The Cost of Hardwood Flooring in San Francisco, CA

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Elevate Your Home with Natural Luxury

First, consider whether you want traditional solid hardwood or engineered hardwood. Solid hardwood will be pricier (approximately $11 to $25 per sq. ft. installed). It’s milled from single pieces of real timber and can be sanded and refinished multiple times over decades, offering generations of use if well maintained. 

Engineered hardwood, on the other hand, is a bit more affordable ($9 to $20 per sq. ft. installed). It’s constructed from a single layer of real wood bonded over a layered core, often made up of plywood or high-density fiberboard. While this layered construction allows engineered wood to adapt to shifting humidity levels, engineered hardwood can’t be sanded and refinished as many times as solid hardwood.

Common domestic species (red oak, white oak, and maple, for example) are both durable and readily available, making them more budget-friendly choices. Exotic hardwoods like Brazilian cherry could run $15 to $25 per square foot, thanks to import logistics. 

Grade also affects cost. Clear grade wood is uniform and virtually free of knots, and it will cost considerably more than character grade wood, which embraces each plank’s natural imperfections.

Local labor rates reflect the regional cost of living. In the Bay Area, professional installation labor typically ranges from $4 to $10 per square foot, compared to a much lower national average.

Furthermore, historical San Francisco homes often feature uneven subfloors that require leveling, or old settling that calls for structural stabilization. Addressing subfloor repairs or adding moisture barriers to protect against coastal dampness generally adds $2 to $8 per square foot in site preparation fees.