Flooring in Branchburg, NJ
Branchburg borders Bridgewater, so our showroom is one town over. Route 22 and Route 202 run straight through the township, which puts most of Branchburg 10 to 25 minutes from our door depending on whether you are up by North Branch or out toward Neshanic Station. You are welcome to come see full-size samples in person before anyone measures anything.
What Branchburg homes are usually like
Branchburg had about 1,958 people in 1950. By 1990 it had 10,888. Most of the houses here went up inside that window, with the single biggest jump between 1950 and 1960.
That matters because it tells us what is under the floor before we get there. Homes from that stretch almost always sit on plywood subfloor over dimensional joists, and a lot of them had the lower level finished years after the house was built, often by a previous owner. Plywood is the easy case. A lower level finished later is the one worth looking at closely, because whatever got put down over that slab the first time decides what can go over it now.
The township is also about 11 miles long and only about 2 miles wide. North Branch and Neshanic Station are not the same housing stock, and we do not quote them the same way.
The older homes in North Branch and Neshanic Station
Not all of Branchburg is postwar. The North Branch Historic District went on the National Register in 2012, and the buildings in it run from the 18th and 19th centuries. The Jacob Ten Eyck stone house there was built between 1725 and 1733, with a second story added in 1792.
Houses that old usually still have their original floors, and the decision is rarely just what to buy. It is whether to refinish what is already down or replace it. Original boards are often wider than anything sold today and were face-nailed into a board subfloor rather than plywood. Two things follow from that. Refinishing is frequently the better value if the boards have thickness left. And if you do replace, a floating floor over a subfloor that age needs to be made flat first, which is real work and belongs in the quote instead of showing up as a surprise at the end.
We will tell you which of the two we would do. If refinishing is the answer we will say so, even though it is the smaller job.
Carpet in Branchburg
Carpet is still what most people put on a second floor and on stairs, and we keep it in stock.
Stairs are where Branchburg splits from a newer town. The pre-1950 houses out here often have narrow enclosed stair runs with winders, and a thick loose pile fights you on a stair like that. A tighter pile seams cleaner on a turn and holds up better on the nose of each tread.
Shaw Lantern Bay is the 40 ounce we keep on the floor in Bridgewater. Soft enough for a bedroom, dense enough for a stair run.
Vinyl plank in Branchburg
A lot of Branchburg sits on sloped ground in the Raritan Valley, which means walk-out lower levels are common here. That is the room vinyl plank was made for. It is waterproof, it takes a dog and a kid, and it does not care that the room is below grade.
We stock COREtec Pro Classics and Shaw Optimum. Both are rigid core, both go down over concrete, and both are on the floor in Bridgewater right now.
Hardwood in Branchburg
Hardwood is a special order for us, and in Branchburg it comes up in two situations. One is a 19th century house where somebody wants new wood that does not look out of place next to what is already there. The other is a newer open layout where wide plank is the whole point, because an open span shows plank width and run direction far more than small closed-off rooms do.
We order Bruce, Mirage, Kährs, IndusParquet, Ferma, and Expert by Elias Wilf. Laminate and tile are special order as well.
What we have on the floor right now
Carpet and vinyl plank are in stock in Bridgewater, so those can be scheduled right away. Hardwood, laminate, and tile are special order and arrive in about three to four business days.
Getting an estimate in Branchburg
We come to the house, measure, and give you an itemized number with materials and labor separated. It is free and there is no obligation. Branchburg is one town over from the showroom, so a measurement is often same day or next day.
Common questions
Do you come to Branchburg for estimates?
Yes. Branchburg borders Bridgewater, and the estimate is free anywhere in the township, including Neshanic Station and Woodfern. A measurement is often same day or next day.
How fast can the floor go in?
Carpet and vinyl plank are in stock, so those can be scheduled right away. Hardwood, laminate, and tile are special order and arrive in about three to four business days.
My house is older. Should I refinish or replace?
We will look at how much thickness is left in the boards and tell you which one we would do. We handle both.
Can I see it before I commit?
Yes. The showroom is in Bridgewater and you can take samples home.
Does the quote include taking the old floor out?
Yes. Old floor removal and haul-away is priced into the job up front. Furniture moving is quoted with the job as well, so you see that number before you decide.