What are the health benefits of having hardwood or Laminate floors in my home?

Medical professionals across the world are united in their findings that hardwood or Laminate floors are helping asthmatics and respiratory sensitive individuals live healthier lives. In fact, it's suggested that just about everyone derives some form of health benefit from living in a hardwood environment. The underlying issue is the amount of dust, dirt and bacteria that carpets retain. Hardwood floors trap far less pollen, mites and mold. They don't harbor animal dander and dust and clean up quicker and more effectively than carpeting. An estimated 60-70 million North Americans suffer from just tiny amounts of house dust setting off symptoms ranging from rash, itchy eyes, sneezing, breathing difficulty and sinus trouble because of trapped pollens and molds in their fibers. Even frequent vacuuming will not eliminate those microscopic monsters but natural hardwood or laminate floors allow you to reduce those allergens while your rooms remain warm, inviting and germ reduced. 

What is difference between hardwood and laminate flooring?

In the battle of flooring materials, it turns out that not much even comes close to the quality, longevity and durability of real hardwood. Laminate flooring doesn't look real, and is actually a photograph of real wood transposed onto a wood composite. For this reason you can see a repetitive patter of the faux "wood grain" as opposed to the natural beauty of wood grain and its markings. Here’s a point that you probably never considered. Real hardwood floors sound better! High heels and other types of footwear create a loud hollow tapping sound because laminate flooring does not have the acoustic absorption of real wood. This may seem like a minor issue but many people find the sound irritating and distracting. The most important point may be that laminate flooring doesn't hold up. Because laminate coating is thin, it can chip easily and expose the fiberboard core of the panel. Stripping and refinishing is not an option and the floor must be ripped up and thrown away. Unlike real wood that will last for generations, wear and tear is much more prevalent on a laminate floor. Well maintained hardwood floors with a polyurethane finish are water-resistant, pet resistant and child-friendly.

All species used for hardwood flooring are durable enough to withstand the wear and tear of daily life. However, this does not mean wood will not dent. As a natural material, wood is made of thousands of cells. When the tree is in the forest, these cells are filled with water. Once that tree becomes lumber, the moisture in those cells is replaced with air. Therefore, if you drop a heavy object on the floor, the floor will compress, forming a dent or gash. In addition, heavy furniture and appliances, over time, will compress the fiber in the wood. The Janka hardness test measures the ability of a wood species to withstand damage and degradation. The species' at the top of the list are harder and more durable.