I would not install wood at the shore it will be ruined in no time from the salt air and the sand coming in for sure. Have you checked out vinyl plank it is great at the lake where friends have it in their very upscale cottage they love it .

I'm with Patricia. If you must have wood, work with engineered (go high end to get the best stability) and stick with a basic 3" - 4" plank. Even though engineered is *more* stable than solid, it still can have issues. It isn't bullet proof. It is slightly better at keeping itself in shape a little longer than solid.

The wider the plank, the more effort it takes to put it in. And the more likelihood of movement should the indoor living conditions fluctuate. A 4" planks is more stable than an 8" plank...regardless of the structure.

I would talk to a local hardwood flooring store that has been in business for 20+ years. Talk to the most senior sales person/installer in the shop. Ask them what they have done in the past in this area. Ask them what has worked and what causes headaches.

Most of these independent dealers have made the mistakes and have paid the price. They have dropped the products that cause them problems and they will only carry the products that make their life easier. That will be the selection you will work from.

Big box stores or discount chains (Lumber Liq. comes to mind) that carry the same product all across the USA, won't have a clue as to what works locally. That's where the independent shop comes in.

Good luck.

Urban Design,,,,stop soliciting every single post with your info! That's spam. This is the 6th one I've seen in 10 minutes. I'm pretty sure not every poster lives near the Seattle area, nor have they asked for recommendations of vendors.

Do wood look porcelain tile. It is the only flooring choice that can withstand ground in sand.

Wood look porcelain tile sounds like a great solution. I'll look into that.