Engineered Hardwood

The secret is in engineered wood’s multi-ply construction that consists of a thick top layer of solid hardwood, an inner core of high density material and a hardwood backing. This tiered construction gives engineered hardwood superior strength and stability, making it less likely to react to changes in temperatures and humidity. For homeowners, the benefit is a floor that can be installed in dampness-prone areas like finished basements.

Engineered wood flooring looks very much like solid hardwood but its construction features a relatively thin layer of hardwood bonded over a premium-quality plywood layer that gives the flooring very good stability. A good-quality engineered wood floor typically lasts 25 to 30 years and is both less expensive and easier for DIYers to install.

Solid Hardwood

Solid wood flooring comes in long planks, usually made of a hardwood species. It is milled with tongues and grooves on opposite edges so that the boards interlock when installed. It is always nailed down to the subfloor, a process that requires some skill. Because it is solid wood, this flooring can be sanded down and refinished several times over its life.

Pros and Cons

Water and Heat Resistance

Both types of hardwood have good resistance to heat. Neither material is recommended installation for truly wet locations.

Solid Hardwood

Solid hardwood is not recommended for installation against concrete slabs, since humidity migrating through the concrete can cause solid hardwood to swell and warp.

Engineered Hardwood

Engineered hardwood has slightly better performance in humid locations since its plywood construction makes it more stable and less susceptible to warping. If installation against a concrete sub-floor is necessary, engineered hardwood is the choice.

Best for Water and Heat Resistance: Engineered Hardwood

Engineered hardwood flooring comes out the winner here, since its plywood base is less susceptible to warping caused by moisture.

Durability and Maintenance

Solid Hardwood

Solid hardwood is slightly superior here, since it can be sanded down and refinished several times over its lifespan.

Engineered Hardwood

Engineered hardwood can be refinished once, or at most twice, before the surface hardwood layer is exhausted.

Best for Durability and Maintenance: Solid Hardwood

Solid hardwood flooring holds the edge here since it can be sanded and refinished several times over the course of its lifespan. Pre-finished forms of both floors are the most durable since they have a hard, factory-applied finish that holds up very well. All wood floors can benefit from a renewal of the surface varnish coat every few years.

Cost

Solid Hardwood

Pre-finished solid hardwood averages about $8 per square foot, within a range of $4 to $12 per square foot.

Engineered Hardwood

Engineered hardwood flooring is slightly less expensive than solid hardwood. The typical range engineered hardwood flooring is $2.50 to $10 per square foot, with most types falling in the $4 to $7 per square foot range.

Best for Cost: Engineered Hardwood

The edge here goes to engineered hardwood flooring, but the difference is not huge. For both types of flooring, installation labor can add $3 to $10 per square foot, depending on prevailing labor costs in your area and the complexity of the room layout.