Specification · 7 min · Updated August 2026
Solid vs engineered hardwood in Ontario
Which hardwood assembly survives Ontario humidity, condos, radiant heat, and a 20-year refinishing plan.
Ontario is a humidity machine
Houses here go from 20% indoor relative humidity in January to 60% in July if nobody runs a humidifier. Solid hardwood moves. Engineered hardwood moves less. That is physics, not a sales pitch. The wrong response is 'always engineered.' The right response is: what is under the floor, and how many times do you plan to sand it?
Choose solid when
You have a dry wood-framed subfloor, you want a 3/4" wear life, and you are willing to keep indoor humidity in a civilized range (ideally 35–55%). Forest Hill, High Park, Oakville wood-frame houses — this is still the correct luxury spec.
Choose engineered when
Concrete slab, below grade, radiant heat, or a condo. Demand a real wear layer (3 mm+ if you want a future refinish) and an adhesive or click system the mill will warrant. A 0.6 mm photographic oak is vinyl with better lighting in the showroom.
Want the number for your house?
Estimator first. Site moisture reading second. That is the only honest sequence.
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