800 square feet of hardwood flooring costs $8,000–$24,000 installed in 2026. See the per-square-foot average, materials, labor, waste, and removal breakdown.
$8,450–$25,925 installed
$10.56–$32.41/sq ftestimate, not a quote
By the Flooring Data TeamUpdated September 2026How we calculate

Total Installed Cost
$8,000 – $24,000
Average: $16,000 ($20/sqft)
For 800 sq ft — about an open-plan kitchen and dining area
Shopping list: ≈39 boxes (880 sq ft including 10% waste)
Got a contractor quote? See how it compares to real 2026 pricing.
Average Cost
$16,000
Cost Range
$8,000 – $24,000
Per Sq Ft
$20/sqft
Waste Factor
10% (80 sqft extra)
Materials
$6–$22/sqft × 800 sq ft (net floor area)
$4,800 – $17,600
Labor / Installation
$4–$8/sqft × 800 sq ft
$3,200 – $6,400
Waste Factor
10% extra material = 80 additional sq ft
+80 sq ft
Total Project Cost
$8,000 – $24,000
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🪵 Hardwood — 800 sqft
$16,000
$8,000 – $24,000 range
National installed range: $10–$30/sqft. For room-specific material, waste, labor, and add-ons, use Moderate or Advanced.
Click any type to see your featured estimate above
Simple estimates use national installed-price ranges. For room-specific material, waste, labor, and add-ons, use the Moderate or Advanced calculator.
The full calculator adds materials, waste, labor, and add-ons for every room — free, no signup required.
Economy, standard, and premium quality tiers from our rate model — installed estimate, rounded to the nearest $25.
| Line item | Low | Avg | High | $/sq ft (low–high) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Materials (flooring) Hardwood product itself, 800 sq ft + 10% cutting waste | $4,800 | $11,200 | $8,000 | $6.00–$10.00 |
Underlayment Foam pad / moisture barrier (or setting materials) beneath the floor | $250 | $725 | $1,200 | $0.30–$1.50 |
Labor Professional installation, 800 sq ft | $3,200 | $4,800 | $4,000 | $4.00–$5.00 |
Extras (trim & transitions) Transition strips, thresholds, and finishing trim allowance | $200 | $450 | $725 | $0.25–$0.90 |
| Total installed | $8,450 | $17,200 | $25,925 | $10.56–$32.41 |
All figures are installed estimates from the CalculateFlooring rate model.
Includes
Doesn't include
Same material, same rate model — installed estimate at each size.
| Room size | Installed low–high | $/sq ft |
|---|---|---|
| 300 sq ft | $3,175–$9,725 | $10.58–$32.42 |
| 500 sq ft | $5,275–$16,200 | $10.55–$32.40 |
| 700 sq ft | $7,375–$22,675 | $10.54–$32.39 |
| 1,000 sq ft | $10,550–$32,400 | $10.55–$32.40 |
| 1,500 sq ft | $15,825–$48,600 | $10.55–$32.40 |
| 2,000 sq ft | $21,100–$64,800 | $10.55–$32.40 |
| 2,500 sq ft | $26,375–$81,000 | $10.55–$32.40 |
Totals are installed estimates rounded to the nearest $25.
800 sq ft of hardwood against the all-material national average and a materials-only budget — all from the same rate model.
Quality tier
Moving from economy to premium product and labor shifts the all-in rate by about $13.99 to $28.99 per square foot — roughly $11,200 vs $23,200 at 800 sq ft.
Old-flooring removal
If there's an existing floor, tear-out and haul-away adds about $400–$1,600 at this size.
Subfloor condition
Leveling or patching an uneven subfloor runs about $800–$2,400— and it's usually discovered after the old floor comes up.
Trim & transitions
Doorways and flooring changes need strips and thresholds — budget roughly $200–$725 depending on layout complexity.
Region
Labor and material prices move by state — some markets run well above the national average and others below it. See our flooring pricing by state pages for the local picture.
The extras that push a quote past the base install — per square foot, from our rate model. Items we don't model (joist repair, disposal fees) are omitted, not guessed.
| Add-on | Low /sq ft | Avg /sq ft | High /sq ft |
|---|---|---|---|
| Old-flooring removal & haul-away | $0.50 | $1.25 | $2.00 |
| Subfloor repair / leveling | $1.00 | $2.00 | $3.00 |
| Trim & transitions | $0.25 | $0.57 | $0.90 |
Source: CalculateFlooring rate model — see how we calculate these prices.
Labor to install 800 square feet of hardwood runs about $4.00–$8.00 per square foot, or roughly $3,200–$6,400 for the job (installed estimate). Complex layouts, stairs, and demo add labor hours, so expect the high end for intricate work.
Material alone for 800 square feet of hardwood costs about $4,800–$17,600 at retail, before any waste factor. Buy roughly 881 square feet (a 10% waste factor) so cuts and mistakes don't leave you short mid-room.
All in — materials, underlayment, labor, and trim — expect about $8,450–$25,925 installed, or $10.56–$32.41 per square foot (data updated September 2026). This is an estimate, not a quote; subfloor condition and removal can move the final number.
No. Removing and hauling away an existing floor adds about $0.50–$2.00 per square foot, or roughly $400–$1,600 at 800 square feet. Some quotes fold it into the base price and some list it separately — always ask which, and get it in writing.
Across quality tiers, hardwood installs for about $10.56–$32.41 per square foot all-in (September 2026 rate model). Economy-grade product and simple rooms sit near the low end; premium product, pattern layouts, and prep work push toward the high end. Compare any quote you receive against the line-item table above.
Prices from the Flooring Cost Index 2026 rate model (materials + labor + extras by quality tier) — see how we calculate these prices.
Benchmarked against public references: BLS OEWS (floor-installation occupations), HUD PATH cost guidance, Harvard JCHS, retail shelf prices (Lowe's, Home Depot, Menards).
Data updated September 2026
By the Flooring Data TeamUpdated September 2026How we calculate
800 square feet covers an open-plan kitchen and dining area — this is a multi-room project. At this size you are flooring several rooms or a whole apartment. Plan the sequence (finish farthest from the entry first), decide where furniture will live during each phase, and keep a walkable path through the house if you are staying home during the work.
Rooms this job usually touches
Planning checklist for a multi-room project
Material to buy
880 sq ft ≈ 39 boxes
Includes the 10% cutting waste factor; whole-box rounding adds a small spare buffer (23 sq ft/box).
Typical install labor
800 sq ft is roughly 4–3 crew-days of installation labor.
A typical two-person crew lays about 250–350 sq ft of this material per day,.
Schedule reality
Solid wood also needs to acclimate inside the house for roughly 3–7 days before installation, so build that into the calendar.
Comparing sizes? At 800 sq ft the price per square foot stays in the $10–$30 installed range, but the project logistics above change more than the math does — a 300 sq ft bedroom job and a 800 sq ft multi-room project are different animals even at the same rate.
Solid or engineered wood planks. Timeless, increases home value.
Ready for a real number?
You've seen the typical range above. Run your exact square footage through the full calculator to break down materials, labor, and waste — free, no signup.
11 flooring types
instant cost estimates
2026 national pricing data
Compare every flooring type for the same square footage:
| Flooring Type | Cost/Sq Ft | Total Low | Total High | Average |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 🧶 Carpet | $3–$11 | $2,400 | $8,800 | $5,600 |
| ✨ Epoxy Coating | $3–$12 | $2,400 | $9,600 | $6,000 |
| 📏 Laminate | $4–$12 | $3,200 | $9,600 | $6,400 |
| 🔷 Vinyl Plank (LVP/LVT) | $4–$13 | $3,200 | $10,400 | $6,800 |
| 🪵 Cork | $6–$13 | $4,800 | $10,400 | $7,600 |
| ⬜ Ceramic Tile | $5–$16 | $4,000 | $12,800 | $8,400 |
| 🎋 Bamboo | $7–$16 | $5,600 | $12,800 | $9,200 |
| 🌲 Engineered Hardwood | $7–$19 | $5,600 | $15,200 | $10,400 |
| 🔲 Porcelain Tile | $7–$25 | $5,600 | $20,000 | $12,800 |
| 🪵 Hardwood ● | $10–$30 | $8,000 | $24,000 | $16,000 |
| 🪨 Natural Stone | $11–$45 | $8,800 | $36,000 | $22,400 |
800 square feet of hardwood flooring costs between $8,000 and $24,000 installed, with a national average of $16,000 ($20/sqft including material and labor). This covers an open-plan kitchen and dining area.
The average installed cost of hardwood is $20 per square foot, ranging from $10 to $30 per square foot. Material alone costs $6–$22/sqft, with labor typically $4–$8/sqft — so material + labor matches the installed range above.
For 800 square feet, purchase approximately 880 square feet of hardwood material. This includes a 10% waste factor for cuts and mistakes (80 sq ft extra). That works out to roughly 39 boxes/cartons (at ~23 sq ft per box) — rounding up to whole boxes gives you a small spare buffer.
A typical two-person crew lays about 250–350 sq ft of this material per day, so 800 sq ft is roughly 4–3 crew-days of installation labor. Solid wood also needs to acclimate inside the house for roughly 3–7 days before installation, so build that into the calendar. At this size — an open-plan kitchen and dining area — plan the multi-room project around furniture moving and room sequencing, not just the flooring itself.
Use our full interactive calculator for multi-room projects, custom pricing, and detailed breakdowns.
Open Flooring Calculator →Top 3 Hardwood Products
The three products flooring pros recommend most, from budget-friendly to premium. Prices are material-only — installation is extra.
Plano Oak Solid Hardwood
Bruce is America's oldest hardwood brand (founded 1912). Plano Oak is their best-selling solid oak, 3/4" thick, prefinished with 50-year warranty. Can be sanded and refinished 4-5 times.
Brazilian Pecan Solid Hardwood
Bellawood is LL Flooring's house brand with an industry-leading 100-year warranty. Brazilian Pecan (Janka 3680) is one of the hardest woods available — nearly impossible to dent. Prefinished, 3/4" solid.
Boulder Creek Hickory
Shaw's premium solid hickory line. Wide 5" planks, hand-scraped texture, ScufResist Platinum finish. Hickory is the hardest domestic hardwood (Janka 1820). Character-grade boards with natural variation.
Product recommendations based on expert reviews, sales volume, and contractor consensus (2026). Prices reflect national averages and may vary by location and promotions. We may earn a commission from qualifying purchases.
Pricing data from HomeGuide, Homewyse, HomeAdvisor, Angi, and FlooringClarity (2026 national averages). Actual costs vary by region, material grade, and project complexity.