How can you possibly make a decision on which type of hardwood flooring installation to get? That decision is difficult, but have you considered an equally important decision: whether to get solid hardwood flooring or engineered hardwood flooring? If you’re like many first-time flooring shoppers, you haven’t. Here are some helpful tips.

• Price. Engineered hardwood flooring is often less expensive than solid hardwood flooring, but that is not always the case. When it comes down to it, the cost of hardwood flooring comes down to the quality and wood species. Exotic solid hardwood is likely to be more expensive than hardwood floor. However, when it comes to more common hardwoods, solid hardwood flooring may be cheaper.
• Location and Ease of Installation. Engineered hardwood flooring is often easier to install. Solid hardwood flooring is permanently nailed to the subfloor and should only be installed on the ground floor or higher. It can only be installed over plywood, wood, or oriented strand board subfloors. Engineered floors, however, can be installed in a floating installation above concrete.
• Durability. Both are durable. Engineered flooring has more moisture resistance.
• Refinishing. Both can be refinished. Solid hardwood flooring can be refinished more often than engineered hardwood flooring.