Whether you choose hardwood or engineered flooring begins with understanding what the differences are in materials, costs, durability and perhaps most importantly your unique style. Your flooring choice makes a bold statement and if chosen correctly and cared for, it can provide a lifetime of cozy comfort.  

Hardwood and engineered flooring differ mainly in their material. Solid wood flooring is made of natural hardwood throughout. Engineered wood flooring looks like solid hardwood, but its construction is a thin layer adhered to a premium plywood layer. Fully engineered vinyl planks, which closely mimic hardwood are made entirely from man-made plastic materials.

Comparing natural versus engineered hardwood flooring is harder than one may think. Add vinyl planks to the mix, it is no wonder most consumers feel overwhelmed. Both flooring systems share many characteristics in “look and feel” that it is difficult to decide. Vinyl planks are so realistic that they must also be a consideration if budget is the main concern. 

Below is an overview of flooring characteristics to consider and your choice will depend on how you value the relative merits of each. To make this less confusing when you head to the flooring store, we provided a win-or-lose comparison for both floorings. Fully engineered flooring such as vinyl planks will not be included but should be considered if your budget dictates.

Floors to Fall For

Finding the floors you fall for is difficult and should begin with a visit to the Cosmaroma flooring store. Try not to follow flooring trends as it is a futile exercise, even this year trending floor colours fall on both ends of the spectrum. 

Recently floors are getting bolder with rich varied colours and styles. However bleached or whitewashed floors are becoming popular due to the clean and modern look.

If you are seeking a timeless look – avoid falling for fanciful flooring and select the esthetic that matches your style. Your budget will likely help narrow down the options as will the help from the experts at Cosmaroma. 

Costs to Consider

Solid hardwood averages about $8 per square foot, with a range of $4 to $12. Engineered hardwood flooring is slightly less expensive with an average cost of $5 but can be as little as $2 to $10 per square foot.

The edge goes to engineered hardwood flooring, but the difference is not significant. For both types of flooring, installation labour can add $3 to $10 depending on labour costs and the complexity of the project. 

Durability Differences

Solid hardwood typically lasts 30 to 100 years in the case of bamboo, since it can be sanded down and refinished several times. Engineered hardwood flooring generally lasts 20 to 30 years.

If you are basing your decision solely on lifespan, then solid hardwood comes up on top for longevity and durability. That being said, 30 years is still a respectable lifespan for flooring.

Comfort and Sound

Hardwood may have better acoustics than engineered floors but it can be less comfortable underfoot. Floating engineered hardwood floors are fantastic for the feet but not so much for the ears as they tend to have echoes or clicking sounds, making walking on them a noisier experience. 

If you spend extra for a high-quality underlay for engineered floors, the sound and comfort comparison results in a tie.

Care, Cleaning and Colours

Both types of flooring are equally easy to clean and care for but choosing a colour is where the challenge begins. Grey flooring has quickly become the most popular trend, not just for flooring, but for homes in general. In addition to looking chic and trendy, grey floors set the tone for a contemporary home.

Bamboo is a posh option due to its durability and sustainability. It can be ready for construction within 7 years as opposed to 45 years for hardwoods to mature. Bamboo has been trending for several years and has a place among the top 2022 floor trends competing with other light hardwoods such as white oak and ash.

The colour competition between solid hardwoods and engineered flooring is a tie as both have a plethora of colours to choose from. Given that dark woods without red tones are re- trending, (walnut, mahogany, teak) one type of flooring system does not win over the other. 

Installation Issue

Hardwood flooring is installed with a “tongue-and-groove” system with blind nails to secure the planks. Some engineered wood flooring also uses blind nails but employs a “click-lock” system. This click system can also be installed on a floating floor without the use of nails. Most DIYs find engineered wood flooring easier to install and for this reason, it wins the installation comparison.

Resale Value

Solid Hardwood Flooring is considered to be the “gold standard”. Although in appearance it is hard to tell them apart, real estate professionals and discerning home buyers tend to place a premium on solid hardwood.

Both hardwood and engineered hardwood are premium flooring choices that add great real estate value, but it seems solid hardwood wins this race due to lifespan.

Environmental Impact

Solid hardwood requires more trees than its eco-friendly engineered counterpart. That being said, hardwood can be resurfaced more and thus replaced less. It can also be reclaimed or recycled and at the end of its lifespan, it is 100% biodegradable.

Engineered hardwood is environmentally friendly and sustainable as it uses less of the tree per plank. In addition, during production, the plywood core is sliced instead of cut using fewer pollutants.

When evaluating the environmental impact a strong consideration is that engineered hardwood is not as biodegradable. It can be refinished which extends its life, however, it will end up in a landfill. For this reason, when determining the environmental winner it seems natural hardwood saves the day.

The Verdict: Which Wood Wins?

Which version of hardwood flooring you prefer boils down to your personal preference. Engineered wood flooring is no longer regarded as the pale imitation of solid hardwood. Solid hardwood may be considered more prestigious and continues to be a top choice among professionals for adding value. But the lower cost and easier installation for engineered flooring win the prize. Couple that with the fact it is more sustainable and appealing to the growing demographic of environmentally conscious consumers.

Now that you are a flooring expert, choose the best flooring for your household. Make sure you take full advantage of our flooring expert’s wealth of knowledge by asking lots of questions and taking the time to complete your project right the first time. Contact a Cosmaroma expert today.