What hardwood flooring costs, installed
Hardwood is priced twice: once for the wood, and again for the labor to nail it, sand it and finish it in place. Prefinished planks skip the second half. The range below is material plus professional installation; a factory-finished floor sits at the low end, a site-finished wide plank at the high end.
$11.50–$19 per square foot installed
Full range $9–$22. Typical installed cost is the middle half of the national range, materials and labor at average rates. Builder-grade product with the cheapest crew runs under it; premium product with a specialist runs over.
| Material | Installed | Lifespan |
|---|---|---|
| Solid HardwoodOne piece of timber, sandable for a century. | $12.50–$19 / sq ft | 50–100 yrs |
| Engineered HardwoodReal wood veneer on a dimensionally stable core. | $11.50–$16.50 / sq ft | 20–50 yrs |
Three things that change the price
- Species and width: white oak strip is the baseline, wide walnut or hickory is double
- Site finish versus prefinished: sanding and three coats add days and dollars
- Nail-down over wood versus glue-down over a slab
Put your own square feet in
National averages: material plus installation per square foot from the same cost tables FlooringFAQ publishes, extras at typical contractor rates. Local labor moves the range; a quote far outside it deserves a question.
Want an actual local price?
Labor rates, removal and prep vary by town and by house. Local professionals can quote the scope above; compare them on the same square feet.
No obligation. You choose whether to contact the professionals who respond.