Engineered Hardwood – A Smart Choice for Active Homes

By Hartco Product Expert, Published August 22, 2025

Life at home can be a whirlwind — kids, pets, guests, and constant movement. That’s why choosing the right flooring isn’t always about how it looks. Often, you must include performance in the equation, focusing on durability and peace of mind. If your household sees a lot of action, engineered hardwood flooring checks many boxes.

Explore why this tough flooring option handles high-traffic areas and active living.

Engineered Wood is Tough from the Inside Out

Unlike solid hardwood flooring, which is milled from a single piece of wood, engineered hardwood has a layered construction. The plywood core comprises multiple cross-grain layers that add serious structural stability.

This design makes engineered floors more resistant to expansion, contraction, and warping. As a result, it can handle environments with moisture or fluctuating temperatures.

On top of that sturdy base is a top layer or wear layer of real wood, often oak or maple. That gives engineered wood flooring the same authentic look and feel underfoot as a traditional solid wood floor.

Engineered Hardwood Flooring Offers Durability in High-Traffic Areas

Busy households demand floors that won’t give up under pressure. The wear layer on a quality engineered hardwood plank determines how well it stands up to daily wear and tear. It also determines how often you can sand and refinish it over its lifetime.

• You can typically refinish, but not sand, a thinner top layer (around 1mm).
• With a thicker layer (3mm–4mm), you can refinish your engineered floor multiple times, extending its lifespan to 50+ years.

So if you have a home with heavy foot traffic, choose an engineered option with a durable top layer with some thickness.

Engineered Hardwood is Moisture-Resistant Where It Matters

Solid hardwood has a classic reputation, but it struggles in humid conditions. Basements, kitchens, and mudrooms can wreak havoc on solid wood floors. Engineered hardwood, on the other hand, is far better suited for these high-traffic areas. That’s thanks to its dimensional stability.

Most engineered hardwood flooring options are water-resistant. But some go even further.

For example, HydroBlok™ waterproof engineered hardwoods from Hartco® offer up to 36 hours of protection against water. Its top-down moisture protection and peace of mind in the messiest parts of your home.

Enjoy Beauty Without the Headache

Want the elegance of hand-scraped oak or the clean lines of maple without the high maintenance? Engineered wood flooring gives you both. Because the top layer is real wood, you’re not sacrificing aesthetics. You can get the look of solid hardwood, in textures like wire brushed, distressed, or smooth, at a more accessible price point.

Better still, most engineered planks are prefinished, meaning you skip the sanding, staining, and sealing mess. No waiting. No strong odors. Just install and move on.

Engineered Hardwood Flooring Goes Where Solid Hardwood Can’t

Its construction allows engineered hardwood to go where solid wood won’t. You can install it as a floating floor over concrete, with radiant heating, or even below grade in a basement. Its cost-effectiveness extends beyond the price tag. You also save on subfloor prep and installation labor.

It’s also one of the more DIY-friendly flooring options with several installation options. You can float it, nail it, or glue it.

Sustainable and Smart

Choosing engineered hardwood isn’t just good for your home — it’s better for the planet. Since it uses a thin layer of hardwood for the top veneer, it requires far less harvested wood than solid hardwood flooring. That’s a win for sustainability.

Additionally, many manufacturers repurpose byproducts like sawdust and wood chips in production, further reducing waste. Unlike synthetic flooring, wood doesn’t trap allergens or off-gassing chemicals, which helps improve indoor air quality.

Wood Flooring Boosts Home Value Long Term

A beautiful, long-lasting floor enhances your home’s appeal and resale value. A high-quality engineered hardwood floor can last decades, especially when well-maintained and refinished when needed.

With warranties stretching up to 50 years, you can be confident your investment holds its value. Hartco offers a lifetime residential warranty with its Prime Harvest and American Scrape engineered hardwood floors.

Why Choose Engineered Flooring?

If your home is busy and high-energy, choosing engineered hardwood flooring is a smart, stylish move. The flooring is durable enough for kids and pets, offers water resistance for kitchens and basements, and delivers the same beauty and style of solid hardwood for any room in the house.

You get the luxury of real wood and the strength of modern engineering, plus the flexibility to install the flooring in more spaces.

Hartco offers over 150 engineered hardwood flooring options in hickory, maple, and oak. With numerous looks, you can match your floors to any style. Choose from traditional, distressed, wire-brushed, and hand-scraped wood. There are even wide plank options of greater than 7″.

Put the benefits of engineered hardwood flooring to work in your busy household. Visit a local Hartco retailer to find your perfect floor.