Thank you Daisy,

We are in Illinois.

While we are open to solid wood, chances are, we will buy it prefinished.

Had both pre and site finished; strongly prefer site finished.

Site finished has no grooves to collect dust and any scratches are far less noticable.

Due to your resale concerns I would consider what is common in your neighborhood, which may be laminate. There are some very nice laminates out there that are single plank and they won't get scratched up like hardwood will. My guess is that in six years your engineered hardwood will be scratched and will be costly, if even possible, to refinish. Whereas laminate will more than likely look great so long as you protect it from water. Obviously this is entirely dependent upon your local market.

I would look for a natural sort of color or a medium brown. Nothing too distressed or "hand planked" looking.

This is a laminate in a new constitution home by me. Obviously it is gray but the fact that it has individual planks gives it a much nicer look than some of the cheesy laminates of the past.

Just some more laminates from a showroom I visited. Personally I don't think there is always a huge difference in appearance between prefinished engineered hardwood compared to laminate. Depends on the specific floor I guess

In general, hardwood trumps laminate for resale. I personally can see and feel the difference between hardwood and laminate right away. There are some who might worry about pets and hardwood but I think they are in the minority.

I agree with Daisy that you shouldn't go too dark, shouldn't go too light and shouldn't do something with an unusual grain or finish. I would weigh the cost and inconvenience between engineered and site finished and see which works best for your situation. I think both versions can look nice.

All I'm saying regarding flooring selection is that it depends on your specific real estate market. I do not believe that in all markets you will get more for your house because it has engineered hardwood (vs a decent laminate), nor will it likely sell faster. It depends on the norm for your area. Go for hardwood if you like it, but do your homework first to determine if you will recoup the cost if that's a concern.

If I was going for hardwood I'd do site finished with something like Rubio mono coat.

Thank you so much for all the comments.

I can't stand fake, and to me, that is what laminate is. I am looking into engineered or solid.

Please feel free to share your favorite medium color, not too narrow hardwood. Recouping the cost is a concern but since I am going to live there for 6 years, I want it to be decent, even if I do not recoup 100%. The good thing is, the home is in a great area.

Thank you!

LOL, agree laminate is a PHOTO of wood!

Bruce and other flooring websites have good search tools. You can pick plank width, gloss, bevel, color, etc. You might want to reach out to your installer to see which height he suggests. The right flooring height will make it easier to install with your existing transitions and sub floor. Also hit the stores and look at some in person.

Pick a few that you like, post some pics and we would be happy to give our opinions.

Bruce hardwood

I did a lot of searching and ended up picking Armstrong saddle color. I think family reunion was the line. 3 and 1/4 inch and 3/4 solid. They are a nice in between color. I've had them a few months and been happy. They were affordable. Others I were considering were a lot more expensive but figured if we sell the house in a few years didn't want to invest too much

Hi there,
Engineered hardwood floor will be great for you, especially since you are wanting a wider plank. A good quality engineered floor can be refinished. An engineered hardwood is much more dimensionally stable and you will be able to avoid severe cupping, popping, warping and gaping between boards during humidity changes in the year. For us, most popular width is 5" and has been for years. It looks great in many sized rooms but we do 6" a fair amount as well. Since you are wanting grey but do not want to commit grey on the floor for longevity of style, here's a few ideas for color that will be stylish for many years. And these look great with gray or beige wall colors!

Mirage Maple Umbria

Mirage- Birch Nougat

Our website & houzz page has great pictures of installs we have done for realistic inspiration ideas as well as seeing what brands they are. We only cary good quality brands, no cheap big box styles. https://www.koebers.com/hardwood/ 

**Brands we recommend and have seen perform excellent are: Mirage Floors, Homerwood (can be pricey), Sommerset hardwood, Hallmark Hardwood. Be sure your installer is VERY qualified. Some of these brands are great products and you do not want a great product and non experienced installer.

Good luck on your project, congrats on the new home!