Deciding between solid hardwood and engineered hardwood is the most important choice you’ll make for your home renovation in 2026. While both offer the timeless beauty of real wood, they perform very differently depending on your local climate, your subfloor, and your lifestyle. The quick verdict? Choose solid hardwood for lifetime durability and resale value in main-level living areas. Choose engineered hardwood for basements, concrete slabs, or DIY installations where moisture stability is key.
To help you visualize the difference and see which fits your budget, we have put together this short video about solid hardwood vs engineered hardwood flooring:
Manufacturing Solid Hardwood vs Engineered Hardwood
As its name suggests, solid hardwood is crafted from a solid piece of wood. Each board is ¾ inch thick, with a tongue on one side and a groove on the other.
In contrast, engineered floors are made using three to nine layers of different wood veneers. While the top layer is high-quality hardwood, the sublayers are made from plywood that may or may not be from the same species of tree. The layers in engineered floors run in different directions, which makes the boards very stable. For a quick guide on how to take care of engineered hardwood check out our blog pots on it here.
Dealing with Humidity
If you will be installing your floors in an area that experiences large swings in humidity throughout the year, we suggest choosing engineered floors. Solid hardwood expands when it comes into contact with moisture, which is bad for your floor.
However, engineered floors are much better at standing up to moisture than solid hardwood because of their plywood base. With layers that run in different directions, engineered floors are less likely to warp in humid environments.
For Concrete and Basements
Engineered hardwood is preferable if your floors will be installed on a concrete slab or in a basement. While it is possible to use solid hardwood flooring over concrete, it is not recommended because doing so requires the use of very expensive glue. Because basements are prone to leaks and moisture, a high-quality solid glue is needed to keep solid hardwood boards from reacting harshly to moisture changes. With engineered floors, however, this expensive glue isn’t necessary.
It is popular with installers and DIYers to float engineered. A floating floor is a floor that is installed without being nailed or glued down. It is the easiest installation method for any floor. In addition, it is less intimidating to first-time installers as well.
Sanding and Refinishing
An advantage of solid hardwood flooring is that it can be sanded and refinished many times. If your floor becomes scratched over the years, or you would like to change its color, this is a great option. With proper maintenance, solid hardwood floors can look wonderful for decades. Whether you choose solid or engineered, knowing the best way to clean hardwood floors will ensure your investment stays beautiful for the long haul.
The hardwood layer of engineered floors is thin, so it cannot withstand more than a couple of sanding sessions. Therefore, engineered floors can also be sanded and finished, but only once or twice.
About ReallyCheapFloors.com
We hope that you have found this guide to solid hardwood vs engineered hardwood helpful. ReallyCheapFloors.com is proud to offer both solid and engineered floors at competitive prices. The majority of our solid wood floors are made within 50 miles of our warehouse in Murphy, NC.
For over 50 years, ReallyCheapFloors.com has been a leading provider of discounted, overstock, and seconds in hardwood flooring. To start upgrading your home, browse our selection of solid and engineered hardwood floors. If you have any questions or would like a recommendation, don’t hesitate to give our friendly staff a call!
