Engineered wood flooring is the perfect addition to residential or commercial property. They add style, value, class, and taste to the home, making it one of the most preferred flooring options. Engineered wood floorings are more resistant to humidity and temperature than solid wood flooring; they’re also durable and affordable. If you wish to change the look of your home with engineered wood flooring, it’s important to understand how it’s priced. The engineered-hardwood water-resistant hardwood flooring for sale is priced differently.
Generally, the average cost of installing engineered hardwood floors is about $5,000, with a typical cost ranging between $2,500 to $7,000. The price is influenced by your choice of materials, number of underlying plywood layers, number of square footage, and the cost of labor. To better understand the factors influencing the price of engineered flooring, let’s begin by understanding the description of engineered hardwood flooring.
What Is Engineered Hardwood Flooring?
Engineered hardwood floors are made from a thin layer of real wood known as the veneer. The first layer of wood (veneer) is then glued to multiple layers of inexpensive plywood (the core). The layers of plywood are glued together at 90-degree angles. This makes the entire plank stronger and less likely to swell or warp when exposed to moisture.
The Factors That Influence The Price Of Engineered Hardwood
Choice of Top-layer Wood (Species or Wood Grade)
One of the most important factors in determining the price of your flooring is the species (wood grade). The type of top-layer wood used can be categorized into three; domestic, imported, and exotic wood. The domestic wood grades are locally grown wood such as oak, hickory, and American cherry. Domestic wood grades are the most affordable type of engineered hardwood flooring, with a price range of $4 to $5 per sq ft.
Imported species or wood grades such as European oak and Jatoba are usually more expensive than domestic hardwood; the price falls between $7 to $10 per sq ft. The most expensive engineered hardwood floors with the price range of $10 to $30 per sq ft are made from mahogany, Brazilian walnut, or other exotic wood grades. The exotic species are more difficult to obtain but will always add an air of sophistication to a room.
Cost Of Labor
Contractors have different ways of charging labor costs for installing engineered hardwood flooring. Most contractors charge labor costs per square foot, and some charge an hourly rate. In addition, the cost of labor is also dependent on the type of contractor you hire. Therefore, it’s necessary to call various companies and compare the price quotes before deciding on the company to hire. Experts estimated the cost of labor to range between $4 to $10 per square foot. The labor cost for installing engineered hardwood can also be influenced by the rental equipment used. If you’re considering handling the installation yourself, it’ll necessitate the rental of installation equipment and relevant tools.
Thickness
Another thing that can affect the cost of engineered hardwood floors is your choice of thickness. The top layer (the veneer) itself is usually measured in millimeters and will range from 0.3mm for an economy grade to 5mm for premium grades. The core is also measured in millimeters and is used to provide stability needed by the engineered board, especially if it is being laid on an uneven surface. A stable core adds value to a wood grade that may warp or bend over time.
However, it’s important not to confuse stability with durability, as they are two separate aspects of flooring construction. Stability refers to how prone your floor will be to warping under the weight it carries, while durability refers to how resistant it will be against moisture, scratching, and denting over time.
There are three grades of engineered hardwood flooring thickness; low grade, mid-grade, and high grade. These grades can meet various needs; for instance, the mid-grade and high-grade thicknesses are suitable for high traffic and irregular areas. The low-grade costs between $3 to $9 per sq ft; it has a top layer thickness of 1/16 of an inch to 1/12 of an inch and 3 layers of the underlying core. The mid-grade ($6 to $12 per sq ft) has a top layer of 1/12 of an inch to 1/8 of an inch and 5 layers of the core.
With so many factors influencing the cost of engineered hardwood flooring, you must know that your needs and decisions will ultimately affect the amount you’ll spend on engineered hardwood flooring.
