Hardwood flooring comes from a solid piece of milled wood and contains solid wood all throughout. Popular hardwood varieties include maple, oak, walnut or cherry. Its versatility and quality make ...

Check out the best flooring from CR’s tests, including top-rated options in solid wood, engineered wood, laminate, porcelain tile, and vinyl.

Among solid hardwoods, domestic species like white oak, red oak, walnut, and maple are growing in popularity, says Brett Miller, a spokesperson for the National Wood Flooring Association.

Pros Lower Cost. Compared to solid wood flooring, everything related to engineered wood flooring costs less, from materials to labor.Note this is only true for the same wood species; for example ...

Updated by Kala Herh. In the past, choosing the right flooring meant a compromise between looks and durability. But with improvements in laminate, porcelain tile, and vinyl, that’s no longer the ...

The downside: Unlike solid wood floors, which can last generations, an engineered wood floor lasts about 20 years, said Murphy. Homeowners can probably sand and refinish them once, but not ...