Hardwood Vs. Engineered Wood Flooring: Which Is Better?

The difference between hardwood and engineered flooring

Both solid hardwood and engineered wood are made of real wood. But where solid hardwood is made out of one wood species, engineered hardwood can be made out of multiple.¹

A slab of wood is cut from lumber to produce solid hardwood planks.²

The way engineered floors are made is a little more complicated.

Wood fibers are bound together with adhesives to form engineered wood, such as oriented strand board (OSB) and plywood. These materials act as the core of the engineered floor. Only the wear layer, or layer placed on top of the core, is solid wood. Once installed, this wear layer is the only visible layer.

And because the top layer is solid wood, the solid hardwood and engineered wood floors end up looking the same.

The only discernible differences are that engineered boards are typically wider with slight grooves between the boards, while hardwood boards are more narrow with tighter seams.³ Engineered boards may also sound more hollow than solid hardwood when you’re walking over them.⁴

Though you might not be able to tell them apart with just a passing glance, these flooring types have other differences—pros and cons—that set them apart.

A comparison of solid hardwood flooring and engineered hardwood flooring

Let’s find out how solid hardwood and engineered wood stack up against each other when we consider the following factors:

• Cost
• Style options
• Longevity
• Installation
• Sustainability
• Sensitivity to moisture

Cost

Engineered wood flooring is the way to go if you’re looking for a stylish floor that won’t break the bank.

Because it’s mostly made out of cheaper wooden materials instead of solid wood, it ends up being less expensive than solid hardwood floors.⁵

Here’s a rough estimate of how much each material costs per square foot:⁶

• Engineered wood: anywhere from $4 to $7
• Solid hardwood: anywhere from $8 to $15

While hardwood floors might cost more upfront, they do have a higher resale value than engineered wood.⁷ This is because buyers view solid hardwood as a high-quality material.

Style options

Hardwood floors usually come unfinished. This provides more opportunities to apply a custom stain or finish.⁸ However, you might be more limited in the sizes and species available to you (as some species might be too rare or expensive to afford).⁹

Engineered floors are more difficult to customize as most of them are prefinished.¹⁰ However, they do come in a greater variety of widths than hardwood boards. These wide planks can work well for creating unique floor patterns.¹¹

Engineered wood also makes it cheaper and easier to have the exotic wood look. This is because engineered wood only contains a small portion of exotic wood in its wear layer.¹²

Longevity

Both engineered and hardwood floors are susceptible to dents and scratches.¹³ This is because both of their top layers are made of the same substance—solid wood.

But hardwood floors do have one advantage since they’re made of solid wood all the way through: they can be refinished more than engineered boards.¹⁴

Refinishing allows you to revitalize your floorboards and remove scratches by sanding and applying a fresh, new finish.

Hardwood floors can be sanded down multiple times without causing any issues because the board is one solid piece of wood. However, engineered floorboards only have a thin layer of hardwood on top. If you keep refinishing it and sanding it down, you’ll expose the core layer underneath.

Brett Miller, the vice president of the National Wood Flooring Association’s (NWFA) training and certification, confirms this, saying:

“Engineered flooring can be refinished, but the number of times it can be done depends on the thickness and quality of the wood veneer. This type of flooring will eventually need to be replaced when it can no longer be refinished due to the thinning of the veneer.”¹⁵

Comparing the numbers, engineered floors can last between 20 and 40 years, while hardwood boards have a lifespan of up to 100 years.¹⁶

Installation

Engineered floors are more DIY-friendly than hardwood because they’re easier to install.¹⁷

Unlike hardwood planks, engineered planks can rest on any subfloor—including concrete slabs.

Engineered plank flooring also allows for more installation method options. These wood planks can be nailed, glued, or stapled down. You can also use the click-lock method, which simply involves pushing the tongues and grooves of the boards against each other so they connect.¹⁸

Because it isn’t solid wood, engineered wood is also lighter. This makes it easier to ship, transport, and maneuver during the installation process.¹⁹

Hardwood is more difficult to install for several reasons. Most of it has to be nailed, glued, or stapled down—all of which are difficult installation methods, especially compared to the ease of floating floors.²⁰ It’s also heavier for installers to lift and transport.

Sustainability

Engineered wood is believed to be a more eco-friendly option than solid wood flooring.

Hardwood is made up entirely of solid wood, and the need for more solid wood increases logging demands, leading to more tree loss.

On the other hand, engineered flooring only requires solid wood for its top layer. The rest is made of wood scraps.

But that doesn’t mean engineered floors are without their problems.

Some engineered floors contain adhesives with high levels of volatile organic compounds (VOCs).²¹ These compounds are dangerous for the environment as well as our health.²² And while engineered wood wastes less wood initially, it may still end up wasting wood in the long run.

This is because engineered flooring doesn’t last as long as hardwood flooring. As a result, you end up having to replace it more frequently, which means you’d be buying more wood, leading to tree loss.

Fortunately, there are simple ways to get around both issues.

You can look for flooring manufacturers that use less VOCs. You can also find ways to protect and maintain your floor to increase its lifespan.

Sensitivity to moisture

The layers in engineered wood are more stable than solid wood and more resistant to warping, swelling, and other types of water damage. They’re also held together with water-resistant glue.²³

But even with these advantages, it’s still possible for moisture to damage engineered wood. For this reason, it’s not a good idea to use engineered wood or hardwood in high-moisture areas like bathrooms.²⁴ It should be safe to use in slightly damp areas like basements, though.

²⁵If you’re ever in doubt about whether you should install your boards, use a wood moisture meter to check the moisture levels of your floors and subfloor. If either contains too much moisture per the flooring manufacturer’s standards, wait for them to dry before checking them again.

Choose your floor

All that’s left now is to choose your floor!

Looking for traditional boards that’ll last you a long time? You’ll want to go with solid hardwood.

Want easy-to-install floors that come in a range of styles at a lower price? Engineered flooring is your best bet.

Once you’ve chosen and installed your boards, the next thing you’ll want to do is look for ways to keep your floors in good condition.

We’ve got just the article for you!

To learn how to get the most out of your wood floors,