European White Oak Hardwood Installation in Calabasas: 7.5-Inch Planks and Stair Details
We removed the old carpet and wood flooring in this Calabasas home and installed specially ordered 7.5-inch European white oak with a 4 mm wear layer, carried onto the stairs and skirting. White paint on the risers and skirting is still to come.
For this project in Calabasas, California, we removed the existing carpet and wood flooring and installed European white oak that was specially ordered for our client: 7.5-inch-wide planks with a 4 mm wear layer. The same oak runs through the main rooms and continues onto the stairs and the stair skirting. The stair risers and skirting will be painted white as the final step; that paint is still pending, so the photos below show them unpainted.
Planning a similar floor? Schedule a free in-home estimate and we bring flooring samples to your home.
Project facts
| Location | Calabasas, California |
|---|---|
| Removed | Existing carpet and wood flooring |
| Flooring | European white oak, specially ordered for the client |
| Plank width | 7.5 inches |
| Wear layer | 4 mm (the top layer of oak, not the total board thickness) |
| Stairs | Hardwood installed on the stairs and the stair skirting |
| Finishing still pending | Stair risers and skirting to be painted white (not yet painted in these photos) |
| Installed by | Our licensed flooring contractor team |
Removing the old carpet and wood flooring
The home had a mix of carpet and existing wood flooring. Both came out before the new floor went in. Starting from a clear subfloor lets one hardwood floor run through the rooms without the old materials setting the layout or the transitions.
Specially ordered 7.5-inch European white oak
The European white oak flooring for this home was specially ordered and selected for our client. At 7.5 inches wide, each plank shows a long stretch of grain and the oak’s natural knots, which gives a room a calm, open look. In a long living and dining room like this one, wide plank hardwood also means fewer boards across the width of the room, so the floor reads as broad, quiet lines rather than a busy pattern.
What a 4 mm wear layer means
The wear layer is the top layer of real oak on each plank: the part you see and walk on. On this floor it is 4 mm thick. That number describes only the wear layer. It is not the total thickness of the board. A thicker wear layer leaves more oak available if the floor is ever sanded and refinished in the future. How many times a floor can be sanded depends on its condition and how much material is removed each time, so we don’t promise a set number.
Comparing plank widths for your own home? Our guide on how to choose wide-plank flooring covers width and wear layer in more detail.
One floor from the rooms to the stairs
The same European white oak runs from the living and dining room into the fireplace room and the bedrooms, and the stairs use the same wood. Because the treads and the floor share one species and tone, the staircase looks like part of the floor rather than a separate project. You can see it in the gallery below, in the view from the top of the step into the living room, where the oak step nosing lines up with the planks beyond it.
Stair treads, skirting and the white paint still to come
Our crew installed hardwood on the stairs and the stair skirting, the trim boards that run along the side of the staircase. The final finishing step is still pending: the stair risers and the skirting will be painted white. In the photos here they are not painted yet. Once that paint is on, the white risers and skirting will frame the oak treads, a look that pairs well with the white baseboards already in the rooms.
Thinking about your own staircase? See our hardwood stair installation page for how we plan stairs alongside a new floor.
Project gallery
Homeowner questions
Is a 4 mm wear layer the same as the floor’s thickness?
No. The 4 mm is the wear layer, the top layer of real oak on each plank. The total board is thicker than that. When you compare floors, check the wear layer and the total thickness as two separate numbers.
Why choose 7.5-inch planks instead of a narrower board?
Wider planks show more of each board’s grain and put fewer seams across a room, which gives a calmer, more open look. That is why wide plank hardwood suits long rooms like the living and dining room in this home. The right width for your home depends on your rooms and the look you want, and we can lay samples side by side at your estimate.
Can my stairs match my new hardwood floor?
Yes. In this Calabasas home we installed the same oak on the stairs and the stair skirting, so the staircase and the floor share one look. Here the risers and skirting will be painted white, which is still pending in these photos. We plan stair details during the in-home estimate.
Do you remove the old flooring before installing hardwood?
Yes, when the project needs it. On this job we removed the existing carpet and wood flooring before installing the new oak. We look at what is on your floors now during the free in-home estimate and include removal in the plan.
Do you offer hardwood floor installation in Calabasas?
Yes. We handle hardwood floor installation in Calabasas and nearby, installed by our licensed flooring contractor team. See our flooring installation in Calabasas page and our hardwood floor installation page, or book an estimate and we bring flooring samples to your home.
Plan your own hardwood floors
Whether you are replacing carpet, updating an older wood floor or carrying hardwood up a staircase, we can walk through options in your own home. Schedule your free in-home estimate or call (818) 963-0878.
