I was told a thick layer of polyurethane glue works just as well as cork for sound proofing for hardwood floors on above ground levels.
Nooooo...engineered wood flooring is MUCH louder it produces a hollow sound.
There are solid hardwoods (exotic and domestic) that come in varying thicknesses and are prefinished with aluminum oxide. Such as 3/4, 5/16, and 7/16 thick, all three of these can be re-finished more than once but you're really better off never re-finishing if possible because the finish that is applied is no where close to the quality of aluminum oxide. There are also engineered hardwoods that you can refinish at least once, sometimes twice
Well When choosing between hardwood and engineered wood the biggest thing that you need to considered is the climate area in which you live. Being in Florida (thats where i live) engineered is definately recomended because it is a much more stable product, due to it's resitance to warping and bowing because of its construction. But if a floor is properly installed there should be no difference, unless it is installed over a plywood sub-floor. However if you are considering laminate flooring that will create a hollow sound with a base grade foam/moisture barrier, however there are some upgrades to the underlayment which will give you a more dense sounding floor.
Your speaking of the noise level in the rooms where the flooring is or below the floor like in a lower room. Eng. flooring is a little louder in the room it is placed because it is usually not attached to the floor-- in many cases it float over the sub floor may even have micro foam underlayment. This means the room below may be quieter. Solid wood is quieter in the room because it is usually attached with glue or nails or both. may be louder in the lower room. Solutions solid wood. use cork underlayment, it is available in 2' squares. makes a world of difference. Eng. deal with it, rugs. As for the poly. I just don't believe it.
