Engineered hardwood can be refinished- sanded and stained but not as many times as hardwood. The question is did the previous owner's ever refinished them so that you can't refinish them.

If you are not doing this job yourself the best thing for you to do is to get 2 or 3 wood refinisher guys in and talk to them first before you try and make decisions without doing the research. They can give you an idea of cost to replace or add which may help you decide the direction you want to go . I just went through this process and I interviewed 3 guys and had quotes all over the board but learned something new from each of them.

I'd replace. sorry, but that current wood floor wouldn't be worth it to refinish. the planks are extremely short, and the pattern is quite busy. (newer wood planks come in 6' lengths)

You could also do a wider plank if you like.

Ditto whatever that tile is.

Take the new flooring all throughout the room into the kitchen area.

If you'd like to have a different tile entry, that's fine. just pick something else

Engineered wood is real hard wood. If you mean solid wood floors, then other things need to be taken into consideration, like the humidity level of the home and the substrate.

If you like the hardwood, you could do a stain on site white oak flooring.

up to you.

If you're keeping that stone fireplace, I'd consider lightening the mortar joints. see how these are a lighter gray tone?

Absolutely, it will totally change the feel of the house.

I agree with Beth. Those boards are really short and it looks like a brick pattern. If you can afford it, I'd redo the entire main level with flooring you like. But for piece of mind, you should get a quote on how much it would be to refinish vs installing new.

The Home Depot option you're looking at is not a lot better at 12-59" long. You'll have a seam ever couple of feet.

I did 4" unfinished white oak with boards 12"-105" feet long and I ran them on a diagonal. My floor joints change directions in the middle of the house like a "t". If I could do it again, I'd wait a couple of weeks to special order 2-10 feet long boards.

melissa, for $5.59 a sq ft (the home depot option), I think you could do a bit better. Look for some of the longer, random lengths, especially since you have such a large area. doing smaller boards will look 'off' in your room. (basically what you have now)

I did Calif. Classics, mediterranean. It's the far right row.

comes in many stain colors. it's a french oak, wire brushed wide plank, longer lengths. and it's thicker than the average engineered wood floor.

This style would probably look really nice w/your fireplace stone.

The selections on the left are in the $5.25 sq ft range, and are a similar type of wood look

instead of shopping for it at home depot, go to an actual tile/flooring place. You'll get much better selections and some decent prices.

If you want something more traditional, go w/the stain on site, narrow oak planks and have them stained to whatever shade you like

The white oak w/the Bona Nordic natural topcoat is very nice.

For the entryway, you could do the same wood, but in a herringbone perhaps

Or, do something like a natural black slate.

either a mosaic w/the wood floor around it

or, a larger tile

Montauk blue slate

Thank you so much Beth! I have a place I can go to tomorrow to check out some options. My quick home depot internet search was to get an idea of what I liked... I didn’t realize the busy-ness of that brick pattern/shorter boards bothered me until you brought it up. It’s definitely about scale as well as the floor feeling dark (plus I just don’t personally like engineered wood.) I probably will leave the tile for now. My husband likes it and I don’t hate it. Plus at some point in the near future we will probably reconfigure the kitchen and the tile may need to go at that point. The kitchen is large but with a dumb layout and has an island without the capacity for bar stools.

Are you on slab? Or is this on plywokd? Solid hardwood is an iffy prospect glued to concrete.

Remember: Floors are done last!

SJ - it’s plywood as there is a lower level.

So...you don't like the short-plank hardwoods (small leaf acacia is KNOWN to have short boards like this) you have a few options.

First thing for ME (ahem...this is me being me...) would be to change the paint. The sunshine yellow on the walls makes my stomach turn (I'm not bashing the house...it is really pretty...I just HATE yellow...with a passion!). I would also, if it doesn't work out, paint over the burgundy area in the living space.

This is FIRST. Get your wet work done BEFORE you change floors. A professional painting company will have this done in a few quick days. If they ruin the floors, well I guess you have your answer on the floors. If the floors are in good shape after that, then have a look at what you want to do.

You have STRONG yellow throwing down yellow on orange floors. The orange floors are throwing ORANGE onto the walls...which then throw down more yellow onto the floors....etc.

If you change the wall colours, you will get a FEEL for what works with this space. As for a wood tone, I would work with a natural colour of oak that WORKS with your exposed beams and rustic wood trim.

It is a super easy way to get things to work.

You don’t like the VERY BOLD COLORS? Lol. These are indeed all going away. There is the mustard/sunshine yellow but you don’t see the being orange:

lord. and the change in direction of the floors. I'm dizzy.

when you redo the kitchen, I hope you're removing that pass through wall!

Indeed the colors are going to be lightened up and cooled off significantly. As for the floor, I just don’t like engineered wood. I don’t even mind the color or the plank length that much but I hate engineered hardwoods. And we have to replace all of this red carpeting... ideally with flooring that matches the living room (I hate wall to wall carpeting more than engineered hardwoods).

So I figured if we are going to be putting in new flooring, why would I put flooring in that I don’t love...?

well have you actually seen the engineered wood floors? how can you hate engineered? it's hardwood. just not solid all the way through (it's still real wood, just diff layers) . It's the same wood that makes up a solid hardwood floor, only thinner. Oftentimes it's stronger and is better suited for certain types of homes.

the only diff is the ability to refinish it. If you plan on having those floors for the next 80 years, then do solid. otherwise, the engineered is just as good.

Wow....just...Wow. Sigh...the 90's have had their day. Time to get this beautiful gal up to speed!

At this point, you have such a MASSIVE hodgepodge of flooring I am with you on this....get it all out and put one thing throughout. If wood in the kitchen makes you nervous, then feel free to find a pretty tile that you like...but that can wait for another day. That's the day you decide to look at the footprint of the kitchen....again...sweat/worry for another day.

Here's what I like about solid hardwood: You can get it relatively cheap IF YOU CHOOSE the stuff that comes that way. Cheap does NOT mean low-quality. That's not what I'm talking about. I'm talking about 'regular every day' widths of Red Oak (2.75" - 3.5" width; Middle grade) will come in around $5/sf for material. Yep. Solid. Red Oak = $5/sf. If you want White Oak...add $1.50/sf. If you want wider planks like 4" or so, then you are going to add $2/sf. Don't go any wider than 4". The installation costs are ENORMOUS.

Stick with a relatively easy width to install (2.75" - 4.5" width = nail/cleat/staple only). As soon as you go 5" or wider you need GLUE ASSIST = more material costs (add $1/sf) and more LABOUR costs (add $1/sf).

The reason why I'm looking at Red Oak for you: it goes nicely with the wood trim AND the slightly darker/warmer beams. As pretty as European Oak-looking stuff is, it is very pale and very cool in tone. It is very likely you will get a colour/wood clash between the Euro Oak and the pine/fir trim/beams. And that would be very sad.

So...I would go with 3.5" (whatever comes closest in your area) nail down hardwood throughout. I would then pay the piper for the FINISH. Go with Bona Traffic HD. If you want to deepen the warm colours, then go with NaturalSeal or ClassicSeal (red oak doesn't need sealant...but they are often used to add a snick more colour to a floor).

Red Oak with a clear water based finish (without a coloured sealant) looks like dried wheat or hay. It is very pale and very pretty. And very cheap (compared to some of the fashionable widths/woods/colours).

Well worth the $10-$12/sf you will spend purchasing it and having it installed with the expensive Bona Traffic HD. Well worth it.

I agree. with that house style, I think the stain on site oak is the way to go. I posted a pic of the Bona natural finishes. love those.

but, I also love my wider plank french oak, wire brushed engineered floors! super easy to care for and I love walking on them.

Thank you guys! Would you believe this house was built in... 2006? 🤣

Anyway, I had red oak with a natural/clear ish stain in my previous home and loved it. I can describe that hike as “beach chic colonial.” This is a completely different style home though: much more rustic amd 3x the size of my other home. So I am struggling with this new to me sortof rustic/transitional style.

I feel like engineered wood just doesn’t stay nice looking for long... and that you can always tell it’s engineered and not solid. Oh and I feel like it doesn’t wear as well as solid. This is just me and maybe it’s because I have been looking at too many homes with older engineered wood lately...?

This is just me and maybe it’s because I have been looking at too many homes with older engineered wood lately...?

lol. if they resemble the current wood floors in your house, then yes. that's why! Shouldn't be any difference in wear if they are quality engineered wood floors. Cheap engineered? yes. looks horrible. Maybe that's what you're seeing.

Lafayette · More Info

This is my engineered oak floor- made sense for me because it could be walked on immediately and the wide boards were more stable than an equal width solid board. Has a thick wear layer so could be refinished. Whatever you do get ONE floor- yikes its a trippy flooring showroom in there! It looks like a great house- I hope you post photos after primer goes on!

Thank you! It really is an awesome house- and I think just paint and light fixtures will go a looonnnng way!

And yes I will update!

LOVE my engineered wood floors and I think if you are doing floors you should do them ALL, why mess with the kitchen and entry later. Just do it all in the same flooring, all of them, entry, kitchen, all. If it's a floor you fall in love with it will be perfect for the whole house

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We are thinking of moving the location of the kitchen within the next few years, so definitely no point in doing the floors twice. We'll probably do the entry though!

Melissa- Just wondering if what you "hate" is actually LVT. As some people don't understand what the difference is between LVT and Engineered.

If you do engineered you simply store enough flooring so when the time comes it matches...

I’m shocked this house is only 15 years old. Could you live with the floors in the kitchen and living area until you’re ready to take down walls and re-configure the kitchen layout? Paint and lighting will make a huge difference.

Why are there radiators around the house? Is it not typical to install central air conditioning and heat where you are?

I'm not sure what LVT is. :) I have an appointment with the flooring person for Saturday to test out samples.

Cherie, we hate forced hot air because it bothers my and the kids' asthma and allergies so I am actually very happy about these baseboard radiators as radiant heat is much easier on the lungs since it's not blowing hot air all over the place. There is central air for the summer months. We live in Northern NH... it gets cold here for sure.

I am going to keep the tile in the kitchen for now and the rest will be new flooring *all going in the same direction* !

We are ripping out the red carpeting, which is in all four bedrooms as well as on the stairs. We want to replace that with flooring and we don't want yet another type of flooring in the house so it makes sense to do the living and dining room as well. When we reconfigure the kitchen, we'll have to match it up and remove the tile at that time.

You may want to educate yourself on the different type of floorings to ensure that you are selecting the best fit for you and your family. And if you change your mind and go with a engineered you should know the differences within that product as far as how many times you can refinish it.

LVT stands for Luxury Vinyl Tile - a product that looks like real wood and stone flooring. Well, not always and that is why I wonder if you are "hating" LVT or LVP but think it is an engineered wood floor.

LVP, a vinyl plank, is made to resemble the look of hardwood boards. Both are forms of luxury vinyl flooring. They have the same design options and durability; the only difference is the configuration

Yes, have an appointment for this weekend, which I think will be super helpful. I have luxury vinyl plank in my vacation home and it's fine for where it is.

It actually is engineered wood that I hate. But to clarify, I think it is specifically *older and cheaper* engineered wood that I hate.

@Melissa Dunn I'm very glad to hear you are going to put off the BIG flooring job (the red carpet has GOT to go....I get that!) for the "kitchen moving" event.

I didn't get into that in my posts...but I was thinking it. So glad you have come to the same conclusion as I would have (...was that tooting my own horn?...hmm. I'll have to watch out for that =:-] ).

You are on the right track!

Welll holy crap just got some major sticker shock. The local flooring place just got back to me and is more than twice as much as Home Depot for solid hardwood flooring that doesn't get great ratings. That's definitely out of our budget. Their engineered hardwoods are a bit more reasonable but still more money than the Home Depot solid hardwood flooring. I'm going to check another local flooring place tomorrow...

HD doesn't deal w/high end quality.

remember, you flooring will be with you a long, long time. it's not something you change every 5 years. So when considering pricing, think about quality and the price spread out over the next 10-20 years. Last thing you want is a 'bargain' 2.99 special from home depot and have it look like crap in a few years You know, kind of like that current flooring that's in that home. I bet that wood was less than $3.50 a sq foot.

Also, since covid hit, lumber has quadrupled in price. don't know if directly affects flooring, but it probably has an impact. the flooring I got was $7.00 a sq foot, and that was a good guy price! it was closer to 10 elsewhere. (that was due to the import tax from china)

Shop around.

@Beth H. : Would you mind sharing which brand of engineered hardwood flooring you used? there are so many options out there. I’m considering DuChateau but I’m not sure I like the waxed look over poly. the waxed looks rather dull, but I’m concerned a poly coated floor wont hold up as well And show more scratches. Hoping to find a good quality brand to help get me to a good starting point

Wax or hardwax oil is HELL to live with. You have to LOVE doing maintenance on your floors (2-4 times per year...every year...for 25 years...etc.)

Stick with polyurethane. The factory finishes are super tough - usually have Aluminum Oxide in them.

Candice, I did list the name, right above my pic. here it is, Calif. Classics-Mediterranean collection-Granville