Larsen's work floors him

    Cory Larsen of Cambridge knows about floors. He has been working with them almost 10 years now.

    Larsen now owns his own business, Larsen Wood Floors. He refinishes wood floors and installs them as well.

    “I was working part-time at UPS when a co-worker of mine asked me if I would be interested in helping him part-time with his floor business,” he said. “I worked with him part-time for two years before venturing out on my own, with his approval, in 2003.”

    Larsen quit working for UPS and began his new fulltime career. Now they help each other out if they get a big project.

    “While working with him, we redid a general’s quarters on Arsenal Island,” he said. “That is probably one of the biggest projects I helped undertake.”

    When Larsen began his business, he purchased a full-size van to carry the supplies he needed.

    If the floors need to be sanded down, Larsen uses a virtually dust free drum sander.

    “When refinishing floors, old pet stains can be one of the hardest hurdles to tackle,” he said. “Not that anyone wants to hear that, but they can be.”

    Larsen recommends an average family with children have their floors refinished every 10 years. A couple with little action may be able to go 25 years.

    “I need about two days to refinish a 12’ by 12’ room,” he said. “I think the biggest thing people find surprising is, that it is virtually dust free.”

    Larsen said he gets a lot of pleasure from seeing peoples’ face after seeing their refinished floor.

    “They look totally surprised on how well they refinished,” he said. “Installing new hardwood flooring is a nice change up though.”

    Larsen travels throughout Henry County, Knox County and Rock Island County for jobs, but just recently completed a job in Savanna as well.

    “Owning your own business has benefits,” Larsen said. “You can set your own schedule and be as busy as you want, but you can take a day off when you want as well.”

    Larsen said he worked some long days as well.

    “Getting a project done on time if very important,” he said. “I’ve put in some 16 hour days before.”

    Anyone can refinish a wood floor, according to Larsen, but sometimes things can go wrong with a do-it-yourselfer.

    “I give free estimates to anyone who is interested,” he said. “No job is to big or to small.”

    Larsen and his wife, Tracy, have three children, Sarah, 17 years; Derek, 14 and Carter, 4.