Solid tongue-and-groove wood
At Pisos Pro Medellín we install solid hardwood floors in houses and apartments across Medellín, Envigado, Sabaneta and Eastern Antioquia (Oriente antioqueño). We are flooring specialists with more than 15 years in the trade and over 900 completed jobs.
We work with one-piece solid boards in Colombian species such as sapán, chanul, guayacán and teak, as well as imported oak and walnut. Before the first board is nailed or glued, we test the moisture of both the wood and the concrete slab, because in this valley moisture is the number one reason boards cup and warp.
This service is for owners who want a floor that can be sanded and refinished several times over 40 years or more. We hand it over sanded, with finish applied on site, baseboards (zócalos) installed and a signed completion record (acta).
A solid hardwood floor is made of tongue-and-groove boards cut from a single piece of lumber, usually 18 to 21 mm (about 3/4 inch) thick, with no layers or core of another material. Everything above the tongue can be sanded, which is why these floors get passed down through generations.
Our scope covers the site visit, moisture testing, receiving and acclimating the material, leveling or building a sleeper frame, installation, sanding, three finish coats, baseboards and the final cleanup.
Most requests come from houses in Laureles, Belén and Envigado, country homes (fincas) in Llanogrande and apartments in El Poblado.
The species drives three things: the price per m², how well the floor resists heels and chair legs, and how much each board moves when the humidity in the air changes.
| Species | Color | Relative hardness | Stability | Best use |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sapán (a dense Colombian hardwood) | Reddish to dark brown | Very high | Medium | Living rooms and high-traffic areas |
| Chanul (native rainforest hardwood) | Even reddish brown | High | Medium high | Throughout the home |
| Guayacán (yellow ipê family) | Olive to greenish brown | Very high | Medium | Hallways, stairs, shops |
| Plantation teak | Golden to honey | Medium | Very high | Ground floors and damper areas of the house |
| Plantation eucalyptus | Pinkish to light brown | Medium high | Medium low | Bedrooms and studies |
| Roble flor morado (Colombian "oak", not a true oak) | Cream to light brown | Medium low | Medium | Low-traffic bedrooms |
| White or European oak | Beige to honey | Medium high | High | Light designs and wide planks |
| American black walnut | Chocolate with figure | Medium | High | Dark-toned living rooms and studies |
Local sawmills and lumber yards in the Aburrá Valley can supply them within a few days, and they cost less than imported oak. Their warm tone is the look of many Antioquia homes built in the 1970s and 80s.
We only buy or accept wood with a legal origin and its Salvoconducto Único Nacional en Línea (SUNL), the national permit that covers the transport of native timber. If a seller cannot show it, we advise you not to buy.
American white oak, European oak and American walnut arrive kiln-dried to a moisture level meant for drier climates. In Medellín that calls for a longer acclimation, because the boards will absorb moisture and expand.
Their appeal is wide planks and neutral tones. Plan on 4 to 8 weeks of import time if the batch is not already in a local warehouse.
In apartments with a concrete slab there are two routes. The choice depends on how level the slab is, the clearance under the doors and how much noise the building rules allow you to transmit to the neighbor below.
Wood trades water with the surrounding air until the two are in balance. Indoors in Medellín that equilibrium sits around 11 to 14%, and it climbs during the rainy seasons from April to May and October to November.
That is why we test every batch with a pin-type moisture meter and log the reading before installing. Boards that arrive too dry will swell on site and lift the floor, while boards that arrive wet will shrink and open gaps.
We test the slab too, with a concrete moisture meter and a polyethylene sheet test. A new slab can take months to dry, and no solid hardwood gets glued over concrete that is still releasing moisture.
Solid boards move more than engineered hardwood because the whole board is one piece with all its grain running the same way. So we leave a 10 to 15 mm expansion gap around the perimeter, hidden under the baseboard, and never fasten boards tight against walls or columns.
Drywood termites (comején) are common in the Aburrá Valley and reach new floors from door frames, closets or old baseboards that are already infested. Before installing, we inspect those elements and look for the sand-like droppings that give away an active colony.
We use treated sleepers and apply borate salts to the edges, cuts and hidden faces of the boards before closing them in. Once the floor is down, that treatment can no longer reach the hidden faces.
Ask for an inspection if you see fine sawdust along the baseboard, discarded wings near windows or boards that sound hollow when tapped. Our guide to termites and carpenter ants explains how to tell the pests apart.
Low odor and fast drying, using systems such as Bona's. You can walk on it in socks after 24 hours and move furniture back after 72 hours; a full cure takes about 7 days.
A very hard film with an amber tint that brings out reddish species like sapán. The strong smell lasts for days, which many building managements (administración) restrict.
A matte look and the feel of bare wood. Worn spots can be repaired without sanding the whole floor, but it needs a maintenance coat of oil every 1 or 2 years.
As for sheen, satin hides fine scratches and dust best.
As a 2026 reference for Medellín, installed Colombian solid hardwood runs COP $220,000 to $450,000 per m². Material ranges from $150,000 to $360,000 and labor from $60,000 to $95,000 with sanding and finishing included; the final price is set after the site visit.
| Factor | What changes | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Species | Eucalyptus and roble flor morado at the low end; sapán, guayacán and imported oak at the high end | Material COP $150,000 to $360,000 per m² |
| Board width | Boards wider than 12 cm cost more and move more | Raises material cost and waste |
| Sleepers | Treated wood frame over the slab | Adds material and one day of work |
| Leveling | Self-leveling compound to glue over an uneven slab | COP $35,000 to $75,000 per m² |
| Finish | Site-finished or prefinished boards with factory coating | Sanding and finishing COP $45,000 to $85,000 per m² |
| Baseboards | Matching wood species or painted MDF | COP $12,000 to $30,000 per linear meter |
See our Medellín flooring price guide to compare with other materials.
For a 60 to 80 m² apartment, the full process with sanding and finishing takes 8 to 12 working days, not counting acclimation.
We measure the rooms, the slab level and the concrete moisture, and check door frames for termites. Day 0.
Boards are stacked with spacers inside the space, windows closed, until their moisture content stabilizes. 7 to 14 days depending on the readings.
We pour self-leveling compound or anchor the treated sleeper frame. 1 to 2 days.
Blind-nailed or glued with MS polymer, with staggered end joints and a perimeter expansion gap. 2 to 4 days.
Three passes with a drum sander and edger, coarse to fine grit, with dust extraction. 1 to 2 days.
A sealer and two topcoats, with light screening between coats. 2 to 3 days.
We install the baseboards, walk through every room with you and sign the completion record with care instructions.
Yes, glued down with MS polymer adhesive if the slab is dry and flat, or nailed over sleepers if it is uneven. Either way we test the concrete moisture first and apply a barrier beforehand if needed.
Usually 7 to 14 days, but the moisture meter decides, not the calendar. We install once the boards read within 2 to 4 points of the room and the subfloor.
It can, but a leak from the dishwasher or fridge will stain and cup it. In open kitchens we prefer engineered hardwood or a wood-look SPC floor that stands up to water.
In a family home, refinishing usually comes every 7 to 10 years, and sooner in shops or homes with large pets. We handle it through our hardwood floor refinishing service.
Book a free site visit: we measure your space, read the slab moisture and send a written quote in Colombian pesos within 24 to 48 hours.
Every installation carries a 1-year labor warranty, with the terms published on our warranty page.
Pisos Pro Medellín
Tv. 6 #45-115, El Poblado, Medellín, Antioquia, Colombia
Monday to Saturday: 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Sunday: 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.