Solid Hardwood, Engineered and Laminate Flooring - Solid hard wood or 5-ply planks?

We are renovating an old off-grade home with new concrete construction. We have decided against the new laminates because of the sound--even with the padding. We are drawn to 5" oak planks with straight edges (no bevels--for ease of maintenance). We will be installing into high traffic areas--foyer, dining area leading onto a screen porch, walk area through great room.

The main question: which is better for a lifetime home, solid wood planks or planks of 5-ply construction, such as Mannington? The manufacturer's literature suggests that the 5-ply planks are stronger. We would like the option to be able to refinish the flooring as many times as necessary in the next 60 years. Is that an option with the 5-ply planks?

4C:

Chances are the Mannington engineered may only be completely refinished once, pehaps twice if you find the right people with the right equipment. With the huge amount of engineered flooring sold the last ten years, there will be a dramatic demand for folks that specialize in such refinishing in coming years.

I would look more into solid flooring if you desire a floor that will be around in 60 years. Try this link for more in depth information.

http://www.hoskinghardwood.com/starthere.html

Thanks.

That was our feeling, but we've had a tough time getting reps to make a call. I guess if something's done too well the first time, it's tough to make money on it in the future. Kind of like the light bulb that's still working, and it's manufacturer is out of business!

Thanks for the link!

4C