The short answer
- Solid hardwood: the longest-lasting floor, because it can be refinished again and again. It's best in living areas and bedrooms.
- Engineered hardwood: real wood that's more stable, so it can go over concrete, in basements and over radiant heat.
- LVP: water-resistant planks that stand up to spills, kids and pets, making it the go-to for kitchens, baths, laundry rooms and basements.
- Laminate: a budget-friendly wood look that resists scratches, but keep it away from water.
What's the difference between hardwood, engineered, LVP and laminate?
They're built completely differently. Solid hardwood is one piece of wood. Engineered hardwood is a real-wood top layer over a plywood core. LVP is vinyl with a printed wood design over a water-resistant rigid core. Laminate is a photo of wood over a fiberboard core. That construction is what decides how each one handles water, wear and refinishing.
How do the four floors compare?
Solid hardwood
Choose it for: a floor that can last for generations. Solid hardwood is about ¾″ of real wood, so it can be sanded and refinished many times, and you can change the color along the way. It feels solid and warm underfoot, and buyers love it.
Watch out for: moisture. It's not for full bathrooms or basements, and it needs a wood subfloor for nail-down installation. Prefinished nail-down installation runs about $3 per sq ft plus material.
Engineered hardwood
Choose it for: real wood in places solid hardwood can't go: over concrete, in basements, over radiant heat, and in very wide planks. Its layered core resists the swelling and shrinking that moves solid wood.
Watch out for: how thick the top wood layer is. Thicker layers can be sanded once or twice, and thin ones only recoated. Depending on the method, installation runs about $2–$2.50 per sq ft floating, $6 glue-assist or $8 glue-down, plus material.
Luxury vinyl plank (LVP) and tile (LVT)
Choose it for: kitchens, bathrooms, laundry rooms, basements, and homes with kids and pets. The planks handle everyday spills well, resist scratches and are easy to clean. Water ratings depend on the exact product. Installation runs about $2.50–$4.50 per sq ft plus material, and it usually doesn't need an acclimation period.
Watch out for: uneven subfloors, because thin planks show bumps and flex can break the click joints. Big sunny windows can heat the planks and make them move, so follow the manufacturer's rules. Avoid ultra-cheap clearance products with weak locking systems. LVP can't be refinished.
Laminate
Choose it for: a convincing wood look on a budget in dry living areas and bedrooms. Its hard top layer resists scratches well. Installation runs about $3 per sq ft plus material, including putting down the pad.
Watch out for: water. The fiberboard core swells and doesn't recover. It always needs a pad, concrete underneath must be sealed first, and it should acclimate inside for 3–5 days. Laminate lines are discontinued often, so buy 2–3 extra boxes for future repairs.
What's the best flooring for each room?
- Living room, dining room, bedrooms: solid or engineered hardwood. Laminate works on a budget.
- Kitchen: hardwood if spills get wiped up quickly, or LVP for worry-free durability.
- Bathrooms and laundry rooms: LVP or LVT.
- Basement: LVP, or engineered hardwood glued down or floating. Laminate only over sealed concrete in a dry basement.
- Entry and mudroom: LVP, or hardwood with good mats.
- Stairs: hardwood treads and risers. See hardwood stair treads.
- Homes with big dogs: LVP, or a hard hardwood species with a matte finish.
Mixing floors room by room is common, and it looks great with the right transitions, like hardwood in the main living areas and LVP in the bathrooms and laundry room.
Which flooring adds the most value to a home?
Real wood. In the National Association of Realtors' 2022 Remodeling Impact Report, new wood flooring recovered an estimated 118% of its cost at resale, and refinishing existing hardwood recovered about 147%. Those were among the highest returns of any interior project in the report. LVP and laminate make a home easier to live in, but they rarely carry the same "hardwood floors" appeal in a listing.
Which flooring is the most durable?
It depends on the threat. For water, spills and pet accidents, LVP wins. For scratches, LVP and laminate resist everyday wear better than wood. For the long haul, solid hardwood wins, because it's the only floor you can sand and refinish to look new again, many times over.
Which flooring costs the least to install?
Labor is close for most options. Material and prep make the real difference. Our approximate installation labor for an 800 sq ft project:
- Floating engineered hardwood: about $1,600–$2,000
- LVP: about $2,000–$3,600
- Laminate: about $2,400
- Prefinished nail-down hardwood: about $2,400
- Glue-down engineered hardwood: about $6,400
Flooring material ranges widely in price, from budget laminate to premium hardwood, and removal or subfloor prep is listed separately. Projects have an $800 minimum. Get a quick ballpark with our free flooring calculator.
Is cheap LVP or laminate worth it?
Be careful with the cheapest clearance products. Not every inexpensive floor fails, but bargain flooring is more likely to have weak or poorly made locking joints, uneven boards and little manufacturer support. No installer can fix a defective product. We're happy to help you compare options before you buy, or recommend a product that fits your budget.
Can new flooring go over my old floor?
Sometimes. LVP and laminate can go over solid, flat tile and some other hard floors. Never put them over carpet. Hardwood over existing hardwood is evaluated case by case. In every case, the floor underneath has to be flat and solid, as we explain in how to prep a subfloor like a pro.
We install all four, so our advice is honest
We don't push one floor. We help you pick the right one for each room, then install it the right way.
4 floor typeshardwood, engineered, LVP and laminate
20+ yearsin construction and remodeling
Freein-home estimates with samples
1-yearLimited Workmanship Warranty on our work
