Understanding your result
The headline is the installed cost from low to high, with the cost per square foot, species and finish beneath it. The stats give the wood, the labour and the midpoint; the table lists the wood, supplies, installation, site finishing, trim, the total and the cost per square foot.
The wood is the area times the species range, with 10% waste, or 15% for a rustic grade. If the floor is finished on site, the wood is about $1 per sq ft cheaper because it is bought unfinished. Supplies are the rosin paper or underlayment and the fasteners or adhesive. Installation is priced by the method: nailing solid wood is the dearest, floating engineered wood the cheapest. Site finishing adds sanding and three coats.
For the cartons the floor takes, use the hardwood flooring calculator or, for engineered plank, the engineered wood calculator; for a budget with removal of the old floor, the flooring cost estimator.
How we calculate this
The species prices are retail ranges from 2025–2026 cost surveys and retailer listings; the labour by method and the finishing figures are from the same surveys, listed on the installer rates reference page. The guide to solid, engineered and laminate compares the options, the installer charges guide explains the labour, and the refinishing guide covers what site finishing involves.
The assumptions behind the numbers
| Assumption | Default | Where it comes from |
|---|---|---|
| Wood | select oak $5 to $9; rustic oak $3.50 to $6; maple $5 to $9; hickory $5 to $10; walnut $9 to $15; exotic $8 to $14 per sq ft | 2025–2026 cost surveys and retailer listings |
| Labour | nailed $4 to $8; glued $4 to $7; floating $3 to $5 per sq ft | Published cost surveys |
| Site finishing | $2 to $4 per sq ft | Cost surveys for sand and finish |
| Unfinished wood | about $1 per sq ft cheaper | Retail price difference |
| Waste | 10%, rustic 15% | NWFA grade guidance |
Assumptions last reviewed October 8, 2026.
The calculator does not price removal, subfloor work, stairs, stain colours, or the premium for wide or long boards, which can add 20 to 50% to the wood. It assumes standard 3/4 in solid or comparable engineered wood. It is a US estimate in US dollars.
Two worked examples
700 sq ft of prefinished hickory, nailed
- Wood: 700 × 1.1 × $5 to $10 = $3,850 to $7,700
- Supplies $175 to $525; installation 700 × $4 to $8 = $2,800 to $5,600
- Total: $6,825 to $13,825, $9.75 to $19.75 per sq ft
The wood is just over half. Hickory’s hardness makes it a good choice for a busy house; its strong grain also hides wear, which matters more over its fifty-year life than the price difference with oak.
350 sq ft of rustic oak engineered plank, floating
- Wood: 350 × 1.15 × $3.50 to $6 = $1,409 to $2,415
- Supplies $88 to $263; installation 350 × $3 to $5 = $1,050 to $1,750
- Total: $2,546 to $4,428, $7.28 to $12.65 per sq ft
A rustic grade and a floating installation together take a third off the cost of select oak nailed down. The rustic grade’s higher waste is the only line that goes the other way.
Where to find your inputs
Area. The floor area, without waste.
Species and grade. From the product you are considering.
Method. Nailed for solid wood over plywood; glued or floating for engineered wood, especially over concrete.
Finish. Prefinished from the factory, or sanded and finished on site.
Trim. The linear feet of baseboard and shoe being replaced.
Common mistakes
- Comparing wood prices only. Labour is often as much as the wood.
- Assuming unfinished is cheaper. Site finishing costs more than the saving.
- Floating solid wood. Only engineered wood floats.
- Ignoring grade waste. Rustic grades need 15%.
- Forgetting acclimation. Solid wood needs days in the house before installation.
- Leaving out removal and stairs. They are not in this figure.
Questions people ask
- How much does a hardwood floor cost installed?
- Prefinished select oak nailed down typically comes to about $9.75 to $18.65 per sq ft with waste and supplies, so a 500 sq ft room is about $4,900 to $9,300. Rustic grades are cheaper; walnut and exotics cost more.
- Is prefinished or site-finished hardwood cheaper?
- Unfinished wood is about $1 per sq ft cheaper to buy, but sanding and three coats on site add $2 to $4 per sq ft and three to five days. Prefinished is usually cheaper overall and quicker; site-finished gives a seamless, flatter surface.
- Which hardwood species costs the least?
- Character or rustic grade oak, at about $3.50 to $6 per sq ft for the wood. Select oak and maple are about $5 to $9, hickory $5 to $10, and walnut and exotics $8 to $15.
- Does engineered wood cost less to install?
- The wood costs about the same for the same species, but floating installation is cheaper, about $3 to $5 per sq ft against $4 to $8 to nail solid wood. Glued engineered wood on a slab is in between.
- How much waste for hardwood?
- About 10% for select grades and 15% for rustic grades, which have more boards with defects to cut out. The calculator applies the higher figure to rustic oak.
- What is not included in the price?
- Removal of the old floor, subfloor repair, stairs, moving furniture, and acclimation time. The flooring cost estimator includes removal, and the stair flooring calculator counts treads.