Penthouse Ash Hardwood Floor Restoration at The Brookwood - Atlanta

This is a project we completed at The Brookwood, a 19-story residential building located just outside downtown Atlanta. The apartment we worked in was the top-floor penthouse, which offers sweeping views of Atlanta skyline through large floor-to-ceiling windows.

The homeowners were passionate art collectors, and the entire renovation was guided by an interior designer whose goal was to create a calm, bright interior where the floors, architecture, art work and The View would work together as one composition.

Originally, the entire building had the same flooring installed: 5-inch engineered Ash hardwood, factory finished in a deep brown with a red tone penetrating oil. While elegant, this darker color made the interior feel heavier than the design envisioned.

The plan was to sand off the exiting color, integrate new wood where the layout changed and bring the entire floor to a light natural tone.

Remodeling the Apartment Layout

The place was undergoing a complete interior remodel. Some walls were added and some removed, the kitchen island redesigned with a new footprint. New wood needed to be installed in the bedroom, office, bathroom and the sections of the kitchen where the original island was before.

Ash is not the most common flooring species available in stock, so it often takes several weeks to be sourced and delivered.

Preparing the floor for installation

Before any wood was installed, we carefully checked the subfloor to ensure it was flat and free of low spots. Proper preparation at this stage is essential, as even small imperfections can eventually affect the structural integrity and performance of a finished floor.

To meet the building’s acoustic requirements, a sound-reduction layer was installed. In this case, the HOA required a ¼-inch cork underlayment, which helps with reducing the noise transmission between floors in multi-unit buildings.

With the subfloor system properly prepared, we proceeded with installing new unfinished engineered hardwood in the rooms that had previously been carpeted. Additional boards were carefully fitted into areas where walls had been moved during the renovation, allowing the new sections to blend seamlessly with the existing flooring, as if they had always been part of the original installation.

Once the installation was complete, the floor was left in place while the other trades finished their work.

Sanding the new and existing engineered hardwood floors

Removing the original dark brown finish from this floor presented its own set of challenges. The goal was to bring the wood to the lightest natural tone possible while also eliminating the beveled edges of the boards.

❗Most factory-finished engineered hardwood floors are manufactured with micro-beveled edges. These bevels serve both aesthetic and practical purposes. Visually, they help define each plank creating a high-end look, and structurally they protect the edges of the boards from chipping or the finish from pulling during installation.

Because the bevels on this floor were stained dark, removing them required additional sanding passes. While we knew the Ash veneer layer was thick enough to allow one full sanding, removing the bevels meant we had to work with extra caution. If the floor had any high spots, aggressive sanding could have gone through the veneer layer. For that reason, after the first pass we had to visually inspect the surface and mark any high areas before continuing.

As the sanding progressed, the natural beauty of Ash slowly began to emerge. Beneath the dark finish was a light-colored wood with soft brown undertones and a clean, elegant grain pattern that immediately brightened the entire space.

Revealing the natural character of Ash

Ash is a remarkable flooring species. It is durable, stable, and has a distinct yet subtle grain structure that gives the floor movement without feeling busy.

With the dark stain gone, the entire space immediately felt brighter and more modern. Natural light from the large windows reflected off the lighter wood, making the penthouse feel more open and expansive.

At this stage, the design team decided to preserve the raw, natural look of the wood rather than adding any color.

Preserving the raw wood look

To maintain the natural appearance while still protecting the wood, we applied two coats of Loba Invisible finish.

This finish was designed specifically for the raw wood appearance while providing the durability expected from a professional floor finish.

Unlike traditional finishes that add sheen or slightly darken the wood, this finish keeps the surface looking almost untreated while still protecting it from daily wear. The result is a floor that looks natural and feels silky and smooth underfoot.

The final atmosphere

The transformation was remarkable.

The lighter Ash floors created a calm foundation that allowed the owners’ art collection, furniture, and the sweeping Atlanta skyline to take center stage.

Instead of dominating the room with a heavy dark tone, the floor now quietly supports the architecture and design. The entire penthouse took on a refined, almost gallery-like atmosphere.

I wish I had the opportunity to photograph the space once all the furniture and artwork were fully installed. But even without that final stage, the transformation of the floors alone completely changed how the home feels.

If you enjoyed this project and are planning a hardwood flooring project of your own, we would be happy to help. You can fill out the form in the Contact page.