Practical advice for choosing, buying, and installing discount hardwood, engineered, and laminate floors - including material differences, DIY vs. professional installation, and buying tips like requesting samples and checking moisture suitability.
Engineered wood pairs a hardwood veneer with a multi-ply core for greater dimensional stability than solid hardwood. It installs as floating, glue-down, or nailed flooring and is often suitable over concrete, but it is not waterproof - follow manufacturer guidelines for bathrooms and basements.
Engineered wood flooring pairs a real hardwood veneer with a cross-laminated core to deliver the look of hardwood with improved dimensional stability for modern homes.
Prefinished wood floors come factory-finished and install faster than traditional hardwood. Learn types, installation methods (remove old floor or install over it), pros and cons, and what to check before buying.
Engineered hardwood uses a real-wood top layer over stacked layers to resist moisture; choose it for basements and floating installs. Solid hardwood works well above grade and can be refinished more times.
Real hardwood - including prefinished Mirage-style floors - offers lasting beauty, refinishability, and design flexibility that many laminates and thin-engineered products can't match. Learn how prefinished hardwood compares to laminate, what to check before you buy, and practical tips for choosing and caring for real wood floors.
Find out how to tell if discovered hardwood can be refinished, compare screening (screen-and-coat) with full sanding, and learn modern low-dust options and realistic timelines for recoating.
Floating engineered wood floors are multi-layer panels that lock or glue together and sit above the subfloor. They offer fast installation, a variety of looks, and flexibility over many existing floors - but suitability depends on subfloor condition and manufacturer requirements.
Modern hardwood floors - solid or engineered - offer lasting style. Costs and installation methods (nail-down, glue-down, floating) vary by product and region. Choose based on moisture needs, refinishing goals, and local contractor estimates.