Hardwood Buyer's Guide

How Much Does it Cost?
Product + Installation = Total Cost  

Product Cost

Solid wood (3/4"): $3.39 to $14.00/sq. ft.
Solid wood thin profile (5/16"): $3.29 to $4.99/sq. ft.

The quality of the wood plays a large role in the price of solid hardwood flooring. At the lower price points, there will be more knots, color variations, and natural imperfections. As prices increase, the wood may be more consistent in color, depending on the species. At the high end of the price spectrum, you'll find more exotic types of wood, such as cabreuva and other non-oak species, wider widths, specialty visuals such as color washing, hand sculpted, and special finishes for deeper, richer colors.

Engineered hardwood (1/4" to 3/4" thick): $2.59 to $14.00/sq. ft.

With engineered hardwood, the number of plies in the core and the thickness of the face are the two primary cost drivers. At the lower cost range, look for at least three layers, or plies in the core. At the mid-price range, look for five plies. At the high-end, look for seven plies or more. Top layer thickness ranges from 1/12" to 1/6". The thicker the top layer, the more expensive the board will be.

Installation Cost

Prefinished: $2.00 to $4.00/sq. ft.
Site-finished: $6.00 to $8.00+/sq. ft.

Installation costs can vary greatly, based on geography (labor rates) as well as subfloor preparation needs.  Armstrong recommends that you contact an Armstrong Certified Installer to provide you with an accurate installed cost estimate.

Keep In Mind:

• Expect to pay more for wide planks (3-1/4" thick or wider).
• Wood is a natural product, so you'll find some natural variations between boards in a carton. During installation, lay boards out in advance to ensure a pleasing visual mix is achieved. You can expect to find less waste with quality products.

Floor Score™ is a trademark of the Resilient Floor Covering Institute.