Engineered vs Solid Hardwood?
By The DIYPicks Team · Updated July 2026
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Malibu Wide Plank Crown French Oak Click-Lock Engineered
A wide-plank click-lock engineered French oak that is one of the most DIY-friendly real hardwoods you can buy, trading refinishing depth for easy floating installation.
| Type | Engineered French oak |
|---|---|
| Wear layer | ~2mm veneer |
| Width | 6.5 in |
| Install | Click-lock floating |
| Thickness | 3/8 in |
| Finish | Wire-brushed, matte |
Bruce American Home Natural Oak Solid Hardwood
The long-haul choice: real 3/4 in solid oak that refinishes multiple times and lasts for decades, at the cost of a tougher nail-down install and no-go over slabs or basements.
| Type | Solid oak (Janka ~1290) |
|---|---|
| Wear layer | Full 3/4 in solid |
| Width | 2-1/4 in |
| Install | Nail-down (on/above grade) |
| Thickness | 3/4 in |
| Finish | Aluminum-oxide urethane |
Our verdict
Both are real oak on the surface, so day to day they look and feel the same underfoot. Choose engineered like the Malibu click-lock French oak if you want a DIY floating install, a wide-plank look, or a floor going over a concrete slab or radiant heat, accepting that its ~2mm veneer refinishes lightly at most. Choose solid oak like the Bruce American Home strip if you want a floor that sands and refinishes multiple times and lasts for generations, and you have a wood subfloor plus the tools (or a pro) for a nail-down job. For basements, slabs, and beginners, engineered wins; for maximum lifespan on an above-grade wood subfloor, solid wins.