Engineered vs solid hardwood in Canada

Should I choose engineered or solid hardwood?

Choose engineered hardwood for almost every Canadian home. Its cross-laminated core moves far less with humidity, which matters enormously in a country where indoor relative humidity swings from above 55 percent in August to below 20 percent in January. Engineered can also be installed over concrete and in basements, and a quality product with a 4mm or thicker wear layer can be refinished two or three times. Choose solid hardwood only if your home holds 35 to 45 percent relative humidity through the heating season, which in most of Canada means a working furnace humidifier, and if you value the ability to refinish many times over decades. Solid hardwood in Calgary, Winnipeg, Saskatoon or Edmonton without humidification will develop visible gaps between boards every single winter.

How each is built

Solid hardwood is a single piece of wood, typically ¾ inch thick, nailed to a wood subfloor. Engineered hardwood has a real hardwood wear layer bonded to a plywood or HDF core with the grain in alternating directions, which resists the expansion and contraction that moves solid wood.

Humidity and movement

Wood expands and contracts across the grain with moisture content. In a solid ¾ inch board, a swing from 45 to 20 percent relative humidity produces visible shrinkage. Engineered construction largely cancels this out, which is why it is the default recommendation across most of Canada.

Refinishing

Solid hardwood can be sanded five to ten times over its life, which is why century-old floors still exist. Engineered depends entirely on wear layer: 2mm allows one light sanding, 4mm allows two or three, and 6mm approaches solid in practical terms. Ask for the wear layer in millimetres on every engineered quote.

Where each can go

Solid hardwood needs a wood subfloor above grade in a climate-controlled space. Engineered can be nailed, glued or floated, works over concrete with a vapour barrier, is acceptable in walkout basements and is compatible with in-floor heating within manufacturer limits.

Cost

Engineered runs $8 to $16 per square foot installed; solid $10 to $20. Solid also carries a hidden cost in most of Canada: the humidifier needed to keep it stable, typically $500 to $1,500 installed on a forced-air system.

Common questions

Is engineered hardwood real wood?

Yes. The wear layer is solid hardwood, the same species and appearance as a solid board. What differs is what sits beneath it: a stable plywood or HDF core instead of more of the same wood. Once installed, a quality engineered floor is indistinguishable from solid.

How many times can engineered hardwood be refinished?

It depends on the wear layer. 2mm allows one light sanding, 3 to 4mm allows two, and 6mm allows three or more. A cheap engineered floor with a 0.6mm veneer cannot be sanded at all. This specification is the main thing separating a $6 product from a $12 one.

Does solid hardwood add more resale value?

Buyers and agents generally treat good hardwood as good hardwood without distinguishing construction. Condition, colour and consistency matter far more to a buyer than whether the boards are solid. A well-maintained engineered floor beats a gapped, cupped solid one every time.

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