Engineered Hardwood: Is It Right for Your Home?
How engineered hardwood is built, why it moves less than solid wood, and what to compare before choosing one: wear layer, plank width and finish.
Hardwood flooring continues to be one of the most popular home upgrades throughout Los Angeles. From modern homes in Woodland Hills to luxury properties across the San Fernando Valley, homeowners are investing in engineered hardwood flooring because of its timeless appearance, durability, and ability to increase property value.
Shop our engineered hardwood flooring in Los Angeles or see hardwood floor installation.
For our full installation service, see hardwood flooring installation in Los Angeles.
At Glamour Flooring, we have supplied and installed hardwood floors since 2007. Our company specializes in engineered hardwood flooring installation, staircase remodels, wide plank European oak flooring, and complete flooring renovation services. We help homeowners create high-end interiors while simplifying the remodeling process with both flooring materials and installation services under one roof.
One of the biggest advantages of engineered hardwood flooring is its versatility. Engineered hardwood is designed to provide the beauty of real wood while offering improved stability compared to traditional solid hardwood floors. This makes engineered hardwood an excellent choice for many Los Angeles homes where temperature and moisture conditions can vary throughout the year.
Our Los Angeles hardwood flooring showroom in Woodland Hills features a large inventory of flooring styles including wide plank white oak, herringbone hardwood floors, matte finishes, character grade hardwood, prime grade hardwood, and modern European-inspired flooring collections. Customers can compare flooring colors and styles in person to better visualize how the floors will look inside their home.
This guide is about choosing the floor. If you are ready to plan a Los Angeles job, see hardwood supply and installation across Los Angeles for what we supply and what your written estimate includes, or how a hardwood installation job runs, from subfloor prep to the final walkthrough.
Many Los Angeles homeowners are now choosing wide plank hardwood flooring because it creates a more open and luxurious appearance inside the home. European oak flooring has become especially popular because of its natural tones, modern finishes, and ability to complement both contemporary and traditional interiors.
At Glamour Flooring, we understand that remodeling can feel overwhelming for many homeowners. That is why we provide free in-home estimates to help clients understand flooring options, installation timelines, and project costs before beginning work. Our goal is to make the flooring process simple, professional, and stress-free from start to finish.
What separates our company from other hardwood flooring stores in Los Angeles is our combination of product selection, installation experience, and customer service. Instead of only selling flooring materials, we help customers complete the entire project. Our team works closely with homeowners to ensure the flooring style, layout, and installation approach match the vision for the space.
Engineered hardwood vs luxury vinyl plank for a whole home
Engineered hardwood has a real hardwood wear layer on top of a cross-layered core. Luxury vinyl plank (SPC or WPC) has a printed wood look under a protective wear layer, and the planks themselves are waterproof. Either one can run through a whole house. The right choice depends on the rooms, the subfloor and how you live.
| Engineered hardwood | Luxury vinyl plank (SPC / WPC) | |
|---|---|---|
| Surface | Real wood you can see and feel | Printed wood look under a wear layer |
| Water | Resists spills if they’re wiped up quickly; not for wet rooms | The planks are waterproof. Water that gets under the floor at walls or openings can still reach the subfloor |
| Refinishing | Can be sanded and refinished; a thicker wear layer allows more refinishing | Can’t be refinished |
| Scratches and pets | Can scratch; a matte or wire-brushed finish hides everyday wear better | Highly scratch resistant |
| Underfoot | The feel of real wood | SPC has a rigid stone-composite core and is very dent resistant; WPC has a foamed core that feels softer and quieter |
| On a concrete slab | Engineered, usually glued down, after a moisture check | Installed over a flat, prepared subfloor; we check flatness first |
| Price | Hardwood floors start at $3.49/sq ft, material only; installation priced separately; prices vary by product. | Priced by product. We quote it at your free in-home estimate |
Mixing the two in one house
Many homeowners put engineered hardwood in the living room, bedrooms and halls, and waterproof vinyl plank in the kitchen, baths and laundry room. If you mix them, we plan the transitions and floor heights where the two meet before the install, so the floors line up at doorways.
How to decide
- Choose engineered hardwood if you want real wood throughout the main rooms and a floor that can be refinished later. See European white oak flooring.
- Choose luxury vinyl plank for kitchens, baths, laundry rooms and busy homes with pets, where waterproof planks matter most. See vinyl and waterproof flooring installation.
- Comparing laminate too? Read laminate vs luxury vinyl plank.
We bring flooring samples to your home, so you can hold an engineered board and a vinyl plank side by side in your own light. Book Free In-Home Estimate or call (818) 963-0878.
Still deciding between engineered and solid wood? Call ahead and we’ll have a matching sample ready at our showroom, or book a free in-home estimate and we’ll bring flooring samples to your home.
