Excellent Floors & Services in Baltimore: Hardwood Refinishing and Vinyl Installation for Rowhouses and Renovations
Excellent Floors & Services is a single-location flooring contractor operating in Baltimore since 2008, specializing in hardwood refinishing, vinyl plank installation, and tile work across the city's dense rowhouse stock and newer renovation projects. The business handles both residential and light commercial jobs, operating from a showroom in the Canton warehouse district where customers can view samples before committing to materials.
What Excellent Floors & Services actually does
This is a full-service flooring installation and refinishing shop, not a big-box retailer. The company employs its own crews rather than subcontracting, which means the same people who bid the job typically execute it. Hardwood refinishing is the core service: the shop handles everything from sanding original 1920s-era strip flooring in Federal Hill rowhouses to staining and sealing newly installed engineered wood. Vinyl plank and tile installation round out the menu. The showroom stocks sample boards of engineered hardwood, luxury vinyl plank (LVP), and porcelain tile; customers can take samples home to see how they look under their own lighting before deciding.
Services and pricing
Hardwood refinishing runs $3 to $6 per square foot for sanding, staining, and sealing, depending on floor condition and finish type. A typical rowhouse living room (roughly 250 square feet) costs $750 to $1,500. Pricing confirms upon in-person measurement, as water damage, paint stains, or severe cupping can push costs higher. The company uses water-based polyurethane finishes as standard (lower odor, faster cure time) and can apply oil-based finishes for customers preferring that appearance.
Vinyl plank installation averages $4 to $8 per square foot including material and labor, with mid-range LVP selections running toward the higher end of that band. Tile installation is priced per square foot and varies by substrate preparation needs; uneven subfloors in older Baltimore homes often require leveling compound, adding $1 to $2 per square foot. Estimates are free and include written specifications for materials and timeline.
The company requires 50 percent deposit to schedule and begin work, with final payment due upon completion. Most jobs take 2 to 7 days depending on floor size and drying time for finish coats.
How it compares to other Baltimore flooring options
Baltimore's flooring market splits between chain retailers (Lumber Liquidators, Home Depot installation services), independent installers working solo from home-based operations, and mid-sized shops like Excellent Floors. Chain stores offer lower material prices and broad selection but typically use external contractors; quality and communication vary widely. Solo installers often undercut quoted prices but may lack insurance or showroom access.
Excellent Floors sits in the middle tier: pricing is competitive rather than rock-bottom, but the showroom advantage and crew consistency appeal to homeowners managing multiple rooms or those sensitive to project management. Choose Excellent Floors if you value seeing materials in person before ordering and want the same crew start-to-finish. Choose a big-box retailer if you are installing basic LVP in a single room and price is the primary driver. Choose a solo contractor only if you have recent references and have verified insurance.
Who it suits and who it does not suit
This shop works well for Baltimore rowhouse owners tackling hardwood refinishing, the most common ask in the city's older neighborhoods. Homeowners installing new flooring across multiple rooms benefit from the single-point accountability of an in-house crew. DIYers or budget-constrained renters typically look elsewhere; the company does not sell materials for owner-installation.
The shop is not a designer service; it does not specialize in exotic materials or bespoke pattern work. Complex tile mosaics or rare hardwood species would be outside its typical scope.
What the first visit involves
Call or email to request an estimate. The company typically schedules appointments within 3 to 5 days. A technician visits to measure, photograph, and assess subfloor condition. For hardwood refinishing, they note scratches, water stains, and gaps to set expectations on outcome. For new installation, they evaluate subfloor flatness and any moisture issues. The estimate arrives within 2 to 3 business days as a written quote with material specs, labor breakdown, and timeline. No obligation to proceed.
Hours, parking, and logistics
Excellent Floors operates Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., with Saturday showroom hours 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The Canton location has street parking and a small lot. Verify current hours by phone before visiting on weekend.
Installation crews work weekdays only, with jobs typically starting in the morning. The shop closes for major holidays; confirm holiday schedule when booking a job.
For a rowhouse owner needing hardwood restoration or multiple flooring projects managed by a consistent crew, Excellent Floors supplies the operational continuity and material visibility that chain stores cannot match.
