If you're looking for a tile that's moisture resistant and looks amazing then I would definitely check out www.ceilume.com. I used their drop ceiling tiles in my basement and am thrilled to say the least. Moisture was a huge concern for me as well and I was assured by the Ceilume staff that these would be suitable for my basement, and they were right. I too checked out the tiles from Home Depot and Lowes but the were so ugly I had to look for something else before deciding on them. I found Ceilume online and got their free samples which can be found here: http://www.ceilume.com/ceilingtile_browsefreesamples.cfm When they say Free, they mean it unlike almost all other online tile companies. There was not even a charge for shipping and they gave me a coupon good for 5% off my order. Not much but it definitely helped. So far I am very pleased, the customer service was great, the product was inexpensive, and the tiles look like they are much more expensive then just the vinyl they are made out of. Good luck to you!

I'm not an installer or wood professional. (had to get that out of the way first) Here's the deal - wood dries out during the winter and shrinks a bit when you have central heat on. (And I think gas heat tends to dry the air even more than electric heat.) Come summer and those warm humid months, even with the a/c on, your wood floors will regain moisture and swell. So you've been through 6 months now probably with heat on in your house. I would expect to see some gaps - not huge but it might just be enough to cause that movement you hear. It's not cupping but just the natural tendency for wood to gain/lose moisture during the cooling/heating season cycles. I've also heard that alot depends too on when you had your wood floors installed. If they are installed at the height of summer when the humidity is at it's highest, there is a bigger chance of having shrinkage and gapping come the winter months. I live in the south where alot of the older homes have heart pine flooring that is 100+ yrs old and yes it's definitly looser-feeling during these late winter/early spring months when you walk on it. I suppose you could face nail these planks but I would first call your installer back if he is reputable, and he will know what to do, if anything is needed. And from here I'll turn it over to the flooring experts on this board.

I think it depends on what you want. There is a difference in wood softness/hardness, so that might matter to you for the area you will use it, high heels, children, walkers/wheelchairs etc. About the dark stain........get what you like! Remember when ppl started to lift up carpets on older homes to reveal "outdated" hardwood LOL. Go with what you like and stain it what you want to. If you are worried about re-sale, mostlikely what ever you choose the potential buyers will likely change it anyway! To me it sounds like you want dark walnut : ) I personally really like the look. My cousin did his entry, kitchen and stairs with slate and it is absolutely gorgeous!!! He trimmed it with wood and sunk the tile and it is so beautiful. Here is a pic that is very similar to my cousins. I think it's unique too. His tiles are large ones though, and all trimmed with wood including around the edges in the kitchen and foyer. Here is a link to a wood hardness site if you want some extra to consider. Let us know what you decide: ) Here is a link that might be useful: wood hardness

The only good thing to come out of Lumber Liquidators is litigation! I'm serious. LL has had SOOO MANY lawsuits (how many SJ?) that they have had to incorporate new installation requirements for DIY people (ie. non-professionals who THINK they can save money doing it by themselves). Here's what I'm talking about: https://www.lumberliquidators.com/assets/images/installation/bellawood.pdf LL has REALLY upped their game when it comes to their installation instructions. And to be clear, the 5" product rates as 'wide plank' and therefore needs either full glue or glue assist with nail in place. That makes this a much more expensive floor to install. And then there is the humidity control that you MUST HAVE for any wood...but wide plank, prefinished, LL stuff needs even more effort to have a happy wood floor. Sadly the wife has already spotted this (including the price point). It is going to take a small miracle to change her mind. Tell her the 'cheap stuff' gets very expensive...very quickly. Just looking at the close up of the wood sample (not the room shot...) you will see the SHORT ENDS do NOT sit properly. And that's their BEST photo for this product. Let's just say you have been warned and the photos on the internet are telling you there is a known issue. If it is in the advertising photo, you can expect it to be found in your flooring install.