quality and customer satisfaction, you can trust Grades Hardwoods to deliver exceptional results that will enhance the beauty of your home for years to come.

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  • Hardwood Floor Staining

    30+ Wood Stain Colors Available

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    • Some Of The Companies That Trust Us With Their Hardwoods

    Ulrich 'Uli' Gradinger

    Grades Hardwoods, Owner

    Uli's upbringing in Germany, surrounded by a family of craftsmen spanning four generations, instilled in him a deep appreciation for quality workmanship. This ethos is the cornerstone of Grades Hardwoods, where Uli's background influences the company's commitment to excellence.


    To enhance their service offerings, Grades Hardwoods has partnered with Loba-Wakol, a prestigious German company with a century-long legacy of producing top-of-the-line floor finishes and adhesives. This collaboration sets Grades Hardwoods apart, ensuring that customers receive the highest quality products and services.


    The use of German products underscores Grades Hardwoods' dedication to providing exceptional results. By combining Uli's German heritage and the partnership with Loba-Wakol, Grades Hardwoods delivers unparalleled craftsmanship and reliability. Customer satisfaction is not just a goal; it's a guarantee, reflecting the company's unwavering commitment to excellence in every aspect of their work.

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