Engineered vs Solid Wood Flooring: Which Is Right for You?
When choosing a real wood floor, one of the biggest decisions you’ll face is whether to go for engineered wood flooring or solid wood flooring. Both are made from genuine timber and bring natural warmth, beauty, and value to your home – but they differ in how they’re constructed, how they perform, and where they’re best used.
Solid wood flooring is the traditional option, made from a single piece of hardwood and loved for its timeless appeal and longevity. Engineered wood flooring, on the other hand, combines a real wood top layer with a stable multi-layer core, offering greater resistance to moisture and temperature changes. This makes it a versatile choice for modern living spaces, especially where underfloor heating or variable humidity are factors.
To help you decide which is best for your project, we’ve created a detailed comparison covering every important aspect – from construction and cost to lifespan, aesthetics, and maintenance. Use the table below to see how engineered and solid wood flooring stack up against each other before making your final choice.
Comparison Table: Engineered Wood vs Solid Wood Flooring
| Aspect | Engineered Wood Flooring | Solid Wood Flooring |
|---|---|---|
| Construction | Multi-layer build with cross-ply core and a real wood wear layer. Designed to limit movement. | Single piece of hardwood throughout the thickness. Beautiful but more movement prone. |
| Moisture Resistance | Better tolerance to minor moisture and spills. Not waterproof. | More sensitive to moisture. Spills and damp can cause cupping or swelling. |
| Humidity Stability | High dimensional stability. Less expansion and contraction through the seasons. | Natural movement with humidity changes. Needs tighter climate control and expansion gaps. |
| Underfloor Heating Compatibility | Generally suitable for most hydronic and many electric UFH systems. Follow tog limits and manufacturer guidance. | Not recommended. |
| Sanding (Refinishing) | Depends on wear layer. Typical 2–4 light to medium sanding’s over life. | Can be sanded and refinished multiple times — similar to engineered flooring with a 3–5 mm top layer, since even solid wood can only be refinished up to its tongue and groove depth. |
| Installation Methods | Floating, glue-down, or nail-down. Faster and cleaner for renovations. | Mainly nail-down or glue-down. Slower and more labor intensive. |
| Noise & Feel Underfoot | Comfortable and quiet with quality underlay. | Traditional solid feel. Depends on subfloor and acoustic layers. |
| Lifespan | 20–50+ years with care, depending on wear layer and finish. | 50+ years with maintenance and refinishing. |
| Aesthetic | Real wood surface with modern finishing. Wide 6-10″ and long planks available. | Classic depth and natural variation of solid timber. Solid wood planks are generally limited to widths up to 3-6″ due to natural movement. |
| Cost | Usually lower cost and quicker installation. | Higher material and fitting cost. |
| Maintenance | Routine sweeping and damp mopping. Occasional refresh. | Similar daily care but needs humidity control. |
| Environmental Impact | Efficient hardwood use; often FSC certified. | More hardwood per sf — choose responsibly sourced timber. |
| Subfloor Requirements | Works well over concrete or timber with suitable underlay or adhesive. | Prefers stable timber subfloors, not on concrete. |
| Room Suitability | Kitchens, living rooms, bedrooms, home offices, hallways. | Living rooms, bedrooms, upstairs areas. Avoid high-moisture zones. |
| Thickness & Board Sizes | 3.2 –6 mm wear layer. Wide planks available. | Limited or pricier in extra-wide formats. |
| Repairability | Individual plank replacement easy with click systems or t&g | Full refinishing restores uniform look but more complex. |
| Sound Insulation | Excellent with acoustic underlay when floated. | Depends on glue-down or subfloor build-up. |
| Surface Finish Options | Wide factory finishes: lacquered, oiled, brushed, hand-scraped. | Similar range, plus custom site finishing. |
| Resale Value | Modern, practical, and perceived as high quality. | Timeless appeal for traditionalists. |
| Color & Grain Consistency | More consistent across batches. | Natural variation board to board. |
| Thermal Performance | Low thermal resistance — ideal for UFH systems. | Slower heat transfer. |
Tip: Always check the manufacturer’s guidance for subfloor moisture, acclimatization, UFH temperatures and finish maintenance. Performance varies by product.
Final Thoughts
While both options deliver the unmistakable beauty of real wood, engineered wood flooring offers the best balance of practicality, style, and performance for most homes. Its layered construction gives it impressive stability in changing temperatures and humidity, making it suitable for almost every room – even those with underfloor heating. With a wide choice of finishes, sizes, and installation methods, it combines the authentic look of solid wood with the reliability modern living demands.