Alrighty then...I have struggled back and forth on which way to lay my boards. I (read: my wife) have decided to run parallel to the joists. Therefore I will be putting down the additional 1/2" ply + 3/4" hardwood flooring. (thanks for all the advice)

I now have to deal with one issue, additional height of the 1/2" ply that I will be putting down. but I have an idea...

Issue: The additional 1/2" will make it very difficult to replace/service the dishwasher due to the legs on it not quite clearing the height of the ply and hardwood (3/4").

Possible solution:
1) lift the counter top when replacing/servicing
or
2) why can't I prepare my floor for future board removal right in front of my dishwasher?
Refer to pic below: What if one board to the right most spot infront of the dishwasher was put in "loose". Perhaps cut the bottom of the groove side and loose fit it. The boards to the left of that board all the way to the left side of the dishwasher would be "screwed in" instead of "stapled".
That way when I need to service/replace the dishwasher, I pull the "loose" board, remove screws and pull other boards.

Will such an idea work?

*bump*

Remove the feet on the dishwasher. It should gain you at least another 1/2".

Ok, that may work, but lets assume it wont. Will my idea work?

Because I have to put down the additional 1/2" ply, can someone tell me EXACTLY what kind of plywood to get? There seems to be a couple different kinds (BCX?, CDX? Sanded?) and grades and I dont want to get what isnt really required.

Thanks

Why not simply use an engineered product?

I want to put in the 3/4" over engineered for the resand/resurface pros over the engineered.

Plus, I still have to add the 1/2" no matter what I put in because I want to run it parallel to my joists.

Bump...hoping to get a response on this.../

CDX grade is sufficient. C side up. Some prefer more expensive BC. It's up to you. I've never had a problem with CDX.

Ok,when you say "C side up", what does that mean?

Also, if I walk into the big box stores asking for 1/2" CDX will they konw what that is?

They should know, just tell them you want 1/2" plywood sheathing then look at the grading stamp. It comes in a 3ply and 4ply, either one will work. C is the best side, but its hard to tell sometimes.

OMG..you guys are gonna hate me for all these questions...
Gary you say CDX, Jerry you say Plywood sheathing....

Do I say 1/2" CDX Plywood sheathing to be safe

CDX refers to the grade of the plywood. Plywood is graded A to D, with A being the best. So CDX refers to C grade on one side and D grade on the other and the X refers to exterior exposure, meaning it can get rained on a little and not fall apart as it uses water resistant adhesives to bond the layers together. 1/2" plywood sheathing is typically used as roof decking for asphalt shingles and sometimes as shear panels on walls.

Guys...while this board was being fixed. I was busy, busy, busy. Here are some of the pics of my finished (well, almost finished...now I have to paint...) project.

I ended up going with Bruce 2 1/4"x 3/4" butterscotch floor. I also installed 1/2" CDX on top of my 3/4" Sturdi floor for added strength as I was going parallel to my joists.

I looks awesome. (the pics dont do it justice)

And for those that remember my struggles of deciding which way to lay the strips...here is the render.
As you can see, I decided to do wood on the foyer instead of tile. This turned out to be a very wise decision as it was easier to handle and looks way better than any tile job (not that tile is bad..the angle of the step and stairs was working against the squarness of the tiles...I could have gone with rectangle shaped tile, but wood just worked well as it matched my floors)