Installed, they cost about the same
Over a slab or an unheated Des Moines basement, solid wood is not an option at any price, so the comparison does not arise. Over a heated upstairs, both work and the money is similar.
Where the two genuinely separate is over decades. A 3/4 inch solid floor can be sanded four to seven times. An engineered board with a 2mm wear layer can be sanded none.
- How it is done
- engineered runs a dollar or two under solid installed
- What goes on the floor
- wear layer thickness is the number that matters, not the brand
- Ready to use
- n/a
- Typical cost
- $6 – $10 per sq ft installed against $7 – $12 per sq ft installed
- Service life
- n/a
The thirty year arithmetic
Take a thirty year view on a 500 square foot room. Solid at $10 a foot is $5,000, plus perhaps two refinishes at around $2,000 each, and the floor is still there afterwards.
Engineered at $8 a foot is $4,000, and with a thin wear layer it is a replacement job at the end rather than a refinish, which is another $4,000 plus removal.
Engineered with a 4 to 6mm wear layer changes that arithmetic completely, because it refinishes two or three times. That board costs more up front and it is the version worth buying.
Where cheap engineered stops being cheap
The cheap end of engineered is where this comparison gets decided badly. A $4 a foot board with a 2mm layer is not a cheaper hardwood floor. It is a different product with a shorter life.
Radiant heat decides on its own
Over radiant heat, solid is the wrong choice regardless of budget. Engineered is what the heat system's own instructions will specify.
Where these prices apply
We cover Des Moines, the western suburbs, the Ankeny corridor and the older neighbourhoods inside the city, including and 18 more areas.
Questions we get asked about engineered vs solid hardwood cost
Is engineered cheaper than solid?
Slightly, installed. Over thirty years a thin-wear-layer engineered floor costs more, because it gets replaced instead of refinished.
Which is better over a basement?
Engineered. Solid wood over an unconditioned basement or a slab will cup.
What wear layer should I look for?
4mm or more if you want a floor that can be refinished. Under 2mm, treat it as a floor with a fixed lifespan.
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