Flooring Type Comparison

Unfinished - Solid Hardwood

Characteristics

• Real wood you can sand and refinish over and over

pros

• Real hardwood look & feel/aesthetics
• Can withstand multiple re-finishings
• Longer lifespan
• Higher resale value
• Renewable resource
• Good insulator
• More customizable – color/stain options

cons

• Vulnerable to humidity, hardwood is not recommended for below-grade basements

Pre-Finished Solid Hardwood

Characteristics

• Real wood you can sand and refinish over and over

pros

• Real hardwood look & feel/aesthetics
• No on-site sanding/finishing required
• Renewable resource
• Good insulator
• Easy one-day install
• Resists more scratches than on-site finishing

Engineered Hardwood

Characteristics

• Layered products created of real thin slice of hardwood on top of a high quality plywood base
• Can be installed as a floating floor like traditional wood planks or glue down
• Appropriate for any floor in any home

pros

• Excelling hardwood alternative for concrete and other moist sub-floor environments (ie. Basement)
• Real wood finish
• Versatile and available in many colors
• Can be stained, refinished
• Great for use with radiant heating

cons

• Fewer choices of wood species vs. solid hardwood
• You can sand it but once or twice lightly
• Because the surface is thin, its overall durability is not as long as solid hardwood

Laminate

Characteristics

• Synthetic wood flooring with a real wood aesthetic with a wide range of choices

pros

• Inexpensive
• Water resistant (not waterproof)
• Low maintenance

cons

• Cannot be repaired, refinished or stained
• Once damaged, laminate planks must be completely replaced