Colin and Justin: One step at a time

Go carefully when choosing the best flooring for your home

Published Apr 17, 2026  •  3 minute read

An engineered oak floor provides an enduring finish in this cottage project by Colin and Justin.  LEWIS PATRICK

Flooring, perhaps more than any other design decision, sets a room’s emotional tone. It’s the surface upon which we live, yet it’s often chosen in haste.

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Truth is, the optimal floor doesn’t simply support a scheme; it anchors it, quietly shaping how space feels, sounds and ages over time.

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And in Canada, where climate, practicality and access to product matter, knowing where to buy is just as important as knowing what to buy.

At the more accessible end of the spectrum sits laminate: the great pretender that’s become impressively convincing. Today’s versions offer textured finishes and realistic wood effects that belie their price point.

Constructed on a fibreboard core with a photographic surface and protective wear layer, laminate is durable, scratch-resistant and easy to install. Material costs typically range between $2 and $4 per square foot, with fully installed costs between $5 and $7.

Retailers like Home Depot and RONA make this category accessible, offering extensive online ranges that can be browsed, ordered and delivered coast to coast. The compromise, as ever, is longevity: once damaged, laminate can’t be refinished, making it a practical, rather than an heirloom, choice.

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Middle ground

Engineered wood occupies a refined, middle ground. Featuring a real hardwood veneer bonded to a stable core, it suffuses the look of solid timber whilst resisting seasonal shifts that come with Canadian winters and summers.

Visually, it’s almost indistinguishable from solid wood, with many variants allowing for light refinishing. Entry and mid-level options are readily available through big box stores, typically from $4 to as much as $12 per square foot.

At the elevated end, Kentwood (www.kentwoodfloors.com) offer stellar collections with nuanced finishes and longer, wider boards which we favour for their architectural presence.

Next up is solid hardwood, the original, and still our benchmark. Product such as this carries depth and integrity, with oak, maple and walnut bringing distinct character.

Crucially, solid wood can be sanded and refinished multiple times, with a patina that evolves gracefully over the years. Expect to pay between $5 and $15 per square foot for premium species and wider planks.

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Perhaps not the most forgiving option (moisture and movement can be an issue) but, with care, solid hardwood remains the most enduring.

Beyond these categories, alternatives such as bamboo and cork offer niche appeal. The former provides a harder, more renewable option, whilst the latter delivers softness and acoustic comfort, aspects that are particularly useful in condo and apartment settings.

Luxury vinyl plank flooring (LVP) occupies a similar bracket but offers ultimate water resistance. That single attribute has transformed it into an industry wide go-to for kitchens, bathrooms and basements.

It’s softer underfoot, quieter, and remarkably convincing in its mimicry of genuine lumber. Pricing spans $2 to $8 per square foot dependent upon thickness.

For those seeking a more design-led take on vinyl, Karndean (www.karndean.com) elevates the category with beautifully detailed, specifier-grade collections far removed from traditional notions of vinyl.

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Price vs performance

The choice, ultimately, is as much about ‘intention’ as it is price or performance. A downtown loft might lean towards engineered planks in a smoky patina to deliver a quietly confident finish, or a lakeside cabin might favour the honest irregularity of solid boards.

Alternatively, a busy family home might be better served by the resilience of vinyl to see it through the rough and tumble of daily life.

At the end of the day, flooring, as we see it certainly, isn’t just a surface, it’s a commitment. Choose well, and it’ll carry your interior with quiet assurance.

Choose poorly, however, and it runs the risk of feeling slightly unresolved. The best floors, it’s fair to report, don’t announce themselves. They simply feel right, from the very first step…

Watch for ‘Small Town Escapes with Colin and Justin’ on HGTV in May. Discover the ‘Colin+Justin Home Collection’ in stores like HomeSense and Winners. Look for them on instagram/colinandjustin and facebook/colinandjustin.

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