11/12/2025
Behind the Scenes: How Our Family Found Its Way Into Hardwood Floors
Every business has a beginning — but ours started almost by accident.
Back in the late 1990s, my father, Joel Sr., was between jobs and doing his best to keep our little family afloat. Out of kindness, my uncle Juan — my dad’s younger brother — invited him to help out on a painting job. The two of them were painting a home somewhere in Woodside or the Peninsula. My dad figured it was temporary work, just something to help pay the bills while he searched for something more stable.
Looking back, I realize how important that simple gesture was. My uncle didn’t just offer him work — he offered him hope.
Side note: I never had the chance to thank my uncle Juan for being such a great brother to my dad before his untimely passing. So, thank you, Tío Juan. May you rest in peace.
As fate would have it, the home they were painting belonged to the owner of one of the most successful hardwood floor companies in the Peninsula. Somehow, in the way only my dad can, he struck up a conversation with the homeowner — and by the end of that project, he was offered a job as a warehouse worker.
If you’ve ever met my dad, you know that doesn’t surprise anyone. He has a gift for connecting with people — genuine, humble, and impossible not to like.
In that warehouse, he started from zero. He learned about different wood species, stains, finishes, and tools. He organized everything until the place ran like clockwork, and before long, the owners took notice. Soon he was out on job sites, delivering materials — and asking questions. Lots of them.
He’d watch the lead sanders run the big machines, fascinated by how raw wood could be transformed into something beautiful. Bit by bit, they started teaching him the trade. He learned how to sand, how to finish, how to install — everything. Eventually, he got his shot to run his own projects, sanding floors with what’s known in our trade as the big machine — the drum sander.
As his son, I can say with pride that it was only a matter of time before he took another leap of faith. My dad has always been a risk taker — a true entrepreneur at heart.
Against the odds, and with a young family depending on him, he went out on his own. From our tiny one-bedroom apartment in San Mateo, JAZ Hardwood Floors was born.
He didn’t know it at the time, but that decision would shape not only his life — it would change the direction of our entire family. His dedication and hard work created a ripple effect. Today, our family name is tied to more than one hardwood floor company — including my own, Peninsula Hardwood Floors — and several others started by relatives who were inspired by his story.
I often think about those early years — the long days, the faith it took, and the risks he was willing to take. What began as a temporary paint job turned into a legacy built on craftsmanship, integrity, and family.
I’m proud to be part of this industry, and even prouder to be the son of a man who never gave up — who built something from nothing so that his children could have more.
I love you, Dad.
— Juan Arias
Owner, Peninsula Hardwood Floors
