12 Best Engineered Wood Flooring of 2024 to Elevate Your Space

CAROLINE LUBINSKY/FAMILY HANDYMAN

Looking for a durable option? Check out the Bruce Dogwood Densified Hardwood, which has an ultra-durable core that allows for installation on all levels. Senior Editor Caroline Lubinsky had this flooring installed on the second floor of her large multipurpose room, which is used as an office with space. “It’s lovely in tone and variation. The color and extra-wide, 8-inch plank lends itself to multiple decor styles while giving a beautiful, spacious feeling to the room,” she says.

Installers came in, removed the existing carpeting in Lubinsky’s home and laid the floor in less than a day for a room greater than 10 by 28 feet in size. The glue and flooring did not odor, and the installers said this flooring could be refinished in the future.

Lubinsky selected the flooring from Floor & Decor because the manufacturer claims it is dent-, water- and scratch-resistant. She uses it in her three-dog household, and with its ultra-hard, durable exterior, the flooring has held up well. It would also be excellent in a playroom or high-traffic living room.

“The quality, appearance and color all surpass expectations and look better in person than online,” Lubinsky says. “It has a textured wire brush finish with a low gloss level.  If you have pets, kids, a busy family/household or are just looking for a durable, great-looking product that will stand the test of time, this is the flooring for you.”

Pros

• 8.5 inches wide
• Dent-, water- and scratch-resistant
• Ultra-durable core with thick veneer
• Tongue-and-grove planks with a four-sided micro-beveled edge
• Antimicrobial finish
• Made in the USA

Cons

What to Consider When Buying Engineered Wood Flooring

Lightfoot mentions that while engineered hardwood’s performance core design is similar across brands, the styles can differ across a huge variety of hardwood species. Shoppers can find all sorts of wood options, including maple, white oak, red oak, hickory and acacia. “A great benefit of engineered hardwood is it allows for extra-wide and extra-long planks, which are on-trend and make a space feel more expansive and can help to connect styles across rooms,” she says.

“While solid hardwood can deliver five-inch-wide planks, engineered hardwood can extend to nearly 12 inches wide. Depending on the style of floor, wider planks are often associated with more of a modern, trend-forward aesthetic, but also provide a more rustic, farmhouse look if the planks have a distressed design. Thinner planks are commonly associated with more of a classic, historic style.”

• Material: According to Lightfoot, engineered hardwood is constructed with a veneer of real hardwood, which is tightly adhered to a dense, high-performance core. The top veneer can be almost any wood, though it’s typically hardwood.
• Width: Lightfoot notes that “the choice of wider versus thinner flooring planks is purely one of style preference; there are no functional advantages or disadvantages to either.” While wider planks offer a more traditional appearance, thinner wood floorboards look a little more modern. However, they may cost more per square footage.
• Thickness: The thickness of the veneer determines the look, sturdiness and comfort of an engineered wood floor. Thicker veneers also make refinishing older floors possible.
• Moisture resistance: When it comes to moisture resistance, engineered hardwood is more stable in humid environments than traditional hardwood. “Because of its dense core, engineered hardwood planks are less prone to warping in climates with more moisture,” says Lightfoot. That said, these types of floors only offer water resistance—they’re not fully waterproof. “Homeowners looking for a truly waterproof solution should consider wood-look vinyl or laminate flooring.”

How to Install Engineered Wood Flooring

“Installation is one of the big differentiators between engineered and solid hardwood. Because of the dense engineered core, engineered hardwood provides more flexibility for subfloor and installation options,” notes Lightfoot. This makes it easier to install this engineered hardwood in environments you may not normally consider, like basements and kitchens.

“Engineered hardwood can be nailed down, glued down or floated above your subfloor. Select styles have click-lock edges that allow for relatively simple floating installation, making it a more DIY-friendly option for those who are less inclined to take on the challenges of a nail-down or glue-down project.”

Why You Should Trust Us 

Our editors helped test some of the flooring picks above in their own homes in order to describe the real-life buying and installation processes. We also consulted Holly Lightfoot, Director of Merchandising at LL Flooring. Lightfoot is an experienced director with a demonstrated history of working in the home furnishings industry.

Additionally, I spent more than five years as a residential and commercial carpenter in NYC–specializing in custom furniture construction and installation. With hands-on experience and expert insight, I craft product reviews, buying guides and how-to articles in the home improvement, DIY and appliance space.

How We Found the Best Engineered Wood Flooring

We consulted shopping experts and combed through a number of engineered wood floors available online through retailers like Home Depot, Lowe’s, LL Flooring and Wayfair to find the very best engineered wood flooring options for every purpose. Once we had a selection of 20 floors, we narrowed down the list to the 10 with the best reviews. We opted to feature floors that are sturdy, inexpensive and simple to install.

We also tested a couple of our best flooring picks above to verify their overall quality and relay what the installation process is really like.

FAQ

What are the benefits of choosing engineered wood flooring over hardwood?

For those wondering about the benefits of engineered wood flooring vs. solid wood flooring, engineered wood flooring is typically cheaper than solid hardwood. In some ways, you can treat them similarly. For example, when engineered wood boasts a thicker veneer, finishing the surface works just like regular hardwood. Installation of engineered wood floors is also relatively straightforward. Unlike solid hardwood, which must be nailed to a subfloor, it uses interlocking planks that are much more DIY-friendly.

Engineered wood is also beneficial when it comes to cooler climates. “Because of their engineered cores, engineered floors are more resistant to seasonal and environmental changes than solid hardwood, and they allow for planks with larger widths, making it possible to achieve unique looks with fewer breaks in your floor’s appearance,” says Lightfoot.

What is the best way to clean engineered wood flooring?

Lightfoot notes that—like solid hardwood—engineered hardwood should be lightly cleaned on a weekly basis and deep-cleaned monthly. “Every week or two, clean using a dry mop or hardwood-friendly vacuum cleaner—with vacuums, make sure your beater bar is disengaged and free of hard bristles that can cause scuffs or scratches,” she says.

“Every month, use a damp mop to get the finer dirt and dust particles but don’t leave any standing water that can seep into the planks and damage the wood. A great tool to use is LL Flooring’s Bellawood Floor Care Maintenance Kit, which can be used for hardwood, laminate and vinyl.”

How much does engineered wood flooring cost?

Cost is a major factor when determining the best engineered wood flooring. “Like solid hardwood flooring, engineered hardwood flooring is a premium type of flooring, so the cost will vary depending on the style,” says Lightfoot.

That said, there are tons of options that cover almost every style, installation method and budget.