Engineered Wood Flooring Cost

• Materials and labor to install a basic engineered wood floor (typically three piles in the core and a top wood veneer layer 1/16th- to 1/12th-inch-thick) runs about $6 -$10 a square foot for an average project, or $8 -$13 a square foot with patterns, borders or extensive prep work. Adding in about $50 -$250 for baseboard/trim and other needed supplies gives total costs of $2,500 -$4,200 for a typical 20x20-foot living room, and 3,300 -$5,500 for a more complex installation.
• Mid-range flooring (about five piles in the core and a slightly thicker wood veneer) costs around $8 -$15 a square foot for a standard installation and $10 -$18 for a more difficult project, making total costs for a 20x20-foot living room about $3,300 -$6,300 with standard installation and $4,100 -$7,500 for complex work.
• High-end engineered flooring (seven or more piles, a top veneer layer up to 1/6th-inch thick and possibly an exotic wood veneer) runs $13 -$18 a square foot with standard installation and $15 -$21 with patterns or other complications. Total costs could be $5,300 -$7,500 for an average 400-square-foot living room and $6,300 -$8,400 with installation complications. Wide planks (up to 7-1/2 inches wide) are usually in the higher end of the price ranges.
• For do-it-yourself installation, prices start around $3 -$5 a square foot for low-end flooring; adding in baseboard/trim pieces and other needed supplies/tools makes it $1,300 -$2,300 for materials for a 20x20-foot living room. Mid-range flooring materials run $5 -$10 a square foot, or $2,100 -$4,400 for the living room. A homeowner installed flooring in an 85-square-foot entrance hall for about $500 (just under $6 a square foot), but ThisOldHouse.com estimates it takes moderate skills, 6 to 8 hours and $8 -$12 per square foot to install good engineered-wood flooring.

• Engineered wood flooring is easier to install than traditional solid wood flooring, and it can be used on any type of sub-floor (including a concrete slab) and below ground level. Most engineered wood floors can be refinished at least once (depending on the thickness of veneer). ThisOldHouse.com provides an overview of engineered-wood flooring.
• With professional installation, a company representative should visit to give a detailed estimate. This is the time to confirm who will be responsible for tearing up old flooring and moving furniture.
• HardwoodInstaller.com provides tips for what to do before installation starts, and BobVila.com provides a video of the installation process.

• There can be extra charges for furniture removal and replacement; ripping out and disposing of old flooring; repairing or replacing a damaged subfloor; removing existing moldings, baseboards or other floor trim; and removing and then re-hanging doors. A Conneticut installer charges an extra 20 cents per square foot to remove old carpet, another 20 cents per square foot for moving furniture, and $15 per appliance moved.

• Look for examples of engineered flooring styles that appeal to you. ThisOldHouse.com provides photo galleries of a range of styles from elegant to rustic, and samplings of specific types and wood species. Flooring manufacturers also post photo galleries; some of the major companies are Bruce (Armstrong), EcoTimber and Mohawk.
• Engineered-wood flooring is available online and in home improvement centers and flooring stores. The World Floor Covering Association provides a directory of retail floor stores by zip code. Online sources include BuildDirect.com and LumberLiquidators.com.
• Most stores that sell engineered wood flooring either provide installation service or referrals to local contractors. Ask about the installer's training and experience with engineered-wood flooring, and request (and contact) references from satisfied customers. Request confirmation that they're properly insured, bonded and licensed (state licensing requirements vary), and check for complaints filed with the Better Business Bureau.

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