According to a recent survey, 83% of homeowners aren’t fully happy with their living spaces. Whether you have just purchased your home or you have owned it for a while, odds are that you’ve considered updating your flooring.

With all of the types of flooring to choose from, it can be hard to know where to begin.

You’ve looked through endless carpet squares, tile samples, and laminate but finally landed on wood as your final choice. Just when you thought your big decisions were over, you find another: engineered wood vs solid wood.

Keep reading to learn more about the pros and cons of engineered wood and solid wood flooring, so you can make an informed choice for your home.

Engineered Wood vs Solid Wood

Tried and true, hardwood flooring is by far the most popular flooring choice and has stood the test of time. It’s time to get down to the nitty-gritty and learn about engineered hardwood flooring and compare it with solid wood flooring.

Appearance

In general, solid wood boards are narrow, while engineered wood boards are wider. Solid wood flooring boards usually have very tight and close seams, whereas engineered boards have a bit of a groove between them.

Another difference between the two is that because solid wood is natural there is more variation in color and engineered wood flooring is more unified throughout. Solid wood flooring comes finished or unfinished, but for the most part, engineered wood always comes finished.

Resistance to Elements 

The clear winner in this category: engineered wood flooring. A huge pitfall with solid wood floors is that they are prone to warping and cupping with contact to moisture, humidity, and temperature changes.

If your new floors have a concrete subfloor, you can forget solid wood as a contender because moisture will inevitably ruin it.

Engineered wood flooring is more durable than solid wood simply because it consists of several layers. When looking at the options for engineered wood flooring, go for the ones that have a thicker core for better durability.

Cleaning Options and Care

Cleaning and care are pretty unified for both options: sweep, vacuum, and a damp mop. You’ll want to avoid large amounts of water and steam with either flooring choice. 

Over time, engineered wood and solid wood will both get surface scratches that will require refinishing. Solid wood wins in this department because engineered wood floorings can only be refinished once, maybe twice, but you can refinish solid wood multiple times.

Cost

Of course, the cost comes into consideration. On average, the cost for hardwood flooring plus installation is around $14 to $25. Engineered wood flooring runs closer to $8 to $14 for materials and installation.

Finalizing Your Decision

All things considered in the race of engineered wood vs solid wood, if you are looking to make a nice upgrade to your home’s flooring then the winner is engineered.

For most people, the low upfront cost, solid durability, and ease of care make engineered come out in the lead.

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