Is Engineered Wood a Good Choice for Floors? An Explainer for This Man-Made Material

Let's go over whether or not it comes close to the real deal.

If you can distinguish hardwood flooring from solid hardwood, you might have a special talent. “Engineered wood is indistinguishable from solid hardwood to the untrained eye,” says Adrienne Hunt, wood flooring merchant at The Home Depot. Advancements in technology have seriously stepped up the faux wood game over the last two decades, and more people are flocking to incorporate the manufactured stuff into their homes because it looks so real and it’s a fraction of the cost. If you’re wondering whether or not you should follow suit, read on to find out more about engineered wood and how it compares to solid hardwood.

Related: 4 Affordable Alternatives to Wood Flooring That Look Just Like the Real Thing

What Is Engineered Wood Flooring?

Engineered wood is a manufactured wood product that is created through bonding wood strands, particles, and fibers (high-density fiberboard or Plywood) with wood veneers. This type of flooring closely resembles solid hardwood and is available in various colors, textures and sizes. “It has the appeal of traditional hardwood flooring with the stability and convenience of a manufacturer, often pre-finished product,” says Corbin Clay, a custom home builder and the CEO of Wayhome, a service that offers virtual expert advice for home improvement, repair, and DIY projects.

How Exactly Is Engineered Wood Flooring Made?

According to Hunt, each engineered wood plank is constructed from multiple layers of plywood or fiberboard, with a top layer of solid wood veneer. “This top veneer provides the planks with the authenticity of solid hardwood with no repeat patterns, while the sturdy plywood or fiberboard core enhances durability,” she says.

Engineered Wood Flooring vs. Solid Hardwood

Now that we have a basic understanding of engineered wood flooring, let’s delve into how it compares to prized solid hardwood.

Durability

The latter is thicker, providing a higher level of durability than engineered wood due to the number of times it can be refinished. “With the right installation, solid hardwood can last anywhere from 30 to 100 years, whereas engineered wood flooring with thinner veneers typically has a lifespan of up to 30 years,” Hunt says. However, she adds that properly installed engineered wood with thick veneers can help the flooring last up to 80 years. Clays also says, “While the top layer of engineered wood is significantly thinner than solid wood flooring and can potentially become damaged, the factory finishes applied to engineered flooring are often UV-cured and extremely durable.” So engineered wood can still be a pretty long-lasting alternative!

Water-Resistance and Stability

Although engineered wood is more resistant to moisture than solid wood, excessive moisture can still harm it. To protect against this, Hunt recommends purchasing a waterproof option, which provides added security against moisture-related issues. And according to Clay, engineered flooring’s stability is far superior to that of solid wood. He says, “While solid wood will shrink and swell with the seasons, engineered flooring stays exactly the same throughout the year.”

Cost Comparisons

The price of engineered flooring will vary based on several factors like the type of wood used for the show layer, the type of finish applied, and the width of each piece of flooring (the wider, usually, the more expensive), according to Clay. In general though, solid hardwood flooring generally carries a higher price per square foot compared to engineered hardwood, says Hunt. Data about flooring installation costs from Angi.com confirms this: Hardwood can cost $6 to $22 or more per square foot, while engineered wood will cost about $4 to $16 per square foot.

Hunt adds, “Premium engineered hardwood can reach similar costs to mid to upper-range solid hardwood, but the installation labor cost remains consistent for both types and constitutes a significant portion of the total expense. Additionally, high-end looks can be achieved at a more approachable price point with engineered wood.”

Installation

Clay explains that prefinished engineered flooring is sanded, finished, cured, and allowed to off-gas at the factory, eliminating any dust and smell. He says, “Engineered flooring can also be walked-on (even furniture moved back in!) the same day as the installation.” Hardwood, on the other hand, is much more complicated: The usual process is to install all the unfinished pieces, sand in place, staining, sealing, and then applying multiple coats of the protective topcoat. “This then all takes about 30 days to fully cure and is often quite noxious,” Clay adds.

Another factor to consider? Where you plan to install your floor, and luckily, engineered flooring is much more forgiving. Hunt explains, “Engineered wood can be installed on a slab or in a basement, whereas solid wood cannot.”

Resale Value

The consensus is that because solid hardwood flooring lasts longer than engineered wood, and is a little more expensive to install, the resale value is higher. However, the man-made stuff looks so similar to real wood nowadays, it’s not a huge turn-off for potential buyers.

How to Maintain Engineered Hardwood Floors

The process of cleaning engineered wood floors is similar to how you’d clean wood floors! Hunt says cleaning engineered wood floors is a straightforward task, often made easier by their pre-finished surface, which doesn't require additional layers of finish or polish. The one big downside to engineered floors is you can’t refinish them the way you would hardwood. Clay says, “Most engineered wood floors’ top veneer is 1/8-inch thick and can only be refinished so many times. Additionally, it may be hard to even find a refinishing company that is willing to sand and refinish engineered flooring in place, as they’re worried about sanding through the top veneer which would permanently damage the floor.”

Related: How to Clean Hardwood Floors Without Chemicals

Environmental Considerations

Due to engineered hardwood being constructed from various wood materials, it offers the benefit of excelling in resource efficiency by maximizing the use of available timber resources, including those unsuitable for solid wood products. Clay says, “Less-attractive and therefore less-expensive woods are often used for the ply/HDF core, which makes excellent use out of an otherwise-wasted material.” However, there might be lots of glues and resins used in the production process that are not super environmentally friendly. Keep in mind, solid hardwood uses way more trees to produce but it’s technically a renewable resource. The flooring lasts longer, can be recycled, and is biodegradable.

The Verdict

Engineered wood flooring is less expensive per square foot than solid hardwood but provides the same look and the same increased home value, says Hunt. It’s easier to install than hardwood and is more stable, plus it has a higher water-resistance. However, solid hardwood is technically longer-lasting and highly sought after, making resale value for the material a little higher. 

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