Riviera Engineered Hardwood starts at $8.99 per square foot installed in Fort Myers — a wirebrushed European White Oak floor in a warm caramel tone that fits naturally into both coastal and inland Southwest Florida homes. From LW Flooring’s Traditions collection, it pairs the honest texture of wire-brushed oak with a finish built to hold up in real living conditions. The 5-inch plank width and medium color variation give rooms a grounded, unhurried look.
Southwest Florida’s humidity swings are hard on solid wood, but Riviera’s engineered construction — a stable layered core beneath a European White Oak face — holds its shape better through the wet season and air-conditioned dry periods. The polyurethane finish with aluminum oxide adds a practical layer of protection against sand tracked in from the beach or yard, a daily reality for most homes here.
The 3/8-inch profile installs well over concrete slabs, which dominate construction in Lee and Collier counties. Float, glue, or nail installation options mean it adapts to different substrates. The lifetime residential warranty signals that LW Flooring built this product for long-term performance, not just curb appeal.
| Plank Width | 5″ |
|---|---|
| Plank Length | 70-7/8″ Random Length |
| Thickness | 3/8″ |
| Wear Layer | 1.2 mm |
| Finish | Polyurethane with Aluminum Oxide |
| Species | European White Oak |
Flooring Queen installs Riviera at $8.99 per square foot, and that number covers the full job: material delivery, removal of your old flooring, standard subfloor preparation, the installation itself, baseboards, and transition strips between rooms. Debris removal is included — you won’t be left with a pile to deal with after the crew leaves.
A few things push the price up: significant subfloor leveling, stair nosing, intricate room layouts, or custom border work are quoted separately. The best way to get an accurate number is a free in-home measurement — Flooring Queen visits the space, takes precise counts, and gives you a written quote before any work begins.
Riviera and solid hardwood are both real European White Oak, so the comparison is closer than most. The key difference is dimensional stability. Solid hardwood — typically 3/4 inch thick — expands and contracts more dramatically with humidity changes, which can cause gapping or cupping in Southwest Florida’s climate without careful acclimation and controlled indoor conditions year-round. Riviera’s engineered construction is more forgiving in that regard.
Where solid hardwood wins: it can be refinished more times over its life because of the thicker wood face. Riviera’s 1.2 mm wear layer supports at least one careful refinish, which is enough for most homeowners — but if you want to sand and restain multiple times across decades, solid hardwood has the advantage. Both sit in a similar installed price range.
| Riviera | Solid Hardwood | |
|---|---|---|
| Water resistance | Moderate — engineered core resists swelling | Lower — solid wood reacts more to moisture |
| Scratch resistance / wear layer | 1.2 mm wear layer, aluminum oxide finish | Full wood face, but no factory coating limit |
| Comfort underfoot | Warm, real wood feel, 3/8″ profile | Warm, real wood feel, thicker underfoot |
| Installed price | $8.99/sq ft installed | Typically $10–$14/sq ft installed |
| Best room | Living areas, bedrooms, slab-on-grade homes | Above-grade rooms with stable humidity control |
Sweep or vacuum daily — fine sand from driveways and patios is the biggest enemy of any wood finish in Southwest Florida. Use a hardwood-specific cleaner like Bona Hardwood Floor Cleaner or WOCA Spray Maintenance; avoid anything with ammonia, vinegar, or citrus acids, as these degrade the polyurethane finish over time. Damp-mop only — never wet-mop, and keep steam mops off wood floors entirely. In heavily used areas, consider applying a refresher coat every few years to maintain the finish before wear reaches the wood itself. For technical guidance, see the National Wood Flooring Association consumer hardwood information.
Plan for at least three to five days of acclimation in the room where it will be installed. Southwest Florida’s humidity levels — especially during summer — mean the planks need time to adjust before they’re fastened down. Rushing this step is one of the most common causes of gapping or buckling after install.
Yes, Riviera can be lightly screen-and-recoat refinished at least once with care — the 1.2 mm European White Oak wear layer is thinner than solid hardwood, so full sanding is not advised. A professional who works with engineered floors can assess the surface and apply a fresh topcoat to restore sheen without cutting into the wood face.
It depends on height clearance and the condition of what’s underneath. Riviera supports float and glue installation, so in many cases it can go over a sound, flat tile surface without full removal. Our installer will check for height transitions at doorways and any high spots that need addressing before a final recommendation is made.
LW Flooring backs Riviera with a lifetime residential warranty and a 5-year light commercial warranty. These warranties typically cover manufacturing defects and finish performance under normal conditions. Damage from flooding, improper installation, or lack of maintenance is not covered — reviewing the full warranty document with your installer before the job starts is a good habit.
Engineered hardwood handles seasonal vacancies better than solid wood, but it still needs a stable environment. Set your thermostat to hold humidity between roughly 35 and 55 percent while you’re away — a programmable thermostat or whole-home dehumidifier helps here. Extreme swings in an unoccupied Fort Myers home can cause gapping at the seams or slight cupping over time.
A single room typically takes one day once the floor has acclimated. A whole-home install — say, 1,000 to 1,500 square feet — usually runs two to three days depending on layout complexity, the number of transitions, and subfloor conditions found on-site. Your Flooring Queen installer will walk through the scope at the measurement appointment and give you a day-count estimate before scheduling.
When you invest in hardwood, the install matters as much as the wood. Flooring Queen is licensed, insured, and family-run from a single Fort Myers showroom — no franchise, no national-chain shuffle. 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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