Engineered vs. solid hardwood in San Diego County

Near the coast, and over a concrete slab, engineered hardwood is usually the better choice: its cross-layered core moves less in damp air and it can be glued straight to the slab. Inland, where winters are damp and summers are dry, solid hardwood does well and can be sanded and refinished more times over its life. Both have a real-wood surface; the difference is the core and how many refinishes the floor can take.

What the difference actually is

Solid hardwood is one piece of wood, top to bottom. Engineered hardwood has a real-wood top layer bonded to a plywood or fiberboard core whose layers cross each other. That construction is what keeps it stable as the air changes.

Neither is a printed picture of wood. That is laminate and vinyl plank, which are different products altogether.

The coast versus inland

San Diego County has two climates as far as wood is concerned. Homes near the water, in Del Mar, La Jolla, Encinitas and west Carlsbad, sit in damp marine air most of the year. Engineered hardwood barely moves in it, which is why it is the safer pick there.

Inland, in Escondido, Poway and Valley Center, the swing is bigger: damp winters, dry summers. Solid hardwood handles that well when it is acclimated to the house and given room to move, and it lasts for decades.

There is no line on the map where the answer changes, so we take moisture readings in the house rather than deciding by ZIP code.

Slab or raised floor

Most homes in the county sit on a concrete slab. Engineered hardwood glues straight to it, after the slab passes a moisture test and is ground or filled to the flatness the manufacturer requires, often 3/16 of an inch over 10 feet.

Solid hardwood can go over a slab too, but only once a plywood base has been built on top of it. Over a raised foundation with a wood subfloor, solid boards can be nailed down directly.

How many times each can be refinished

Solid hardwood usually takes four to six full refinishes over its life, depending on how much wood each sanding removes and how much sits above the tongue.

Engineered hardwood depends on its real-wood layer. Roughly 3mm or more is usually good for one or two refinishes. Thinner than that cannot be sanded at all, though a worn finish can often be renewed with a screen and recoat.