Best Wood Flooring for Miami Humidity: Engineered or Solid?
Updated: 19 hours ago
Quick answer: For most Brickell and Miami homes, engineered wood flooring is the safer choice. Its cross-layered core moves less than solid wood when the humidity changes, and it can be glued straight onto a concrete slab, which is what most Brickell condos and many Miami houses sit on. Solid wood can work, but only over a proper wood subfloor in a home that stays air-conditioned all year.
Planning wood floors for a Brickell or Miami home? Book a virtual consultation or call 908-232-6600, Monday to Friday, 9 to 5 Eastern.
Why Miami Humidity Is Hard On Wood Floors
Read more: What YOU Need to Know About Floor Buckling
Wood takes on moisture from the air around it and gives it back. When it gains moisture it swells, mostly across the width of each board. When it dries out it shrinks. In colder parts of the country the main worry is dry winter air. In Miami the outdoor air is humid for most of the year, so the usual risk is too much moisture, not too little.
Too much moisture shows up as:
Cupping: the edges of each board sit higher than the middle.
Gaps that open and close with the seasons or when the air conditioning is off.
Buckling: in severe cases, boards lift off the floor. See What YOU Need to Know About Floor Buckling.
For more on how moisture moves wood, read Humidity in Wood Floors: What You Need to Know.
Engineered Vs Solid Wood In Miami
Engineered wood has a real wood top layer bonded over a core of layers laid in different directions. That build makes it more stable when humidity swings. It can be glued down directly to concrete. It can be sanded and refinished, and how many times depends on the thickness of the top wood layer (the "wear layer"), so ask for that number before you buy.
Solid wood is one piece of wood from top to bottom. It can be sanded and refinished many times over its life. It moves more with humidity, and it usually needs a wood subfloor to be nailed into, which most high-rise condos don't have.
If you're comparing engineered wood to other materials, see Laminate vs Engineered Wood Flooring. You can browse our prefinished and unfinished wood floors online.
What About Salt Air Near The Bay?
Read more: 8 Ways You May Be Damaging Your Wood Floors
Salt air doesn't attack a finished wood floor directly. The problems come with it:
Humid air coming in through open balcony and patio doors while the air conditioning is running.
Rain and wet feet from balconies, pools and the beach.
Sand tracked in on shoes, which scratches the finish like sandpaper.
Keep sliding doors closed when the air conditioning is on, put mats at balcony and entry doors, and wipe up water right away.
Keep Your Indoor Humidity Steady
Read more: Wood Floor Care and Maintenance
Wood floors do best when the air inside stays steady. Most flooring makers ask you to keep indoor relative humidity within a set range, often somewhere between about 35% and 55%, and the temperature between about 60°F and 80°F. The exact range for your floor is in its warranty, so check it.
Keep the air conditioning running all year, including when you're away for the summer.
Put a small humidity gauge (a hygrometer) in the main room so you can see the number.
Have your air conditioning serviced so it removes moisture properly.
Let The Wood Settle In And Test Before Installing
Read more: How We Deliver
Before installation, the installer should measure the moisture in the wood and in the floor underneath it, and write the readings down. Read Why Flooring Installers Need to Measure Moisture Content, and for concrete floors see Wood Floors Over Concrete in Miami: Test for Moisture First.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I Put Solid Hardwood In A Brickell Condo?
Usually not directly. Most high-rise units have a concrete slab with no wood subfloor to nail into, so engineered wood glued or floated over an approved sound underlayment is the normal choice. Your building's rules also apply. See Wood Floors in Brickell Condos.
Is Engineered Wood Waterproof?
No. It handles humidity changes better than solid wood, but standing water, leaks and floods still damage it. Wipe up spills and fix leaks quickly.
Which Wood Species Handles Miami Humidity Best?
How the floor is built and how steady you keep the indoor air matter more than the species. White oak is a popular, stable choice. See White Oak vs Red Oak vs Walnut for South Florida Homes.
Should I Turn Off The Air Conditioning When I Leave For The Summer?
No. Turning it off lets humidity climb inside, which can cup or buckle the floor. Keep it running at a steady setting.
Talk To A Wood Floor Expert About Your Brickell Home
Brickell Wood Floors, a Huggins Wood Floor Specialist brand, is led by Joe Avila, who brings 26 years in wood flooring and NWFA certifications (CSI, CI, CWFI, CFS). For more than a decade Joe has taught accredited continuing-education programs to AIA, ASID and IDCEC audiences. He trained at NWFA schools in advanced European techniques, including bending wood, custom herringbone and parquet design, mixing species, fuming, aniline dyes, tannic reactions and smoking. We serve Brickell and South Florida's luxury residences and ship material nationwide.
Call (908) 232-6600 (9am to 5pm Eastern), email Joe@hugginsflooring.com, book a virtual consultation, or send us a message.
Not sure if engineered or solid wood is right for your Brickell home? Book a virtual consultation with Joe Avila, or order wood samples to see them in your own light.
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