Flooring Tips
Combine the visual appeal of your favourite timber floors and the wearability and strength of laminate and what do you get?
Hybrid floors.
Hugely popular throughout Perth (and Australia), there’s a good chance you’re planning a hybrid flooring project of your own. Whether you’re looking to install planks for the first time, or you’ve worked with hybrid flooring before, it’s important you know how to navigate the DIY process safely and efficiently.
Read on to learn everything you need to know about DIY hybrid flooring including choosing the best colour, popular layout options, and a simple checklist to make installation day a breeze.
Let’s get right into it.
If you want to learn more about hybrid flooring, check out our other resources:
1. How much does hybrid flooring cost?
2. What are the best hybrid flooring brands?
3. Pros and cons of hybrid flooring
4. Hybrid vs laminate flooring
6. How long does hybrid flooring last?
Hybrid floors are resilient and growing in popularity throughout Australia - and for good reason. Hybrid flooring is engineered with multiple, distinct layers. These layers include:
A commercial-grade protective coating
A decorative printed layer
Composite core board
An acoustic underlay
Thanks to the protective coating and composite core board, hybrid flooring is 100% waterproof, easy to install and maintain, resistant against stains, and incredibly customisable by imitating your favourite hardwood flooring options.
But since you’re here, there’s a good chance you already know that hybrid flooring is an effective, eye-catching, and cost-effective solution for your home or business.
So let’s break down this innovative flooring choice further and unpack a few of the most popular ways to install and use hybrid floors on your own.
Hybrid Floors vs. Laminate Floors: What’s the Difference?
Unlike natural timber, which comes in set shades and hues, hybrid flooring offers a wide selection of colours and styles to choose from.
Before you break out the tools (more on those below) and dive into the DIY installation process, you’ll need to choose the colour flooring that’s right for you. Some of the most common colours can be grouped into the following primary categories:
Grey
Brown
Red
Natural Oak
What’s just as important as choosing the right colour is choosing a colour that works in your space. It’s easy to fall down the rabbit hole on Google or get caught up in a catalogue, but make sure your new floors work for your Perth property.
To help you make an informed choice, take the following features into account before locking in your final choice.
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The Amount of Light If your space has ample natural light, you can safely opt for darker hybrid flooring. Rooms without natural light can feel cramped and tight when paired with darker coloured floors. |
The Size of the Room Lighter-coloured flooring can make small rooms appear larger and more inviting. In contrast, large rooms can be made to feel more intimate with darker flooring. |
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The Colour of Your Furniture Your floors should work in sync with your furniture and belongings. If you have statement furniture, neutral floor boards can help elevate focal points in the room without distraction. |
Your Overall Aesthetic The psychology of colour can change the way any space looks and feels. Be sure to choose hybrid flooring that YOU love and feels welcoming every time you step foot inside the door. |
Looking for more help? Check out our Hybrid Floor Colour Design Guide
Long gone are the days when floorboards were laid end to end. Although this classic, pragmatic approach is still popular (and timeless for good reason), there are just as many Perth homeowners adding creative flair through DIY designs that showcase their personality.
Here are a few of our favourite choices:
Herringbone: This style, achieved by laying planks perpendicular to one another, creates an eye-catching zig-zag pattern that’s impossible to miss. A powerful point of difference, you’ll find this DIY layout adds elegance and class to any space.
Staggered: A type of controlled ‘randomness’, a staggered layout is achieved by laying floorboards slightly out of alignment. By installing a plank 20% higher than the tile next to it you’ll create a staggered design that’s suitable for all types of spaces.
50/50 Offset: A classic layout, this design positions one tile halfway through the next. Instead of a static floor, you get an enjoyable aesthetic with floorboards that alternate and repeat the same pattern across your room.
“Proper planning prevents poor performance”.
If there was ever a mantra to help you prep for a DIY flooring project, that would be it. When it comes to a DIY hybrid project, you’ll need to follow a strict framework to ensure you’re fully prepared. Miss any of the following crucial steps and you can be in for a frustrating (and expensive) headache.
Step 01: Inspect your hybrid floorboards for any imperfections, defects, or damage.
Step 02: Ensure subfloors are dry, free of damage, and most importantly, level. An uneven subfloor can lead to premature damage and risk of injury.
Step 03: Gather the correct tools. Depending on the size and scope of your DIY project, this can include a tape measure, pry bar, chalk line, tapping block (this can be a piece of pre-trimmed flooring), drop saw, table saw, and utility knife.
Step 04: Measure your space before laying a single floorboard. Hybrid flooring is designed to be a ‘floating floor’. This means it is installed over the existing floor without nails or glue. Simply connect via the ‘click-lock’ mechanism with a rubber mallet or tapping block and your floor will be held together thanks to gravity and friction.
Attention DIY’ers: Get the How to Lay Hybrid Flooring Like The Pros Guide
You’re all set with all the information and help you need to launch into your next DIY project with confidence.
But… if you’re looking to save time, enjoy the advantages that a professional service can bring, or need help with other flooring projects, we’re excited to help. We’ve been supplying and installing safe, functional and fantastic flooring solutions under Perth feet for over 20 years with a commitment to safety and quality.
To learn more, check out some of our most popular resources online:
Or, for a custom quote tailored to your home, you can get in touch on 0407 983 020 or request a fast and FREE quote online.
