Hardwood floors add a clean, classic look to any home, but choosing the right option involves more than just appearance. Factors like durability, wood type, and installation method all play a role in how a floor performs over time.
This guide covers key hardwood flooring factors, from cost and materials to installation and maintenance, to help you choose the right flooring for your home. It also includes advice from This Old House Magazine and insights This Old House master carpenter Norm Abram.
Hardwood Flooring Overview
How Much Do Hardwood Floors Cost?
Material costs are between $4 and $15 per square foot, depending on wood thickness, species, and grade. Some prefinished solid-wood and engineered wood floors may be appropriate projects for experienced do-it-yourself (DIY) enthusiasts, but if you plan to hire a pro installer, the total hardwood flooring cost is typically between $6 and $25 per square foot.
Costs can vary significantly based on wood species, board width, and installation complexity, so comparing options early can help avoid unexpected increases during the project.
Note: The cost data in this guide is based on estimates from Angi and HomeAdvisor, unless otherwise noted.
How Many Years Do Hardwood Floors Last?
Some prefinished solid-wood boards come with a 50-year warranty, but with proper care, solid hardwood flooring can last significantly longer. Engineered wood typically has a shorter lifespan, since it can only be refinished once or twice, with finish warranties ranging from 10–30 years.
Longevity depends not just on the material, but also on maintenance and environmental conditions. Consistent humidity levels and regular maintenance help prevent wear, gaps, and surface damage over time.
How Do You Maintain Hardwood Floors?
Sweep, dry mop, or vacuum hard floors regularly and lay runners and doormats near entries. Regular cleaning helps preserve the finish, but avoiding excess moisture is just as important.
Too much water or steam can damage the protective coating and lead to long-term issues. Brett Miller, a technical expert with the National Wood Flooring Association, says in This Old House Magazine that too much water or any amount of steam can harm hardwood floors, along with harsh cleaners that degrade the finish.
Polish the flooring two to four times a year, and refinish solid wood every seven to 10 years as necessary.
Where Do You Install Hardwood Floors?
You can install hardwood flooring just about anywhere, except in areas prone to extreme humidity and standing water. This means solid hardwood isn’t the best choice for bathrooms, basements, and laundry rooms.
- Kitchen and entryway: Choose a hard wood, such as oak or hickory, which can handle heavy foot traffic better than a soft pine.
- Bedroom and home office: Rooms off the beaten path are good locations for softer woods, such as black cherry or black walnut.
- Basement: Avoid using solid-wood flooring below grade, where high humidity prevails. An engineered wood floor is a better option here because it’s more stable.
- Bathroom: Water can warp wood, making it a poor choice for baths with tubs and showers.
Tip: If you’re installing in a moisture-prone area, engineered flooring is often a better choice. As flooring installer Larry Thompson explains on This Old House, solid wood “isn’t as dimensionally stable” because the grain runs in one direction, while engineered boards use layered construction to limit expansion and contraction
Hardwood Floor Buying Tips
Before choosing a hardwood floor, consider how it will perform in your space Factors like durability, stability, and installation method can have a bigger impact over time than color or finish alone.
Focus on these key considerations as you compare options:
- Board size and style: Wider boards create a more open look but can show movement more easily, while narrower strips tend to be more stable over time.
- Durability: Harder species such as oak or hickory resist dents and wear better in high-traffic areas, while softer woods may show wear more quickly.
- Moisture sensitivity: Solid hardwood is more prone to expansion and contraction, making engineered flooring a better choice in areas with fluctuating humidity.
- Installation method: The type of subfloor will determine whether flooring can be nailed, glued, or floated, which can affect both cost and complexity.
Subfloor and Installation Considerations
The subfloor determines which installation methods will work and how the floor will perform over time.
- Plywood subfloor: As long as it’s solid and flat, you can install nail- or glue-down hardwood, as well as floating engineered floors.
- Existing wood floor: Thinner boards with durable factory finishes help create smoother transitions between rooms.
- Concrete slab or tile: Nails aren’t an option, so consider a floating floor or one that can be glued down.
- Radiant floor: Engineered flooring is ideal because it’s thinner and more stable than most solid wood.
Hardwood Flooring Costs
To figure out how much your floor will cost, calculate the room’s square footage, then add 5%–10% for cuts and waste. Multiply this figure by the board’s square-foot price to get your cost. Don’t forget to add on a few extra bucks for door thresholds, shoe moldings, and any nails or staples you might need.
Hardwood Floor Basics
Even if you’ve determined solid hardwood is the best option for your home, you’ve still got a few more choices to make. In addition to the appearance of the wood, here are some qualities to keep in mind.
- Thickness: Solid 3/4-inch boards can be refinished multiple times. Thinner boards may require less frequent refinishing if they have durable factory-applied coatings, but they offer less flexibility over time.
- Length: Longer boards create fewer end joints and a more continuous look, while shorter boards can make smaller spaces feel more proportionate.
- Width: Wider planks create a more open, modern appearance but are more susceptible to seasonal movement, which can make gaps more noticeable. Narrower strips tend to stay tighter and are often more stable over time.
- Hardness: The harder the wood, the less prone it is to dents and gouges. The graphic below shows how various species stack up. In general, cherry and pines are some of the softest woods, oak and walnut are in the middle, and exotic hardwoods top the scale.
Hardwood Cuts
How a board is cut affects both its appearance and its response to changes in humidity.
- Flatsawn boards are cut so the growth rings run roughly parallel to the face, creating a more pronounced, varied grain pattern.
- Quartersawn boards have growth rings that run perpendicular to the face, resulting in a straighter grain and improved stability over time.
Because of these differences, quartersawn boards are generally less prone to cupping or movement, while flatsawn boards tend to show more variation in both grain and seasonal expansion. As Abram notes in This Old House Magazine, mixing these cut types in the same room can create an uneven appearance due to their different grain patterns.
Hardwood Grading
Mills sort hardwood flooring into grades based on natural characteristics such as knots, color variation, and grain pattern. These differences affect the appearance of the floor more than its strength or durability.
Higher-grade boards have a more uniform look with fewer visible variations, while lower grades include more knots and color contrast, creating a more rustic or natural appearance. In most cases, these variations are cosmetic rather than structural.
Because grading standards vary by species, what’s considered a defect in one type of wood may be a defining feature in another. Choosing a grade ultimately comes down to the look you want, not the flooring’s performance.
Prefinished vs. Site-Finished Hardwood Floors
All hardwood floors need a protective finish, but you can choose between boards that are finished at the factory or finished after installation.
Prefinished flooring is coated and cured before it arrives, making installation faster and allowing you to walk on the floor right away. These finishes are typically more durable, but the boards often have slight beveled edges that can make seams more visible.
Site-finished flooring is installed first and then sanded and finished in place, creating a smoother, more uniform surface without visible edges. This option allows for more customization in color and finish, but it requires more time to install and cure.
Types of Hardwood Floors
There are several types of hardwood flooring, each offering a different balance of cost, durability, and appearance. Choosing the right option depends on how the space will be used, your budget, and design preferences.
Below are some of the most common categories, along with their key characteristics and typical price ranges.
Classic Wood
Domestic hardwoods offer a wide range of colors and grain patterns, making them a versatile choice for most homes.
- Stained red oak
Price: $8–$13 per square foot
Highlight: It’s the most common wood-strip flooring in American homes.
- White ash
Price: $9–$11 per square foot
Highlight: This blond wood has a prominent grain pattern.
- Black cherry
Price: $4.30–$30 per square foot
Highlight: Under a clear finish, its natural cinnamon tint darkens with age.
- Heart pine
Price: $4.50–$13 per square foot
Highlight: Rusty-hued and knotty, it’s been in Southern homes since colonial times.
Exotic Wood
Exotic hardwoods are known for their rich color and extreme hardness, but they often come at a higher cost.
- Brazilian redwood
Highlight: The deep russet color and subtle grain won’t distract from a room’s decor.
Price: $11–$20 per square foot
- Australian cypress
Price: $3.85–$5.75 per square foot
Highlight: Its distinct grain and profusion of knots give any room a rustic look.
- Black acacia
Price: $2.90–2.90 per square foot
Highlight: This stained hardwood has a golden tone when topped just with a clear finish.
- Brazilian koa
Highlight: Dark chocolate and blond stripes alternate in an eye-catching combination.
Distressed Wood
Distressed flooring is designed to hide wear and add character, making it a practical choice for high-traffic areas.
- Distressed hickory
Price: $6–$13 square foot
Highlight: Dented with chains, then stained to a rich hue.
- Handscraped white oak
Price: $8–$15 per square foot
Highlight: Random ripples are carved along the length of each strip.
Bamboo
Although not technically wood, bamboo flooring makes for a sustainable, lightweight alternative to hardwood. It tends to cost between $5 and $11 per square foot and comes in several variations.
- Vertical-strand bamboo
Highlight: This grass, which reaches maturity in about six years, is an eco-friendly alternative to slow-growing trees.
- Woven-strand bamboo
Highlight: Weaving the strips together creates a flooring as hard as hickory.
Engineered Wood (DIY Floors)
Engineered flooring provides the look of hardwood with added stability, especially in areas with moisture or temperature changes. The base is plywood, its top is a prefinished wood veneer. Strips can be fastened or glued down, or left to float. Prices range from $4.50–$16 per square foot based on the type of wood and quality of the flooring as a whole.
- Engineered tamarind
Highlight: Get the look of teak for about the same price as bamboo.
- Engineered black walnut
Highlight: This naturally dark wood has been popular since Victorian times.
- Engineered red oak
Highlight: A classic, tough hardwood, just 3⁄8 inch thick.
Cork (DIY Floors)
Made from the bark of cork oak trees in Spain and Portugal, this click-together or glue-down flooring is soft underfoot, a natural insulator, and an excellent sound absorber.
Price: $4–$8 per square foot
Highlight: These 11-milimeter-thick planks snap together and float over the subfloor.
- Cork tile
Price: $3–$7 per square foot
Highlight: Only 5/32 inch thick, this cork-crumb amalgam is glued directly to the subfloor.
Laminate (DIY Floors)
If you want the look of wood without the high price tag, laminate flooring is a photo of wood, glued to a fiberboard substrate. These wide planks are a snap to install—literally—but once they’re worn, they can’t be refinished.
- Cherry laminate
Price: $1 per square foot
Highlight: These 1/4-inch-thick pieces click together.
- Teak laminate
Highlight: Its undulating surface resembles a handscraped wood floor.
Hardwood Floor Styles
Get inspiration for your next project with our visual guide to floor styles.
Bamboo
This green flooring from Southeast Asia has a bright contemporary feel. Carbonized 3 3/4-inch horizontal planks, similar to shown, cost about $7–$20 per square foot.
White Pine
Wide, knotty planks complement the rustic beadboard wall and ceiling paneling. Unfinished 8 7/8-inch planks, similar to shown, cost about $4.50–$10 per square foot.
Distressed Heart Pine
Handscraped flooring adds character and patina to any room. Five-inch strips, similar to what’s shown, are about $4.50–$10 per square foot.
Cork
In a family room or den, this floating floor reduces noise and cushions footfalls. Twelve-inch-wide click-together planks, similar to shown, cost about $4–$8 per square foot.
Engineered Beech
Dark-stained wood makes this small home office feel larger. Engineered 4 1/4-inch strips that are similar to what’s shown cost about $4.50–$16 per square foot.
Brazilian Chestnut
This dense exotic stands up nicely to traffic in busy kitchens.
Finishing Options
The type of finish you choose affects both the appearance and durability of your hardwood floor, especially in high-traffic areas or homes with pets.
- Oil-based polyurethane: Long known for its durability, this finish adds a warm amber tone to the wood. It requires more drying time between coats, but holds up well in busy areas.
- Water-based polyurethane: This finish dries clear and faster than oil-based options, making it a good choice when you want to preserve the natural color of the wood. It also has less odor and allows for quicker project completion.
- Stain: Stains use penetrating pigments to change the color of the wood and highlight its grain. They’re applied before the protective finish and allow for greater customization.
Our Conclusion
Hardwood flooring is a long-term investment, so choosing the right material, construction, and finish can have a lasting impact on its performance in your home. Factors like moisture exposure, foot traffic, and maintenance all play a role in how well the floor holds up over time. By understanding these trade-offs before you install, you can select a flooring option that not only fits your style but also delivers lasting durability.
