How to Choose the Right Hardwood Flooring in Vancouver | Floors Depot’s Expert Buyer Guide
- alex87032
- Aug 12, 2022
- 7 min read
Updated: May 11
Hardwood flooring is one of the most timeless, elegant, and value-boosting upgrades you can make to your home. But with so many options available, choosing the right hardwood floor in Vancouver requires understanding your lifestyle, climate considerations, and design goals. At Floors Depot, we’ve helped thousands of Vancouver homeowners make the right choice—and this guide will walk you through everything you need to know.
Understanding the Different Types of Hardwood Flooring
Hardwood flooring generally comes in two main categories: solid hardwood and engineered hardwood. Solid hardwood is made from a single piece of natural wood, offering longevity and the ability to be sanded and refinished multiple times. Engineered hardwood, on the other hand, consists of a real hardwood top layer bonded over multiple layers of plywood, providing added stability in moisture-prone environments.
Both options bring a unique set of advantages, and your choice may depend on the area of installation, budget, and personal preferences.
Solid vs. Engineered Hardwood: What’s Best for Vancouver Homes?
Given Vancouver’s coastal climate with varying humidity, engineered hardwood is often the more practical choice for below-grade installations like basements or condos. It resists warping and expansion better than solid hardwood while still offering a genuine wood surface.
Solid hardwood is perfect for upper floors and areas where you want to invest in longevity and the luxury of sanding and refinishing over decades. At Floors Depot, we carry premium-grade selections of both types to fit your needs.
Solid Hardwood Flooring That Elevates Your Vancouver Home | Only at Floors Depot
Solid hardwood is what people usually think of as traditional hardwood flooring. It’s pure planks of a species of wood such as oak, maple, or ash, with none of the manufacturing found in engineered hardwood.
Even though solid and engineered hardwood flooring are usually indistinguishable to the common observer, people still often like the idea of having traditional, solid hardwood floors. Solid hardwood flooring does indeed have an important advantage: it lasts a lot longer than engineered wood flooring, with a 30–100-year life expectancy versus a 20–40-year expectancy for engineered hardwood.
Engineered Hardwood Flooring in Vancouver | Durable, Stylish & Available at Floors Depot
Engineered hardwood flooring is made of composite wood topped with a veneer of solid hardwood. People often assume it’s an inferior product because of the manufacturing, but engineered hardwood holds multiple advantages over solid hardwood. Namely:
· Engineered wood flooring cost less than solid hardwood flooring.
· Engineered hardwood is more resistant to humidity and temperature fluctuations.
· Engineered hardwood is easier to install and more flexible in how it can be installed.
· Engineered wood flooring works well with underfloor heating.
The primary disadvantages of hardwood flooring are that it’s life-expectancy is less (20–40 years versus 30–100) and that it can’t be refinished as many times, due to it being thinner.
Explore Other Types of Wood Flooring for Your Vancouver Home | Curated by Floors Depot
While solid hardwood flooring and engineered hardwood flooring are by far the most common types of wood flooring, there are other options. The increased environmental consciousness of modern society is driving these options to greater popularity.
This exotic choice is eco-friendly (bamboo grows very fast) and is actually harder than most of the species of wood used in solid or engineered hardwood flooring. Like most forms of solid hardwood, it’s more expensive than engineered hardwood flooring ($5–15 per square foot versus $3–14).
An option that many people don’t realize exists, cork flooring has been available for a long time. Because cork oak is considered green and renewable and because cork is biodegradable, cork flooring has grown in popularity. Cork flooring is quite soft. It doesn’t deal well with water damage, and it’s susceptible to warping from heat and humidity.
Hardwood Species Guide: Durability, Grain & Colour Explained
A wide variety of hardwood floor species exist. These species apply to solid and engineered hardwood alike. In the following section, we’ll discuss some of them.
Janka Scale
In describing the wood species, we’ll list their Janka hardness numbers. The higher the Janka number, the stronger the wood is. The scale for species used in hardwood flooring generally ranges from 800 to 3,000 (one exception is on our list).
1. White oak: With a Janka score of 1,360, white oak is a (literally) solid choice for wood flooring. Its smooth, cool colouration adds a peaceful quality to whatever room it’s in.
2. Red oak: A bit softer than white oak at 1,290 on the Janka scale, red oak is preferred by many people because of its warm, comforting hues.
3. Eastern white and southern yellow pines: These choices are softer than the others on the list at only 870 on the Janka scale, but they are also among the most affordable. With the proper care, they will last nearly or even just-as-long as the harder species on this list.
4. Teak: With a whopping 2,330 score on the Janka scale, teak is also a beautiful, richly coloured flooring option that is highly resistant to water damage. It’s also one of the more expensive options.
5. American walnut: One of the most beautiful options available, American walnut is at the lower range in hardness with a 1,010 Janka score. Its dark, rich colouration is absolutely stunning and entices many people to overlook its relative softness.
6. Ash: Another sturdy choice at 1,320 on the Janka scale, ash has a modern, stylish look, and is known for taking stain well. Recently the price has gone up a bit due to a blight of emerald ash borer beetles, but it’s still a popular choice.
7. Maple: A popular choice for basketball courts, maple flooring absorbs shock well and is easy to care for. Its colouration is usually creamy or tan. Its Janka score comes in at a respectable 1,450.
8. Hickory: Coming in at 1,820 on the Janka scale, hickory is a solid hardwood that has tons of personality due to the wide variety of grain-pattern and colouration. The same personality that makes it popular with some people makes it unpopular with others—some people dislike the variety in its visage.
9. Mahogany: Coming from South and Central America, mahogany has a beautiful, rich, dark colouration and smooth, subtle grain patterns. It’s a bit softer at 900 on the Janka scale.
10. Douglas fir: Coming it just 660 on the Janka scale, Douglas fir is considered a softwood rather than a hardwood.
Wood Flooring Surface Textures & Finishes in Vancouver | Expert Guide by Floors Depot
Hardwood floors come in a wide variety of textures and finishes. We’ll discuss those below.
Textures
Hardwood flooring comes in the following texture varieties:
· Hand scraped: Made by using draw knifes, hand scrapers, and chisels, hand scraping distresses floors to give them strong character in a style that many people adore.
· Smooth sanded: A common technique, smooth sanded floors are, as the name implies, sanded down to be cleanly smooth and evenly thick.
· Distressed: Distressed floors are hammered and chiseled to have cracks and lines through the planks for a pleasing vintage appearance.
· Wire brushed: The wire-brushing process uses hard-bristled brushes to expose the heart wood of the floor. It gives a rustic look reminiscent of old farmhouses and is great for oak and hickory.
· Beveled: Beveled floors have grooves between the floor planks, given a strong rustic appearance that appeals to many homeowners.
Finishes
Different floor finishes give different personalities to floors as well as different levels of durability. The three main categories are:
· Acrylic impregnated finishes: These finishes are injected into wood to provide extremely durable finishes. They are used for high-traffic businesses such as restaurants and shopping malls.
· Surface finishes: Composed of urethanes and polyurethanes, these popular finishes are durable and water resistant.
· Wax finishes: Wax finish soaks into wood and creates a protective seal. When cleaning floors with a wax finish, use cleaning supplies specifically designed for the purpose.
Installation Methods That Impact Performance and Longevity
Nail-down, glue-down, and floating installations all have their advantages. Solid hardwood often requires nail-down installation on plywood subfloors. Engineered hardwood allows more flexibility and can even be floated over existing floors.
At Floors Depot, we provide professional installation services to ensure your flooring lasts for decades without squeaks, gaps, or moisture issues.
Caring for Your Hardwood Floors: Maintenance Tips from Floors Depot
Protecting your investment is simple with a few best practices. Sweep regularly to prevent grit buildup. Use furniture pads, avoid wet mops, and place rugs in high-traffic areas.
We also recommend using wood-safe cleaning products and scheduling periodic deep cleanings or re-coating, depending on traffic levels.
Why Vancouver Homeowners Trust Floors Depot for Hardwood Flooring
We’ve served Vancouver homeowners for years with one mission: deliver quality flooring solutions backed by expertise and trust. From selection to installation, our team ensures that every hardwood flooring project is flawless.
Floors Depot offers personalized service, top-tier product lines, competitive pricing, and expert installation. We treat your home like our own.
Summary
A wide range of hardwood flooring, flooring textures, and flooring finishes waits for your exploration. We hope this page helped you with your journey!
Frequently Asked Questions
Is engineered hardwood better than solid hardwood for basements? Yes, engineered hardwood handles moisture better and is ideal for below-grade spaces in Vancouver.
Can I install hardwood flooring over radiant heat? Yes, but engineered hardwood is generally recommended for use over radiant heating systems.
How long does hardwood flooring last? Solid hardwood can last 50+ years with refinishing; engineered hardwood lasts 20–40 years, depending on thickness and care.
Is professional installation necessary? For long-term durability, yes. Improper installation can lead to warping, gaps, and structural issues.
What hardwood species is most durable? Hickory and maple are among the hardest domestic woods, making them ideal for high-traffic areas.
How do I protect hardwood floors from water damage? Use rugs, wipe spills immediately, and maintain consistent indoor humidity levels.
Can I refinish engineered hardwood floors? Yes, if the top layer is thick enough (typically 3mm or more). Thinner layers can’t be sanded.
What is the average cost of hardwood flooring in Vancouver? Costs vary by species and quality, but expect $8–$14 per square foot, including installation.
How soon can I walk on newly installed hardwood floors? Usually within 24 hours, but always follow installer guidance—especially for glue-down or finished-on-site floors.
Does hardwood flooring add resale value? Absolutely. Hardwood floors are a top feature buyers look for and can significantly increase home value.
Looking to upgrade your Vancouver home with hardwood flooring? Visit Floors Depot for expert advice, hands-on samples, and professional installation you can trust.
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