| Solid Hardwood | Engineered Hardwood | Luxury Vinyl Plank | |
| Construction | One piece of wood, 18 to 20 mm | Hardwood veneer over plywood or HDF core | Synthetic core, printed layer and wear layer |
| Humidity response | Expands and contracts | Much more stable | Unaffected |
| Water resistance | Low | Low to moderate | Waterproof planks |
| Refinishing | 3 to 5 times | 0 to 2 times, depending on veneer | Not refinishable |
| Best locations | Above-grade living areas and bedrooms | Above grade, over concrete, over radiant heat | Basements, kitchens, bathrooms, laundry |
| Installed cost / sq. ft. | $8 to $24 | $6 to $18 | $4 to $12 |
How each product is built explains why it performs so differently from room to room.
Solid hardwood is a single piece of milled wood from top to bottom, typically 18 to 20 mm thick. It can be sanded and refinished multiple times, which is why well-maintained hardwood floors in older Toronto homes can last 80 to 100 years. Its weakness is moisture. Solid hardwood expands and contracts with humidity and is not suited to below-grade or high-moisture spaces.
Engineered hardwood is real wood. A hardwood veneer, usually 2 to 6 mm thick, is bonded to a cross-layered plywood or HDF core. That cross-ply construction makes it far more dimensionally stable than solid hardwood. Once installed, it looks identical to solid hardwood because the surface is genuine wood. Thicker veneers can be refinished once or twice, while the thinnest may not tolerate a full sanding at all.
LVP is a fully synthetic product with no wood content. A photographic layer printed to replicate wood grain sits beneath a protective wear layer and on top of a rigid or flexible core. The planks are waterproof and unaffected by humidity, and high-quality LVP is difficult to tell apart from wood at normal viewing distance.
This is the factor most flooring guides skip, and it matters most for GTA homeowners. Ontario’s climate creates large seasonal humidity swings:
A swing of 30 points or more makes solid hardwood expand and contract measurably. Wide-plank solid hardwood is especially prone to gapping in winter and cupping in summer when humidity is not controlled. Engineered hardwood handles the same swing far better thanks to its cross-ply core, making it the smart choice when you want the wide-plank look but your humidity control is not perfect. LVP does not react to humidity at all, which is why we recommend it for basements, where moisture is hardest to manage. It can still move slightly with large temperature changes, so a proper perimeter expansion gap is essential.
Solid hardwood belongs on above-grade main floors and upper-level bedrooms in homes where indoor humidity stays between 35% and 55% year-round. A winter humidifier and summer dehumidifier or air conditioning make that achievable. It is the premium choice for homeowners who value genuine wood character and long-term refinishability. Keep it out of basements, moisture-prone kitchens and homes with inconsistent humidity control.
Engineered hardwood suits above-grade main and upper floors and solves two problems solid hardwood cannot:
It is also the better choice for any GTA home with imperfect humidity control.
LVP is the best flooring for basements in Ontario, and it excels in kitchens, bathrooms, laundry rooms and anywhere moisture exposure is realistic. It is also ideal for homes with pets, young children or heavy traffic, where scratch and stain resistance matter more than refinishing. For pets in particular, choose LVP with a thick wear layer.
| Is LVP really waterproof? The planks are. But after a major leak, water can still reach the subfloor through seams and edges, so moisture testing and proper installation still matter. |
Installed flooring costs in the GTA depend on the product, installation method and subfloor preparation. These ranges reflect current GTA supply-and-install pricing:
| Flooring Type | Installed Cost / Sq. Ft. | What Drives the Price |
| Solid hardwood | $8 to $24 | Species, plank width and finish |
| Engineered hardwood | $6 to $18 | Veneer thickness, core quality and plank width |
| Luxury vinyl plank | $4 to $12 | Wear layer thickness, core type and product grade |
Where projects typically land in those ranges:
Subfloor preparation, including levelling, patching and moisture testing, is an extra cost for all three products and is often underestimated in initial quotes. Ask for it as a separate line item.
Refinishability is the most common argument for solid hardwood over LVP. It is valid, but it needs context:
If you plan to stay in your home 30 years or more, refinishability is a meaningful advantage. With a realistic horizon of 10 to 15 years, or in any space where LVP is the better performer, it should not change the recommendation.
Buyers generally see real wood on the main floor as a premium feature, and both solid and engineered hardwood deliver that impression. LVP is widely accepted in basements, kitchens and bathrooms, where buyers expect a water-resistant floor. The takeaway is to match the material to the room. Hardwood in a damp basement, or worn and cupped boards on a main floor, will hurt a listing more than a well-chosen vinyl plank ever will.
The honest answer depends on where the floor is going, how your home is used and your budget:
At Maple Leaf Quality Renos Inc., we supply and install solid hardwood, engineered hardwood and luxury vinyl plank across the GTA. We help every client choose the right material for each space, without defaulting to the most expensive option or the easiest recommendation.
Contact us for a free, no-obligation consultation and a detailed written estimate.
📞 +1 (647) 496-3360
📧 contact@mapleleafqualityrenos.ca
🌐 https://www.mapleleafqualityrenos.ca/
Serving Toronto, Mississauga, Brampton, Vaughan, Markham, Richmond Hill, Scarborough, Etobicoke, Oakville, Burlington, Oshawa, Hamilton, Kitchener, Barrie and surrounding communities.