# Do Hardwood Floors Increase Home Value? What the Data Shows By Opendoor Editorial Team | 2026-05-04 Yes, hardwood floors do increase home value — but how much depends on what you already have, which market you're in, and whether you're refinishing existing floors or installing new ones. If you've ever wondered whether hardwood floors are worth the investment before selling, the answer lies in the data. This guide breaks down what do hardwood floors increase home value really means in dollar terms, which flooring type signals the most value to buyers, and when a refinish beats a full replacement. --- ## Do Hardwood Floors Increase Home Value? The short answer is yes. The [National Association of Realtors (NAR) 2022 Remodeling Impact Report](https://www.nar.realtor/sites/default/files/documents/2022-remodeling-impact-report-04-19-2022.pdf) found that hardwood floor installation delivers an estimated **118% return on investment** — meaning sellers typically recoup more than the cost of the project when they sell. Refinishing existing hardwood performs even better, with an estimated **147% ROI**. Beyond ROI, buyer preference data reinforces the picture. According to [NAR research](https://www.nar.realtor/research-and-statistics/research-reports/remodeling-impact), approximately **54% of homebuyers say they would pay more for a home with hardwood floors**. That buyer premium translates to real dollars: NAR estimates buyers pay roughly **$6,500 more** for homes with new wood flooring, and about **$5,000 more** for homes with refinished hardwood. Hardwood floors also affect how quickly a home sells. Homes with hardwood floors tend to move faster and generate more competitive offers, particularly in mid-to-upper price tiers. For a deeper look at how flooring fits into the bigger picture, see our guide to [home value](home-value-complete-guide.md) and what drives it. --- ## How Much Value Do Hardwood Floors Add? The value hardwood floors add depends on four factors: your market, your home's price point, the condition of the floors, and whether you're installing new or refinishing existing. **Typical value-add ranges:** For a 2,000-square-foot home, a full hardwood installation at $9/sq ft costs roughly $18,000. At 75% cost recovery, that's a $13,500 increase in home value — meaning you'd net approximately $4,500 out of pocket. The math improves significantly if you're refinishing rather than replacing. Homes with hardwood floors broadly sell for **2.5–5% more** than comparable homes without them, according to multiple housing analyses. On a $400,000 home, that's a $10,000–$20,000 premium — though this includes the combined effect of flooring quality on overall buyer perception, not just installation cost. One caveat: ROI is not uniform across all markets. In high-cost coastal metros where buyers expect hardwood as standard, the premium for having it is smaller than in mid-tier markets where it differentiates a home from the competition. To understand which improvements add the most value in your specific situation, read our analysis of [which improvements add the most value](which-improvements-increase-home-value.md). --- ## Hardwood vs. Engineered Hardwood vs. Luxury Vinyl Plank Not all "wood-look" floors are equal in the eyes of buyers and appraisers. Here's how the three main options compare: **Solid hardwood** is the gold standard. It's real wood all the way through and can be sanded and refinished multiple times. Buyers and appraisers recognize solid hardwood as a premium material. It commands the highest resale premium but also costs the most to install ($8–$15/sq ft). **Engineered hardwood** is a real wood veneer bonded to a plywood core. It looks nearly identical to solid hardwood, handles moisture better, and costs less ($4–$9/sq ft). From a resale perspective, engineered hardwood performs nearly as well as solid in most buyer surveys — it reads as "hardwood" to most buyers who aren't inspecting closely. The downside: it can only be refinished one or two times before the veneer is too thin to sand, and appraisers may note the distinction. **Luxury vinyl plank (LVP)** is the budget-friendly wood-look option. At $2–$7/sq ft installed, it has improved dramatically in quality and is now a common choice. However, LVP does not add the same resale premium as real hardwood. It signals "practical and updated" rather than "premium material." Buyers in higher price brackets often perceive LVP as a downgrade from hardwood, even when the quality is high. **Bottom line:** If your goal is maximizing resale value, solid hardwood or high-quality engineered hardwood outperforms LVP. If you're selling a lower-price-point home where carpet is the baseline, LVP is a cost-effective way to modernize without overspending. --- ## Refinish vs. Replace: Which Makes More Financial Sense? This is the most important question for sellers with existing hardwood floors. **Refinishing costs $3–$5 per square foot** and involves sanding the existing floors down, filling gaps, and applying a new finish. The result looks like new hardwood. NAR data puts average refinishing ROI at 147% — you get back more than you spend. **Replacing with new hardwood costs $8–$15 per square foot** installed, including materials and labor. The ROI is still excellent at ~118%, but you're spending two to three times as much, which means your out-of-pocket cost after the value-add is higher. **The refinish-first rule:** If you have solid hardwood floors under carpet or in poor cosmetic condition, **refinishing is almost always the right financial move before selling**. Most solid hardwood floors can be refinished as long as the boards are structurally sound and at least 3/4 inch thick. A professional refinish typically runs $1,000–$2,500 for an average home, and the return on that spend is hard to beat. **When new installation makes sense:** - Your home has no hardwood and is priced in a segment where buyers expect it - Existing floors are too damaged or thin to refinish - You're renovating a room from scratch and want consistent flooring throughout **When to skip both:** If your home is at a price point where buyers will replace the floors anyway, or if the local market doesn't reward the hardwood premium, the math may not work. Get an agent's read on buyer expectations in your specific neighborhood before spending. --- ## Do Buyers Prefer Hardwood or Carpet? For main living areas, buyers overwhelmingly prefer hardwood over carpet. In NAR's buyer preference surveys, hardwood floors consistently rank as one of the top-desired features in a home. Carpet in living rooms and kitchens is broadly viewed as a negative, especially if it's older or shows wear. **Bedrooms are a genuine toss-up.** Many buyers still prefer carpet in bedrooms for warmth and comfort underfoot. Others prefer hardwood throughout for allergy reasons and a cleaner aesthetic. Neither is a deal-breaker in bedrooms the way carpet in a main living area can be. **Tile vs. hardwood:** In kitchens and bathrooms, tile is the standard expectation. Hardwood in a kitchen can be a selling point (it reads as warm and high-end) but can also raise buyer concerns about moisture and maintenance. Engineered hardwood is a safer choice for kitchen installs. The practical takeaway: if you have carpet covering hardwood floors in your main living areas, revealing and refinishing those floors is almost always worth it. If you have carpet in the bedrooms only, the calculus is less clear. --- ## Is Installing Hardwood Floors Worth It Before Selling? Use this framework: **Scenario 1: You have hardwood under carpet.** Almost always worth it to reveal and refinish. Cost is low ($1,000–$2,500 typically), the return is high (NAR's 147% ROI for refinishing), and buyers respond strongly. Get the floors inspected first to confirm they can be refinished. **Scenario 2: You have hardwood that's visibly worn or scratched.** Refinish before listing. For the cost of a professional refinish, you eliminate a buyer objection and potentially increase your offer price. This is one of the highest-ROI pre-sale improvements available. **Scenario 3: You want to install new hardwood where there is none.** Calculate carefully. New hardwood has strong ROI on average (~118%), but your specific market matters. In a $250,000 home in a market where buyers expect LVP or carpet, spending $15,000 on solid hardwood may not pencil out. In a $600,000 home in a neighborhood with high buyer expectations, it likely does. Talk to a local real estate agent before committing. **Scenario 4: You're considering LVP instead of hardwood.** LVP is a reasonable choice for mid-range homes but does not carry the same premium as hardwood. If your goal is maximum value, and you can afford the hardwood install, the data favors hardwood. If budget is the constraint, quality LVP is still a significant improvement over old carpet. Before making any pre-sale renovation decisions, consider getting an Opendoor offer first — it's free and no obligation. You may find the as-is offer is closer to your target than you expected, and it lets you weigh flooring spend against the certainty of a cash offer. For a complete framework on pre-sale preparation, see our guide on [how to increase your home value before selling](how-to-increase-home-value.md). --- **Frequently asked questions** --- *Originally published at [https://www.opendoor.com/articles/do-hardwood-floors-increase-home-value](https://www.opendoor.com/articles/do-hardwood-floors-increase-home-value)*