The cost of hardwood floors has many factors. To name a few, the species and width of wood you would like installed, who is installing the floor, or if you want a prefinished or sand on site hardwood floor. The initial cost to have your old floor removed and hardwood installed is between $5 and $30 per square foot. After that an investment in a high quality, hardwood floor specific cleaner is crucial to prolong the life of your floor. When it is time for a refinish whether that be part of a home makeover or just to get the floors back to new that will cost between $3 and $8 per square foot. This type of investment typically increases the value of your home by more than the investment you have made and will last many years with proper care.

Unfinished or site finished hardwood is installed in your home then sanded and finished. There is more control over the color and overall appearance of your floor with unfinished hardwood. Prefinished hardwood is stained and finished in a factory under controlled conditions. Prefinished hardwood allows you to enjoy your floor sooner with an increased level of durability and without the noise and dust.

Hardwood floors can be installed in any room in your home. Solid hardwood, prefinished or sand on site, can be installed on or above grade while an engineered hardwood is suitable for basements or below grade areas. The only areas that we do not recommend for hardwood installation are areas with high moisture like full bathrooms.

Hardwood should be placed in the room it is going to be installed in for a minimum of 5 days prior to installation. The room should be set to normal living conditions with regards to temperature and humidity

Solid hardwood is milled or cut from the same type of lumber and is the same species of wood throughout. Engineered hardwood planks are constructed from multiple layers of plywood or High-Density Fiberboard (HDF) glued and compressed together, usually in an alternating grain pattern. The top layer of engineered hardwood is the wear layer which is the real hardwood. This layer varies in thickness between a few millimeters up to a quarter of an inch. The alternating pattern of the core is what makes engineered hardwood suitable for basements as it is more dimensional stable when compared to solid hardwood.

Using experienced companies, solid hardwood can typically be sanded between 3 and 8 times. Refinishing engineered hardwood depends on the wear layer thickness. If the wear layer is very thin there is a chance you may not be able to sand it whereas a quarter inch wear layer can be sanded as many times as a solid hardwood floor.