Pemberton Engineered Hardwood starts at $8.99 per square foot installed in Fort Myers — a wide-plank caramel oak floor from LW Flooring’s Cascades collection with an embossed-in-register texture that reads as genuinely natural wood. The painted beveled edge and warm caramel tone work well in both casual coastal interiors and more traditional Florida homes.
A 10mm engineered oak plank with a click-lock floating installation is a practical match for Southwest Florida’s concrete slab construction. The attached IXPE pad handles minor surface irregularities common on slabs and adds a measure of sound and thermal comfort underfoot — useful in seasonal or snowbird homes that sit closed for months at a time.
The aluminum oxide finish and AC4 wear layer are built for real use: sandy foot traffic, pet claws, and the kind of everyday wear that comes with an active household. The engineered core holds up better than solid oak in the humidity swings between rainy season and air-conditioned winter months.
| Plank Width | 7-2/3″ |
|---|---|
| Plank Length | 59-1/2″ |
| Thickness | 10mm |
| Wear Layer | AC4 |
| Finish | Aluminum Oxide |
| Species | Oak |
Flooring Queen installs Pemberton at $8.99 per square foot, and that price covers more than just the planks going down. Included in the quote: delivery to your home, removal of your existing floor covering, standard surface prep, the installation itself, baseboard reinstallation, transition strips between rooms, and cleanup and removal of all job debris.
Some projects run higher. Heavy leveling compounds for significantly uneven slabs, stair nosing, or custom layout angles are priced separately. Call or book online for a free in-home measurement and a written quote scoped to your actual square footage and room conditions.
Pemberton is engineered oak, not solid oak — and that distinction matters in Florida. Solid hardwood expands and contracts with humidity in ways that can cause cupping or gapping over time, especially on concrete slabs without a crawl space buffer. Engineered construction stabilizes that movement, making it a more reliable choice for Southwest Florida’s climate.
Where solid hardwood has the edge: it can typically be sanded and refinished more times over its life, which appeals to buyers who want a floor they can restore decades from now. Pemberton carries a lifetime residential warranty and an AC4 wear layer, but the refinishing ceiling is lower than a thick solid plank. For most SWFL homeowners on a slab, engineered is the more practical call.
| Pemberton | Solid Hardwood | |
|---|---|---|
| Water resistance | Moisture-stable engineered core | Vulnerable to humidity and moisture |
| Scratch resistance / wear layer | AC4 aluminum oxide finish | Varies; no defined wear layer rating |
| Comfort underfoot | IXPE pad attached; softer feel | Solid wood feel; no pad |
| Installed price | $8.99/sq ft installed | Typically $10–$14/sq ft installed |
| Best room | Living areas, bedrooms, slab installs | Above-grade rooms with wood subfloor |
Sweep or dry-mop Pemberton regularly to keep fine sand and grit from working into the finish — that abrasion does more daily damage than most foot traffic. For damp cleaning, use a hardwood-specific cleaner such as Bona Hardwood Floor Cleaner or a comparable pH-balanced formula; apply it with a well-wrung mop, never a wet one. Avoid steam mops entirely — sustained moisture and heat can affect both the finish and the engineered core over time. Skip vinegar, bleach, and oil-based soaps, which dull aluminum oxide finishes. For technical guidance, see the National Wood Flooring Association consumer hardwood information.
Engineered hardwood should acclimate in your home for at least 48 to 72 hours before installation. In Southwest Florida’s humidity, this step matters — the planks need to adjust to your indoor climate so the finished floor lays flat and the click joints close cleanly. Keep your HVAC running at normal living conditions during this period.
Pemberton can be lightly refinished, but the number of times is limited by the thickness of the wear layer above the core. Because the AC4 aluminum oxide finish is a surface coating rather than several millimeters of raw wood, expect one careful screen-and-recoat at most — not the two or three full sandings a thick solid plank could handle.
Oak hardwood — engineered or solid — consistently appeals to buyers and supports home value in the Southwest Florida market. It reads as a quality finish material in listing photos and in person. That said, resale value depends heavily on overall condition; a well-maintained engineered floor contributes positively, while a scratched or water-damaged one does not.
A single large room typically takes one day; a whole-home project of 1,000 to 1,500 square feet usually runs two to three days. Pemberton’s click-lock floating system installs without adhesive or nails, which keeps the process moving. The attached IXPE pad also eliminates a separate underlayment step. Your Flooring Queen estimate will include a project-specific schedule.
Flooring Queen installs Pemberton throughout the region, including Cape Coral and Naples as well as Fort Myers and the surrounding communities. If you’re outside those areas, reach out — coverage extends across most of Lee and Collier counties. The in-home measure is free regardless of where your project is located.
Pemberton is well-suited for living rooms, dining rooms, bedrooms, and hallways. As a floating floor installed at or above grade, it works on concrete slabs throughout the main living area. Avoid full bathrooms and laundry rooms where standing water is likely. Below-grade spaces are not recommended for this product.
Real hardwood in Florida needs an installer who’s worked through every season here. Our crew knows how to acclimate, fasten, and finish wood floors so they don’t gap in January or cup in August. Free written quote: (239) 763-0770.
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Reviewed by Jack Maya, Lead Installer at Flooring Queen — 20+ years installing flooring in Southwest Florida.
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