Buttercup Engineered Hardwood starts at $8.99 per square foot installed in Fort Myers — a warm natural oak-look floor from LW Flooring’s Riverside collection. The Buttercup colorway leans into honest, unforced wood tones that read as genuinely natural rather than manufactured. Wide 9-inch planks and an embossed-in-register finish give it the grain depth that flat-pressed surfaces can’t match.
At 7.8mm thick with a 5G locking system, Buttercup is built to go directly over the concrete slab foundations that are standard across Southwest Florida. The click system handles minor seasonal movement without gapping — useful in a climate where interior humidity swings between air-conditioned lows and summer highs.
The polyurethane finish holds up to sandy foot traffic and the gritty residue that comes in from screened lanais. It’s a solid pick for vacation homes that sit closed for months: the floor won’t telegraph mild humidity changes the way solid hardwood does, and it looks just as good when owners return for season.
| Plank Width | 9” |
|---|---|
| Plank Length | 59” |
| Thickness | 7.8mm |
| Wear Layer | 20 mil |
| Finish | Polyurethane |
| Species | Look |
Flooring Queen installs Buttercup at $8.99 per square foot, and that number covers more than just laying planks. Delivery, removal of old flooring, standard subfloor preparation, installation, baseboard reinstallation, transition strips, and debris haul-off are all folded into the price.
A few things land outside that scope: significant floor-leveling work on badly sloped or damaged slabs, stair nosing, and any custom-cut borders or inlays are quoted separately. Request a free in-home measurement and you’ll receive a written, room-by-room breakdown before any commitment is made.
Solid hardwood and Buttercup share the same species look and grain character, but the construction is fundamentally different. Solid hardwood is milled from a single piece of wood, which makes it sensitive to moisture — a real concern in Southwest Florida, where slab-on-grade construction and high ambient humidity are the norm. Engineered hardwood like Buttercup uses a cross-ply core that resists expansion and contraction more reliably in humid conditions.
Where solid hardwood wins: it can be sanded and refinished more times over its life, which matters for a 30-plus-year floor. Where Buttercup wins: it installs directly over concrete, tolerates Florida’s humidity cycles better, and carries a lifetime residential warranty without the dimensional instability risk.
| Buttercup | Solid Hardwood | |
|---|---|---|
| Water resistance | Better; cross-ply resists moisture movement | Poor on slabs; expands in humidity |
| Scratch resistance / wear layer | 20 mil polyurethane finish | Varies; depends on finish coat only |
| Comfort underfoot | Real wood feel, slightly cushioned | Same real wood feel, no added cushion |
| Installed price | $8.99/sq ft installed | Typically $10–$14/sq ft installed |
| Best room | Living areas, bedrooms, open plans | Above-grade rooms, low-humidity spaces |
Sweep or dust-mop Buttercup regularly — fine grit from Florida sandstone driveways is the biggest day-to-day threat to a polyurethane finish. Damp-mop with a hardwood-specific cleaner such as Bona Hardwood Floor Cleaner; avoid anything acidic, oil-soled, or wax-based, which can cloud the finish over time. Never use a steam mop — sustained heat and moisture will compromise the finish and can work into the locking joints. Wipe spills promptly; standing water at seams is the one scenario this floor is not designed to handle. For technical guidance, see the National Wood Flooring Association consumer hardwood information.
Engineered hardwood should acclimate in the installation space for at least 48 to 72 hours before install. In Southwest Florida’s humidity, keeping your HVAC running at normal living conditions during that window matters — the planks are adjusting to the environment they’ll spend their life in, and rushing that step can cause gapping or crowning later.
Buttercup has a 20 mil wear layer, which is thicker than most entry-level engineered hardwoods but thinner than a solid board — it can typically support one light screen-and-recoat, and possibly a very light sand, depending on how much material is removed. Don’t count on multiple full refinishes the way you would with solid hardwood.
Flooring Queen installs Buttercup throughout Southwest Florida, including Cape Coral, Bonita Springs, Estero, Naples, and surrounding communities. If you’re unsure whether your address falls within the service area, a quick call or the online quote form will confirm it — most of Lee and Collier County is covered.
Whether Buttercup can float over existing vinyl tile depends on the condition and height of what’s already down. The 5G locking system is designed for floating installation, so mechanically it can work over a stable, flat surface — but any height transitions, loose tiles, or adhesive ridges need to be addressed first. An in-home measurement will flag those issues before the quote is finalized.
Real wood flooring — including engineered hardwood — generally appeals to buyers and can support stronger listing prices compared to vinyl or laminate, especially in mid-range to upper-market homes. That said, SWFL buyers also scrutinize moisture history, so a well-maintained engineered floor documents better than a warped or stained one regardless of material.
Many Southwest Florida condo and HOA boards require a minimum Impact Insulation Class (IIC) or Sound Transmission Class (STC) rating for any hard flooring installed above ground level. Buttercup’s 5G floating system can be paired with a compatible underlayment to meet those thresholds, but you’ll need to check your specific association’s rules and submit any required approval before scheduling installation.
Flooring Queen has over 20 years of experience installing engineered hardwood across Southwest Florida — slab foundations, humidity, the realities Florida throws at real wood. We install everything ourselves. Free in-home measure: (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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