How much does hardwood flooring cost ?

Many people choose hardwood flooring for its natural beauty and durability. It is also extremely practical for certain areas in the home, and super easy to keep clean. A hardwood floor can literally transform a room and bring a whole new lease of life to it. There are various different types of hardwood floor available on the market, so how do you choose which one is best for you?

Typical hardwood flooring costs.

There’s a wide range of hardwood flooring to choose from, so it should be no problem finding something that you like, which fits your budget too.

Solid wood flooring, which comes in three main varieties: strip flooring, plank flooring and parquet flooring. Strip flooring is available in different thicknesses and widths depending on your needs and the amount of traffic over the area. Oak and Maple hardwood flooring costs range from $3 to $9 per square foot, plus installation.

Plank flooring is usually limited to two different thicknesses, 0.5 inch and 0.75 inch, and comes in a variety of widths from 0.5 inch up to 8 inches. It’s available in prefinished or unfinished versions. In other words they are finished (sanded and polished) in the factory or they have to be sanded, polished and sealed on site after installation. Typical plank hardwood flooring costs are between $4.50 and $15 or more per square foot for popular factory finished Oak, Maple and Pine options, ready to install.

Parquet flooring looks different from the other types as it’s constructed from blocks of wooden slats that are bonded together, so it looks more like wooden floor tiles once it’s laid.  Typical hardwood parquet flooring costs run between $6 and $15 per square foot for factory finished tiles.

Engineered wood flooring : this is made by attaching a covering of laminated wood veneer to real wood. This makes it highly durable and also less expensive than the solid wood option. It is excellent for high traffic areas as it is very resistant to wear. Typical costs are between $2.50 and $8 per square foot depending on quality.

Acrylic-impregnated wood flooring : this has the color and a sealant infused into the wood. This means that instead of having a surface finish – the finish goes right through all the wood, so it doesn’t look faded after many years of use. This type of hardwood floor is common in commercial premises due to the amount of wear and tear it has to endure. It is very resistant to scratching and also to moisture ingress. It’s also one of the most expensive options as acrylic-impregnated wood flooring costs around $12 to $18 per square foot to buy, plus installation.

Hardwood flooring installation costs.

Labor prices vary for different geographical areas, and final installations costs might depend on any preparatory work required before laying the hardwood flooring, but here is a guide to some typical hardwood flooring installation costs.
For prefinished Oak, Maple and Pine hardwood strip and plank flooring you should expect to pay between $6 and $8 per square foot to install it. Engineered hardwood flooring is normally less expensive to install, costing between $1 and $5 per square foot which would normally include the padding or sub-floor as well. Acrylic-impregnated wood flooring is the most expensive at an average of $15 to $18 per square foot to install.

Apart from the obvious design and style considerations, installing hardwood flooring in your home is also an investment which will give years of good service for you and your family, but if it is also high quality, it can add value to your home and be a very attractive feature for potential buyers if you decide to sell in the future.

It’s a good idea to contact different local flooring specialists to get a better idea of hardwood flooring costs in your area. Get several quotes or estimates for exactly what you want done before you decide which contractor to choose.


To get a better idea of costs, here are some flooring estimates from professionals.

Request a quote