Engineered vs. solid hardwood: what’s best for Portland?

Both are real wood. The difference is construction, and in our climate that difference matters more than people expect.

Solid hardwood

Solid wood can be refinished many times, so it lasts for generations. It performs best above grade in rooms with stable humidity.

Engineered hardwood

Engineered has a real-wood top layer over a stable core that resists seasonal movement. It’s the better choice over concrete, in basements, and on radiant heat.

• Pick solid for above-grade rooms and maximum refinishing life.
• Pick engineered for slabs, basements, radiant heat, and wide planks.

Our take

In a lot of Portland homes we install both: solid upstairs, engineered on the slab or over heat. We’ll match the build to each room.