Hardwood Flooring Cost

The following is intended to remove much of the mystery out of the cost for hardwood flooring and its installation. The main alternatives are laminates, planks and slats (solid hardwood), engineered wood surfaces and parquet flooring (squares). Although, when one hears of 'hardwood' it most often calls to mind slats which is what is here inferred, or engineered floors at minimum.

Installed Wood Prices

A 12 x 15 room will cost from approximately $1,080 to $1,640, for slats/solid hardwood. And this is assuming little in the way of extra moulds and finishing.

For smaller rooms, 12 x 12 will be about $860 to $1,050 while a 12 x10, about a kitchen for example, will incur a lesser sum. Those approaching this dimension and under will lean toward the disproportionate amounts given the reduced square footage, which translates to less than a days labor (if this is the only room to be done, etc). A minimum labor fee charged with this involves too the built-in cost of a relatively fixed travel distance & setup. If the room has obstructions, like a kitchen island, or else a lot of lineal mouldings then expect roughly in the 20% to 30% range greater. Because these require additional cuts, placements and fittings. Labor note: Methods of installation can influence price, depending on whether the installers do nail-down flooring or glue-downs. Also, be wary of rates advertised at rock bottom, as low as $3 per square foot for instance. And though probably requiring a material purchase, these are simply starting rates with a list of common extras added to the bill - to be discovered at the measuring estimate (see below).

Wood Floor Estimate Variables: Finish & Species

There are three main cost affecting variables. One is wood finish, imbued with a main component which refers to the smoothness of surface, with choices including; rustic, distressed, and rough sawn - along with the other component of color, which it is oft times married to - for example, a 'natural' finish that usually implies little or no color staining, like for 'natural maple', a frequent pick among homeowners. 'Clear' on the other hand, refers to the quality of having rare/no knots and imperfections.

Another pronounced quality is dimension - the measured thickness (especially for slat flooring, where thickness dominates) - and that is classed as either 'narrow' (2 3/4" or thereabouts) or 'wide' (about 5"). As a rule, you can expect to pay somewhat under for the thicker slats - however these do require a finishing process, as a price offset - but they are customarily sold pre-finished - a selling point that normally tips the price at just over that for engineered floors. Considering the 3/4" can be refinished, this might well represent an attractive bargain to those expecting to stay in their homes over a prolonged period. Noting that not only slats but parquet floors can ship unfinished as well. If you are willing to pay for finishing the raw slats once installed in place, the extra $1.50 to $2.50 per foot for finishing provides for a color akin with your choosing. Especially for deeper tones, that are achieved by lacquer staining and are not available with the pre-finished.

Setting cost of labor aside for now, that other main factor is the wood species itself. Which applies to both finished and unfinished, raw solid hardwood options. Listed in approximate order of price are : ash, walnut, red & white oak, cherry, maple and hickery. And while red and perhaps white oak is commonly available, there is a decent chance the others might well have to be placed on order. The engineered flooring materials are more flexible in terms of pricing since they are produced via manufacturing.

Other Cost Variables

A number of extras necessary to the installation, potentially include:

Options to Refinish Hardwood Flooring

Given the attractive rate for refinishing, at around $2.50 to $4 per foot, if you have either hardwood flooring already in place that is begging to show its age, or possibly unexposed wood below another floor layer, it is usually worth the effort to reveal the full surface by removal of the floor covering, whether it is laminate, carpet or other, so the prospect of refinishing can be figured. Although this runs the risk of absent pieces or unforseen damages, the floor might prove feasible.

The experience of a professional refinisher might help to reveal the alternatives. With the sanding of the uppermost layer providing the chance of a change in color if this is what you want.