The 4 Types of Wood Flooring
and how to choose between them

The biggest decision you’ll need to make when starting out with your wood flooring project is choosing the type of floor you want.

There are two main categories – real wood and faux wood flooring. We specialize in real wood flooring, but we’ll provide information below for the faux wood options so you can compare and see the difference between them.

Within these two categories, there are two groups of real wood flooring and two main groups of faux wood flooring…

Group 1 – Real wood flooring: solid hardwood flooring and engineered wood flooring

Group 2 – Faux wood flooring: luxury vinyl plank (LVP) and laminate flooring

Let’s discuss them one-by-one…

Group 1
Real Wood Flooring

Real Wood Option 1 Solid Wood Flooring

Solid wood flooring is, as its name suggests, made from planks of solid real wood. It’s typically 3/4 inch thick, and is available in a variety of wood species, both domestic and exotic.

Solid wood flooring can be sanded and refinished multiple times, allowing it to look brand new each time

Solid hardwood flooring is known for its durability and longevity. There are many examples of solid wood floors that are centuries old.

One of the biggest benefits of solid wood flooring, apart from its timeless look and texture, is it can be sanded and refinished multiple times, each time looking like a brand-new floor.

Solid hardwood floors are available in prefinished as well as unfinished options, giving you lots of flexibility for customization.

Real wood floor sanding and refinishing — One of the biggest advantages of solid wood floors is the ability to sand and refinish them multiple times

Hand scraping a solid wood floor — There's all sorts of custom things you can do with real wood floors, like handscraping them for a unique, one-off distressed look

Solid Wood Flooring Pros:

Durability and longevity
Ability to sand and refinish multiple times
Authentic and timeless appearance
Highly customizable
Large potential to increase home value

Solid Wood Flooring Cons:

Higher cost compared to other options, especially faux types
Susceptible to moisture and humidity changes
Potential for shrinking, expanding, cupping or warping
Longer and more complex installation process
¾ inch height can cause clearance issues

Solid Wood Flooring Examples in Los Angeles:

Below are some examples of solid hardwood floors in Los Angeles we have installed and refinished over the years...

Studio City hardwood floor project — Solid wood custom Douglas Fir hardwood flooring project in Studio City, Los Angeles

Venice Beach hardwood floor project — Custom white oak edge-grain staircase and flooring project in Venice Beach, California

Malibu hardwood floor project — White oak hardwood floor sanding and refinishing project in Malibu, Los Angeles

Pasadena hardwood floor project — End-grain Mesquite wood flooring in Pasadena, Los Angeles with a Rubio Monocoat finish

Real Wood Option 2 Engineered Wood Flooring

Engineered wood flooring is made by layering plywood base layers in different directions, creating a very stable and often more affordable alternative to solid wood. If you need to install real wood floors in Los Angeles below-grade, this is your best option.

Engineered wood flooring can also be refinished (depending on wear layer), plus has greater resistance to moisture

The number of base layers depends on the product quality. Higher-end flooring has 11+ layers of top-quality birch ply. Cheaper products may have as few as three low-grade layers.

The top, or wear layer, comes in different thicknesses. Low-end options have very thin veneer wear layers that may only allow one light sanding. High-end versions have wear layers comparable to solid wood and can be refinished multiple times.

Both exotic and domestic woods are available as engineered hardwood. You can purchase engineered flooring either prefinished or unfinished. This type of flooring is suitable for installation below grade or over concrete and is available in a range of species.

Engineered floor glue-down installation — Engineered wood floors can be installed directly over concrete and below-grade subfloors

Engineered wood floor in Los Angeles — Once installed, quality engineered floors are hard to distinguish from solid wood

Engineered Wood Flooring Pros:

Increased stability
Greater resistance to moisture/humidity compared to solid wood
Suitable for installation below grade or over concrete
More installation methods available
Often more affordable than solid wood
High-end options can be refinished multiple times

Engineered Wood Flooring Cons:

Low-end variations have limited refinishing options due to thin wear layers
Potential for lower-quality core materials in budget products
Cheap veneer-top versions don’t have the same feel as solid wood
Can still be affected by excessive moisture/humidity

Engineered Wood Flooring Examples in Los Angeles:

Below are some examples of engineered hardwood floors in Los Angeles we have installed and refinished over the years...

Engineered wood floor in Los Angeles restaurant — 12" French Oak engineered hardwood floor project in Los Angeles restaurant with a dark Duraseal stain color

Engineered wood floor in Pacific Palisades — European oak engineered hardwood floor project in Pacific Palisades, Los Angeles

Engineered wood floor in Santa Monica — Engineered hardwood floor project in Santa Monica, Los Angeles finished with a hardwax oil

Engineered herringbone in Cheviot Hills — White oak herringbone engineered flooring in Cheviot Hills with Rubio Monocoat finish over a concrete subfloor

Group 2
Faux Wood Flooring

Faux Wood Option 1 Laminate Flooring

Laminate flooring is made from a mix of synthetic materials. It’s designed to mimic the appearance of natural wood, while providing a much cheaper alternative. As such, it's not going to compete on looks with the two real wood flooring types shown above.

While not authentic wood, laminate flooring is very affordable

Unlike real, solid hardwood flooring that comes in various lengths, providing a unique, natural look, laminate flooring typically comes in boards of equal, uniform size. Unfortunately this repetition adds to its inauthentic look.

Even so, this faux wood option is affordable, durable, and resistant to scratches, dents, and stains.

Many laminate brands use a click-locking system and are installed as a floating floor (no need to glue or nail), which makes them quick to install and keeps costs low—cementing laminate as the most affordable wood-“look” option.

Water-damaged laminate flooring — Cheap laminate is prone to water damage along seams from spills or subfloor moisture

Removing damaged laminate flooring in Los Angeles — After significant water damage, laminate must be replaced—unlike real wood, it can’t be sanded and refinished

Laminate Flooring Pros:

Highly affordable compared to solid and engineered hardwood
Wide variety of styles and finishes available
Durable and resistant to scratches, dents, and stains
Easy to install, often with click-lock systems

Laminate Flooring Cons:

Cannot be sanded or refinished
Often looks artificial, especially due to identical board sizes
Potential for chipping/peeling of the image layer
Susceptible to moisture damage if not protected

Faux Wood Option 2 Luxury Vinyl Plank (LVP) Flooring

LVP (luxury vinyl plank) and LVF/LVT (luxury vinyl flooring/tile) combine some benefits of laminate and traditional vinyl: cost-effectiveness, simple installation, and high durability.

LVP flooring is durable, affordable and moisture resistant

Luxury vinyl products are designed to mimic the appearance and texture of real hardwood while being installable in below-grade and wet areas where wood isn’t recommended. While it never looks quite like real wood, LVP is highly durable, very resistant to moisture/humidity, and relatively easy to install.

For an affordable “wood-look” floor that must go in wet areas, LVP is hard to beat.

LVT faux wood flooring — Luxury vinyl plank/tile (LVP/LVT) is synthetic and attempts to mimic real wood

LVT click-locking floor — Waterproof composition allows use in bathrooms and other wet or below-grade spaces

LVP Flooring Pros:

Highly durable and resistant to scratches, dents, and stains
Resistant to moisture and humidity
Suitable for installation below grade or over concrete
Relatively easy to install
More affordable than engineered or solid wood

LVP Flooring Cons:

Has an artificial appearance and feel
Repetitive, uniform plank sizes add to the faux look
Cannot be refinished

Important Factors to Consider...

When choosing between these four types of flooring, there are several factors you’ll want to consider:

Budget and cost considerations

Laminate and LVP win here. If you want an affordable floor that resembles wood, faux options are the way to go.

Desired appearance and authenticity

For a truly natural look, you need real wood with its unique character and varied board sizes. Solid hardwood and high-quality engineered flooring win. Some faux floors look convincing, but repeating patterns and uniform plank sizes reveal the illusion.

Installation method and subfloor requirements

Below-grade locations aren’t suitable for solid wood. Solid’s ¾" height can also cause clearance issues. Engineered, laminate and LVP/LVT can be glued or floated over plywood or concrete with lower profiles.

Maintenance and repair preferences

Solid and quality engineered floors can be refinished multiple times for decades of life. Faux options require board replacement when damaged.

Long-term value to home

Real wood is the clear winner. Many buyers see faux flooring and mentally budget for replacement.

PHOTOS from past projects

Rubio Monocoat project in Pacific Palisades

Hardwood Flooring Los Angeles CA

Studio City Hardwood Floors

Hardwood Floor Refinishing Malibu CA

HAPPY CLIENT feedback

Marcos and team are seriously fantastic. They are clearly committed to their craft, incredibly pleasant to work with and delivered absolutely everything on time and to perfection. We absolutely love our floors! Thanks, guys! Cassandra C. - Los Angeles, CA | 5 Star Review on Yelp