Everything You Need to Know About Pricing a Hardwood Floor - Part 1

One of the most important factors when choosing any flooring involves its pricing and overall costs. This is certainly true concerning hardwood flooring since a variety of things can affect the bottom line. Naturally, the type of hardwood chosen will influence the cost. However, there are several other variables such as installation and finishing choices that can also affect the pricing of a hardwood floor. Thus, it’s important to do a little homework to better appreciate which hardwood flooring might be within your budget. With this in mind, the following provides some information to help you in these pursuits. 

Costs of Hardwood Materials

When it comes to pricing a hardwood floor, naturally the costs associated with the actual product makes a difference. Some hardwoods are pricier than others, which plays a role in choosing the type of hardwood for your home. For example, some woods like Maple, Oak, and Hickory are quite affordable. Others like some Brazilian hardwoods, cherries, and walnuts can be much more of an investment. At the same time, the grade of the hardwoods make a difference in cost as well. Hardwood planks are graded according to their uniformity in color, knots, and overall appearance. This ranges from clear, to select, to No. 1, to No. 2 in descending order. Thus, a lower grade hardwood cut or plank could offer some cost savings. Want floor installation near me?

In addition to these material selections, some homeowners may decide to go with engineered hardwoods. These represent multiple layers of hardwood strips put together in various patterns and designs. In general, engineered hardwoods tend to be a little less costly when compared to traditional hardwoods. Some homeowners may also choose to purchase prefinished hardwoods that are already finished at the factory. These may cost a little more up front but save costs later on the back end during installation. Thus, when pricing a hardwood floor, these may be some additional considerations about material choice.

Overall, pricing a hardwood floor from a materials’ perspective has somewhat of a range. Solid hardwoods can cost anywhere from five dollars to twenty-five dollars per square foot depending on the selection. In addition, installers tend to include a “waste” factor of about 5-12% on top of the actual square footage of floor space. While the average materials costs across the country is about ten dollars per square foot, the actual figure can vary significantly. That’s why it’s important to select your hardwood product wisely based on your personal needs.

Stay tuned for part two of “Everything You Need to Know About Pricing a Hardwood Floor,” which digs deeper into the cost of hardwood flooring installation, including what services that installers may need to charge for.