Choosing the right flooring type isn't enough for your living condition. You will have to consider the types of cut: flat sawn, rift and quarter sawn, quarter sawn or live sawn. Quarter sawn and rift & quarter sawn will be best choices, because expansion and contraction is along the thickness of the wood. You will need climate control all year round. 70 degrees at 40 % relative humidity is where you want to be throughout the year. The use of a humidifier/dehumidifier will be needed year round. Although, engineered flooring is more stable than solid. Using the wrong wood specie in your living condition can run the risk of de-laminating with engineered wood. If, the top veneer is more or less stable than it's core and backing. You will experience de-laminating in extreme humidity swings. Take in account of what the engineered flooring is constructed of: mdf or plywood. The width of the flooring will account for how much expansion and contracting also. 2 1/4" strips are the most stable. As you go wider, expect to see more wider seasonal gaps. Proper acclimating is critical, should be performed with a moisture meter. For 2 1/4" strip flooring , sub-floor and flooring moisture should be within 4%. For all other widths 2% moisture differentiation is allowed or should not be exceeded. Don't forget proper expansion gaps, which is the thickness of your flooring, example: 3/4" thick = 3/4" gap. Sub-floor type and condition will affect the performance of wood floors. All this needs to be considered for the proper and successful performance of your wood floors.

Light woods will tend to make the room feel larger as opposed to darker woods.

Thank you HerrProfessorDoktor, I am glad you are letting others know about the issues you are having. It is too bad you regret the dark, perhaps you could restain them lighter in the future? I am very fortunate as I have had dark hard wood floors in my last house and plan to install them again in this house. I love the look and had no regrets last time with care so I think I will be okay. However, I do think it is wise of you to post as there are others who may not know the challenges of dark hardwood floors looking pristine. A rumba is always is a nice little feature to help with much of the dust. ~boxer Here is a great link / poll that talks about this topic. [light or dark hardwood[(https://www.houzz.com/discussions/poll-light-or-dark-hardwood-dsvw-vd~5047868?n=235)

Quietwalk or 1/4" cork. I've seen the Eco-cork "numbers" and how they achieved them....not pretty. Unless you can buy your downstairs neighbor a 12" drop-down Armstrong Acoustic ceiling, you will not get what you want from that product. Eco-Cork foam is 90% polyethylene foam (not cork). They HAD to add cork because of some complaints that they were using the word "cork" when it didn't have ANY cork (100% polyethylene foam = false advertising anyone?). So...they added a snick of cork and then republished their old numbers. Done like dinner. And still wonky after all these years. Having sold and worked with cork for more than 6 years, I have investigated pretty much every underpad out there. QuietWalk is the ONLY one I have respect for. Please use their 3mm thick pad...or thicker if you can. The 1/4" cork is lovely because you throw it down like a beach blanket. No tape. No glue. Just butt the edges together and start laying the floating wood floor. It will help even out tiny wobbles in the gypcrete...which is helpful because gypcrete is a PAIN in the @ss to deal with if it needs patching. Either one will get you a nice quiet home....the cork will be more rigid and sometimes that is needed over a little bit of a wonky subfloor.