In a world that is full of comparisons of different products and features, you will find that it can pay to compare items to get the best deal for your money.
By comparing apples to apples (or even apples to oranges), you can find the product that will best fit your needs and your budget.Comparison shopping sound like a lot of work?
Related article: Best Hardwood Flooring
Related article: Best Engineered Hardwood Flooring
The good news is that this process doesn’t even have to take you out of your home, if you wish, because most research can be done in the privacy of your home on your computer. Additionally, many flooring companies and installers, like Lumber Liquidators will send a consultant to your home to discuss options further.
Compare Prices: Engineered vs. Solid
Want to see a great comparison of prices from a hardwood (engineered and solid) with the guaranteed lowest prices? Take a look at Lumber Liquidators for a huge range of engineered and solid wood flooring.
Today, we are doing the initial work for you! We’re taking the guess work out of the engineered vs solid hardwood flooring debate. Check out the following comparison to help you make the right choice if you are considering either one of these flooring options for your home or a room in your home.
The Great Debate: Engineered and Solid Hardwood Floor
Engineered vs solid hardwood flooring can start many a lively debate among friends, home builders or remodelers and homeowners. There are pros and cons to both, but for the most part, nobody can tell the difference in the look once the floor is installed. Let price, availability, environment and lifestyle issues help guide your choice.
When considering engineered vs solid hardwood flooring, you first want to take a look at the individual features of each so that you have some basis to compare these two types of flooring. Here are the basics of each of these two types of wood flooring.
Pros of Engineered Hardwood Flooring
1. Versatility and Ease of Installation: Unlike solid hardwood flooring, engineered flooring can be installed in any room that you choose, even a basement, because it can withstand moisture due to the layers of material in the flooring that are designed to withstand buckling and rippling. Engineered flooring can also be installed over radiant floor heating, which can keep your feet warm during those cold winter months.
2. Durability and Maintenance: Caring for engineered hardwood flooring is similar to solid hardwoods, as the top layer, the “wear layer,” that will come into contact with the cleaning materials is essentially the same for both. With any hardwoods (engineered or solid), you will want to avoid abrasive or harsh chemicals like ammonia, and avoid using excessive soaking, as hardwood is susceptible to water damage. Never use a steam cleaner on your hardwood floors-engineered or solid!
3. Price: Engineered hardwood looks just as beautiful as solid hardwood flooring at a much better price that will fit almost anyone’s budget. Engineered hardwood floors also easy to install, saving on the cost of installation if you have the desire to do it yourself.
4. Environmentally Friendly: Engineered hardwood flooring is also more environmentally friendly than solid hardwood floors because the sub-surface layers are made from “junk” or “scrap” wood that would traditionally have been unusable, not the ornamental wood. This approach saves more forests because each tree of the hardwood, the oak, maple, bamboo, etc., can go further than it does with traditional solid wood floors.
Cons of Engineered Hardwood Flooring
Because the engineered hardwood floors are made by compressing a lower quality scrap wood for the first few layers of the planks and then using the traditional hardwood layer on the surface, you cannot refinish the floors very many times. Depending on the thickness of the top layer, you may be able to get up to three or four resurfacings from most engineered hardwood floors. So, while it’s not as long lasting as solid wood flooring, many engineered hardwood floors can be refinished. Despite only having a top layer of traditional hardwood, engineered wood flooring is a durable floor during its lifetime.
Solid Hardwood Flooring
Solid hardwood flooring comes in many different varieties of wood species, ranging from the traditional choices like maple or oak to more exotic woods, like bamboo. Solid wood floors are slightly more expensive than an engineered wood flooring, but if you are a diehard wood flooring enthusiast, then you may want to stick with a solid hardwood flooring. As the name implies, solid hardwood flooring planks are the traditional style of wood floors where the planks are made entirely from the hardwood, not from any kind of a wood composite or filler.
Pros of Hardwood Flooring
1. Added Value: When selling your home, if you have a home has solid hardwood floors, the listing price automatically jumps up. This is because the traditional choice of hardwood flooring has long been sought after in real estate and, with the rise in engineered hardwoods and laminates, it is becoming less and less common to find solid hardwoods in newer homes, increasing the demand and the value-add.
2. Potential For Refinishing: Because you can refinish a solid wood floor more times than you can an engineered wood floor, this flooring type lasts longer. This also helps balance some of the environmental problems associated with some wood floors, as you may be using a greater proportion of the hardwood in the initial design, but these solid planks will far outlast the “wear layer” of engineered woods.
3. Enduring and Long-Lasting: While solid hardwoods require a hefty amount of maintenance to keep in pristine condition and solid hardwood flooring can be damaged more easily than engineered hardwoods, there is no doubt that these floors can be refinished and repaired time and again. So while they may not be near the top of the list for durability, they still have a lasting staying power that means they can be revitalized time and again throughout the life of the floor.
4. Timeless Beauty: Truthfully, it is very difficult to tell the difference between a high quality engineered wood floor and a solid hardwood floor. However, there is a certain sentimentality and beauty in knowing that a solid hardwood floor will last through the lifetime of the home. If your home is a place you plan to live in for a long time, there is a certain appeal in knowing that the solid hardwood floors in your home today will be the same floors enjoyed by generations to come.
Cons of Hardwood Flooring
Solid hardwood can’t be installed (or isn’t recommended) in high moisture areas and should be avoided in rooms where water damage is likely, such as the bathroom, basements, or laundry room. Many professionals even recommend to avoid a solid hardwood floor in the kitchen. This is because the higher moisture content in the air — or excessive water on the floor, as from a leak — can cause the wood to ripple or buckle, which will destroy the flooring.
If you have children or pets, then you may want to consider the durability factor of solid hardwood flooring in your decision. Depending on the hardwood used, these floors can be damaged comparatively easily. All solid hardwoods scratch or dent easier than their engineered hardwood counterparts because the wood composite inside an engineered flooring plank is designed to withstand additional wear. However, the “wear layer” of an engineered hardwood floor is comparable to the solid wood counterparts and both will need to be properly maintained with a regular polyurethane or wax sealant in order for them to last.
It was once true that most solid hardwood flooring needed to be professionally installed. If you are a do-it-yourselfer, then this was traditionally a big negative for solid hardwood flooring. However, these days, most hardwood flooring is designed with tongue and groove style planks that can be installed by anyone with a level subfloor. Check out this video to see how to install the tongue-and-grove style planks typical of modern solid or engineered hardwood flooring.
And the Winner of the Engineered vs. Solid Hardwood Flooring Debate Is...
…entirely a matter of preference!
Unfortunately, I can’t tell you which of these two flooring options is the right choice for you. Deciding between engineered vs solid hardwood flooring is a decision that should be made carefully. In some cases, your budget will be the determining factor, but if at all possible, it is better to let other considerations make your decision for you. Consider the rooms that you will be installing the flooring in, the people who will be walking on and enjoying the floors, and what your dream flooring is to help you determine the winner between engineered vs. solid hardwood flooring in your particular situation. I also strongly recommend that you reach out to several different manufacturers and suppliers to check out their products and do some comparison shopping between all of the options.
Compare Prices: Engineered vs. Solid
Want to see a great comparison of prices from a hardwood (engineered and solid) with the guaranteed lowest prices? Take a look at Lumber Liquidators for a huge range of engineered and solid wood flooring.
I often hear that engineered floors cannot be refinished as often as solid floors. I am not sure that I understand the reason. If you look at the portion of the solid wood plank above the tongue, this thickness is the same as on engineered planks (this thickness of the real wood surface – not the plywood base). So why would engineered floors have less refinishing potential compared to engineered? The reason I noted the thinkness above the tongue is because the nail or staple is installed on the top side of the tongue fastening the solid plank to the subfloor. If this thickness is the same in solid or engineered wood floors, why is there the refinish limitation for engineered floors?
Please help me understand why engineered cannot be refinished as often as solid wood floors.
Thanks!
Good observation!
I’ve always bought into the theory that the top layer of the engineered wood was what you had to pay attention to in regards to how many times you can refinish the floor. And that layer is thinner than solid wood planks. But you’re right; the T&G, if nails are involved, would dictate how far down you could go before the floor lost integrity.
So I guess it depends on the engineered floor. They aren’t all made the same, so if the top layer doesn’t go all the way to the T&G it would have fewer refinishes in it than an engineered plank that has a thicker top layer.
What is an average square foot price I should expect to pay for a med./good grade engineered maple floor installed?
Dave, the price of flooring varies by location. Since I don’t sell flooring I don’t know what you can expect in your area. But some phoning around will give you the information you are looking for.
I’m trying to decided between installing a hardwood floor in both my family room and kitchen. their located side by side. We have a large lab and while we cut its nails, it tends to run around the house and cause some scratches. Is the hardwood floor better at resisting scratches or is the engineered floor better.
Also, do you recommend wood flooring in a kitchen vs. a tile floor.
Hi Bruce,
Hardwood & engineered floors are pretty much the same on the surface, becuase the top layer of an engineered floor is hardwood, it just isn’t solid hardwood. As mentioned in the article above, a hardwood floor can be refinished more times than an engineered floor. The biggest thing is to make sure that your floor is finished correctly. I personally love Diamond Coat Varathane Polyurethane formulated for floors and would recommend 3 or 4 coats if you go with flooring that you have to finish yourself. Read through the posts here and be sure to do a search for varathane – search is located at the upper right-hand corner of the screen.
I wouldn’t recommend wood flooring for the kitchen, for the reasons stated above in the article, but it’s a personal choice. If you do choose wood flooring in your kitchen, it’s going to be very, very important to make sure that it will be protected from moisture.
Oh, also…… be sure to read through the flooring posts for some problems that other homeowners have experienced with marks that dog’s claws can create. Some of the finished flooring that you buy can be very problematic in this area, a big reason why I’d recommend unfinished flooring so you can finish it properly yourself.
Living in Phoenix, Arizona, is there any advantage or disadvantage of solid wood flooring over engineered wood? We have been leaning towards a solid bamboo, but are being told by some that it would have to be installed over a plywood subfloor only and could not or should not be glued down. Is this also correct?
Well……. Bamboo flooring can be glued, I don’t know why they would have told you that it couldn’t be. I am guessing that you have a nice even floor to start out with.
Most bamboo flooring is engineered, but that’s not necessarily a *bad* thing. The advantage of engineered wood over solid is that it tends to “weather” the temperature and humidity changes better, and in-floor heat too.
We live in Florida and have been told we need to go with an engineered wood floor. If we built up a wood subfloor instead of installing over concrete would there be any advantages to engineered over solid?
Hi T.,
Did the person(s) who told you that give an explaination why?? It doesn’t make sense. Just be sure that before you put your subfloor down that you make sure to use some sort of moisture barrier between the concrete and the subfloor that you won’t have any moisture issues to contend with your new wood floor (engineered or hardwood). There’s different types of moisture/vapor barriers, so you may want to read further about your options either here on the site or through your favorite search engine. If you want to read up at this site, just use the search bar that’s at the top right-hand of every page.
Can bamboo or engineered flooring be installed over existing hardwood floors?
Hi Kim,
Yes, it can work, but you’ll need to take into consideration the height of the new floor, especially in front of appliances like a dishwasher, and under doors. There could very well be weight issues to think about too, so you’ll have to make sure that your floor joists are strong enough to support another heavy layer of flooring. If you have infloor heat, then I think that it would not be a good option.
Hello,
We are having a new home built and have upgraded our hardwood flooring so we are able to pick either a 3″ solid hardwood floor or an engineered 5″ plank floor. I LOVE the 5 in” hand beveled engineered flooring although my biggest concern is that the finish warranty is only good for 15 years vs 25 for the solid HW. I have kids and dogs and having lived in older homes with original HW flooring, know that refinishing is a nice option every 10 years or so. It’s my understanding that we can’t refinish the engineered floors? Any thoughts on this? I can’t really fathom spending this kind of money for a floor that I will have to replace theoretically in 15 years. In addition, we are having the floors installed in a kitchen and powder room where the possiblity of moisture is there. Thanks in advance. So glad I found your site!
Hi Krista,
Yes, you can refinish engineered HW floors, BUT, remember, the HW layer is much, much thinner than a traditional HW floor, which means you’re not going to be able to sand into it nearly as much and have to be very careful in doing so.
Hi,
We are putting new flooring in our dining room and family room. We are trying to decide between Bruce engineered hardwood and bamboo. We have a 2 teenagers and a lab. Any suggestions as to which is best?
Thanks!
Hi Stacy,
Either one would be good choice, they’re both durable. Your dog is going to be more of a problem for the floor than your teenagers will – or at least should be! ;~) Just be sure to keep your dog’s toenails trimmed so that the floor doesn’t get scratched up.
Check with the manufacturer to see if there are any sealers that they recommend for putting over the new flooring (yes, it can be done – you just need to make sure it won’t void your warranty!). I’m not saying that you have to do this, just that some people find it helpful.
I am trying to decide between a solid floor versus an engineered wood. The guy that wants to sell me the solid floor tells me that the engineered layers may come apart, delamination. How true a possibility is that?
Hi Lorrie,
It sounds to me like the salesman is trying to get you to spend more money. It’s your choice, right?
Message to Lorrie: we all have prejudices about what the best flooring is. There are good flooring choices and products, and poor ones. You can buy an excellent engineered wood flooring just as you can a solid wood flooring. The important issues are what climate you live in, what kind of heating you have, and even which wood choice you want. Environmentally, as The Flooring Lady often chimes in, engineered wood floors are better because they make use of wood scraps.
I chose an engineered wood flooring in my house because I have in floor heat and engineered wood is more dimensionally stable than solid wood, so it’s going to hold up to my situation better than solid wood.
Good luck in making your decision.
I am also trying to decide between an engineered wood floor and solid wood floor. I have particle board for my subfloor and was considering a floating floor, but have concerns over the ability to refinish a floating floor. Does anyone have experience with this? Also, one installer suggested stapling an engineered floor to the particle board (rather than rip and replace with plywood) as a way to save money. Thoughts on that?