Home Improvement Interior Remodel Flooring & Stairs Hardwood

The Best Hardwood Flooring Brands of 2024

Give your home a fresh look with the best brands for every budget

Dar wooden cabinet with decor on light hardwood floor

The Spruce / Adrienne Legault

When you decide to redo your hardwood floors, finding the right flooring brand can make the process much more enjoyable and easy to tackle on your own. The top brands are available and easy to order. Many have helpful search functions or design features online so that you can get the best flooring for your space and needs.

Some specialize in specific types of hardwood flooring, such as wide plank or reclaimed wood. Others pride themselves on a wide selection of options. “The length of time your flooring will last comes down to how well you take care of them and how well it is installed, says Mike, The Floor Doctor. “You should always research how thick it is, how long it’s been cured, what should go underneath the material, and how long it needs to be acclimated. Do your homework on both the product and the people who are installing it.” 

We also spoke with Matthew Brown, Senior Hardwood Flooring Merchant with The Home Depot, who spoke to the many benefits and variety of options. “Hardwood flooring is one of the most popular flooring choices for homes! It can add warmth, value and style to any room in your home. Hardwood flooring is durable and available in engineered and solid options, as well as a variety of colors.”

With all of these insights in mind, we researched the best solid hardwood flooring brands, and evaluated them on their features, user-friendliness of their website, search functions, expertise, and availability.

  • 01 of 08

    Bruce

    Bruce

    Bruce

    Bruce

    What We Like
    • Made in the USA

    • Affordable

    • Available from multiple retailers

    • Can pick up in person

    What We Don't Like
    • Not a lot of variety

    One of the best aspects of going with Bruce is that it is carried in most major home renovation and repair stores, as well as available online. If you want to browse through their top sellers in person, including picking up your flooring the same day, this is a top choice. Because it is so readily available, it also makes quick runs back to the store for extra pieces very easy. As any DIYer can tell you, stopping mid-project to order and wait for materials can really derail the progress. With hardwood flooring, it can cause major issues if the moisture in your home fluctuates. That doesn’t have to be an issue when you go with Bruce.

    Keep in mind that the options are a bit limited and tend toward traditional styles. If you want something with a wow factor, you probably won’t find it here. Most of their finishes are also mainstream and there are plenty of oak options in a variety of finishes. They use lumber milled in the United States, a big selling feature if you want to support local businesses and cut down on overall manufacturing costs and emissions. That does limit the type of wood available, however.

  • 02 of 08

    Doma

    What We Like
    • Modern styles

    • Multiple types of flooring available

    • Will ship samples to your home

    What We Don’t Like
    • Not widely available

    Doma is a newer flooring company that focuses on stylish flooring options that are affordable and well-made. Their hardwoods tend more toward modern looks, with plenty of grey and bleached options. They still have more traditional styles and stains as well, including white oak, red oak, and hickory. They also have luxury vinyl planking and carpet, making them an excellent one-stop flooring company for a larger renovation project.

    You may have trouble finding Doma flooring, mostly due to their shorter time in the market. Their website makes it easy to find a retailer that carries Doma flooring, just be ready to drive to get there. However, we like that you can order a sample online and have it shipped directly to your home for a fee to ensure that it is what you had in mind before traveling to a specialty store.

  • 03 of 08

    Anderson Tuftex

    Anderson Tuftex

    Anderson Tuftex

    Anderson Tuftex

    What We Like
    • Many available woods and finishes

    • Can color match existing floors

    • Great warranty

    What We Don’t Like
    • Expensive

    Most of the offerings from Anderson Tuftex are engineered hardwood, with only a few solid hardwood floors available. They are known for their high quality and both options are made to meet very high and precise standards. They have multiple species available, including red oak, white oak, hickory, and others. If you are trying to match existing flooring, you can upload a photo and use their website technology for a precise color match.

    Anderson floors, including their hardwoods, are expensive. But they do come with an impressive 10-year warranty. If something happens within the first five years, Anderson will cover 50 percent of the labor cost to replace the flooring and the materials themselves.

  • 04 of 08

    Shaw Floors

    What We Like
    • Different specialty lines

    • Many are made in the USA

    • Color matching on website

    What We Don’t Like
    • Not all are ready to order

    For some of the best variety of special features, consider Shaw flooring. They have traditional solid hardwood but they also offer engineered hardwood as well as waterproof and impact-resistant lines. If you’re taking on a larger project, you can even source tile and carpet from Shaw at the same time, potentially cutting down on shipping costs for materials. 

    Their website is easy to navigate and you can sort by color, collection, shade, texture, species, and installation method. You can even color-match your existing flooring to see what works best. Not all options are readily available, however, you can sort by what is available for immediate purchase and what will require more time. Many of their hardwoods are made in the USA and bear the special symbol on the website to identify them.

    Continue to 5 of 8 below
  • 05 of 08

    Carlisle Wide Plank Floors

    Carlisle Wide Plank Floors

    Carlisle Wide Plank Floors

    Carlisle Wide Plank Floors

    What We Like
    • Customizable options

    • Wide plank widths

    • Great user experience

    • Design experts available

    What We Don’t Like
    • Expensive

    Customization sets Carlisle apart from other hardwood flooring brands. You can pick everything from grade, width, and texture to design your perfect floor. There are also ready-made flooring options in a variety of colors and woods. They have more width options than other retailers, which is part of the reason Carlisle flooring is a bit pricey. Wider planks have to be milled from wider sections of the tree, which are not as plentiful. 

    Finding the right flooring is pretty easy using their website. You can search by type of wood and even see finished projects that showcase your selection to see how it would look in real life. Carlisle will send sample pieces to your home and provide designer insight to help you get the best results. When you’re ready to buy, they ship your new flooring right to your door.

  • 06 of 08

    Proximity Mills

    What We Like
    • Good range of options

    • Also sells other flooring

    • Ships sample pieces to your home

    What We Don’t Like
    • Not carried in many retailers

    Proximity Mills has everything from hardwood to vinyl and carpet. They focus on high-performance flooring so features like waterproof finishes and durability are called out on their easy-to-use website.

    They do have a lot of choices, which can make navigating through the many options tedious and difficult. You can see their products in person, but there aren’t a lot of retailers that carry these lines. Expect to travel a bit for the best in-person selection. Fortunately, Proximity Mills will ship samples to your home so that you can see the wood grain and finish in person, though samples cannot be returned.

  • 07 of 08

    Hearne Hardwoods

    Hearne Hardwoods

    Hearne Hardwoods

    Hearne Hardwoods

    What We Like
    • Wide range of wood options

    • Everything done on site

    • Can select individual slabs

    What We Don't Like
    • Expensive

    For some of the best quality and widest range of woods, Hearne has to be at the top of the list. They carry over 100 species of hardwood in stock and can source many more for custom projects. Many of their pieces are used to make a statement in the home, whether as flooring or in furniture. Just be ready to pay a hefty bill for the highest quality hardwood out there.

    Everything is done at the Pennsylvania factory, making it easy to stay updated on your order as well as get any questions answered. If you are still looking for inspiration, Hearne invites you to come by their facility to see wood in their lumber racks. Once you decide on a product, that exact slab can be milled, sanded, and finished at the same factory before being shipped off for installation in your home.

  • 08 of 08

    K.D. Woods

    K.D. Woods

    K.D. Woods

    K.D. Woods

    What We Like
    • Reclaimed wood options

    • High quality

    • Great value

    What We Don’t Like
    • Not a lot of new flooring choices

    One of the top options for reclaimed hardwood flooring, K.D. Woods uses lumber from barns, mills, factories, and other sites to create beautiful and durable wide plank flooring that it hard to replicate in fresh lumber. They have some new flooring options as well but the are known for their reliable reclaimed lumber.

    They have many years of experience making reclaimed lumber so they’ve perfected the process. Reclaimed lumber in general is expensive and K.D. Woods is no exception. However, cheaper options might not meet the same strict standards for uniformity and precision. Everything is milled on site and the company doesn’t cut corners.

What to Look for in a Hardwood Flooring Brand

Wood Species Variety

Oak and hickory are the most popular types of hardwood flooring and carried by big-name retailers and manufacturers like Bruce and Anderson Tuftex. For more specialty options, you may have to go with a more expensive brand like K.D. Woods or Carlisle.

Plank Size and Thickness

Hardwood flooring is generally measured by plank width and thickness. Carlisle specializes in wide-width planks, which can be pricey but look great. K.D. Woods is another retailer with plenty of wide width flooring options.

Protective Finish

If you want a waterproof floor, consider engineered hardwood. This can have a protective finish that makes it waterproof or impact-resistant. Shaw has reliable lines of both and you can search by finish on their website. 

Availability

The last thing that you want to do once you decide to renovate is wait a long time for materials to arrive. If you are already in the middle of a project and need more flooring, having some available can be a lifesaver. Bruce is at the top of our list because it is so readily available.

FAQ
  • What do you need to know before installing hardwood floors?

    You should decide on the best method for hardwood floor installation. This depends on the surface that you will put the floors over as well as the type of flooring you chose. Many hardwood floor brands have design experts on hand that can help you determine the best installation method for your situation. Keep in mind that this may limit your flooring options.

    “Before installing, measure and record the moisture content of the flooring materials. Also make a note of the relative humidity of the room,” says Matthew Brown, Senior Hardwood Flooring Merchant with The Home Depot. “This will allow adequate acclimation time for your new flooring. Wood can shrink and swell with moisture. That needs to be accounted for.”

  • Why do hardwood floors need to be acclimated?

    Wood absorbs and releases moisture. If your home is significantly more or less humid than the environment where the hardwood planks were manufactured and stored, this can cause a change in the actual dimensions of the boards. While not a huge difference aesthetically, if you install your hardwood floors before they are acclimated to the new climate, they may not sit together as designed and have problems later on.

    “Any material that can expand and contract should be acclimated,” says Mike, The Floor Doctor. “If you don’t do that, you’ll come back and have gaps or buckling. The material will shrink or expand, depending on the temperature.”

  • What is the most scratch-resistant wood flooring?

    White oak and hickory are some of the most scratch-resistant hardwoods, which is why they are popular in flooring. You can also look for a hardwood floor with an impact-resistant protective finish.

    “A lot of people today are doing natural and staining and coating it themselves,” says Mike. “You’ll need to buff it between coats. But that can take time and money. But it’s an important thing to get the longevity that you want.”

  • Is a finished or an unfinished hardwood floor better?

    Hardwood flooring of any type is a great choice to add value and warmth your your home. Unfinished hardwood flooring, however, allows you more customization options in regards to the finish.