Flooring Tips
Explore what makes your hybrid floors able to stand up to everything you throw at them with their unique design
Choosing the right kind of flooring can be important for more than just your bank account. It can also affect the comfort and design of your home for years and years to come. The best flooring systems are designed to last for decades without excessive wear or care.
Enter: Hybrid flooring.
Hybrid floors are lauded for being waterproof, durable, and friendly to almost any level of budget. This comes down to, in part, the ease of installation that can come from the design of the floor boards. But even more so, it comes down to the material composition of the boards themselves. How can these amazingly versatile boards have the look of wood while enhancing durability and lasting longer than most other flooring options?
It’s all in the core.
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 get their name from the way the boards themselves are constructed. They bring together the benefits of laminate and vinyl while relying on a composite core for their strength and longevity.
There are actually two types of hybrid flooring (again, it’s all about the core).
Stone Plastic Composite, or SPC flooring, is made from a limestone and PVC core.
Wood Plastic Composite, or WPC flooring, is made from a recycled wood and PVC core.
Regardless of which type you choose, the core is then covered with a vinyl or laminate layer that is printed with a pattern that gives the boards their wood look. Most floors will also have a protective top layer and coating that helps to waterproof the boards and adds to their durability.
So with two different cores to choose from, which type of hybrid flooring is supreme. It turns out that the answer isn’t straightforward.
That’s because it depends, in part, on what is most important to you in a flooring system. For example, SPC tends to be more durable over the long term because of its limestone core, but this solid center also makes the flooring more dense and slightly less comfortable underfoot. In contrast, WPC may be more comfortable but will also cost a bit more in the process.
Regardless of which core type you choose, the benefits for hybrid flooring remain largely the same across the (floor) board.
Durability: This hardwearing flooring will stand up to scratches and dents and last for decades.
Comfort: While WPC is less dense than SPC, both are more comfortable than traditional hardwoods or tiles.
Design: Choose from hundreds of different styles and a variety of wood grain designs to match your personal style.
Longevity: Coatings on the boards make them UV resistant as well as able to stand up to extremes in temperature changes.
Cost: Compared to traditional timber floors, you’ll save nearly half of the price with hybrid flooring.
Installation: As a floating floor style, these boards can be installed with a fraction of the hassle of timber or tile.
These flooring systems are designed as a floating floor style. That means that the boards are snapped or connected together by design rather than glued or nailed to the sub floor. Another advantage of this is that you can often install a floating flooring system over an existing floor without the mess of removing the existing material. It’s not uncommon for hybrid flooring to be installed over an existing slab, tile, or older hardwood.
To install them, all it takes is to layout a row of boards in a way so that they slot into one another. From there, the second row of boards can insert into the grooved joints in the first row. With a bit of elbow grease (or the pressure from a mallet), the boards should click together with a tight joint with zero gaps.
The boards can also be easily cut to fit different lengths without any specialized equipment. Often, a utility knife is all that is needed to get that job done.
With all of this in mind, it is still important to consider going with a professional installation and the best hybrid flooring supplier. After all, not only will they be the most well versed in how to work with a hybrid flooring system, they’ll also be able to do the job in much less time than a DIY effort.
It’s also important to consider that professional installers with good repute will also often offer a workmanship guarantee on top of whatever warranties are included on the materials themselves. This way, if there is an issue with your flooring down the line, you have a reliable company you can call for assistance.
As you choose your installer, be sure to ask the following:
Have you installed hybrid flooring systems before?
How many years have you been in business?
Do you have any customer references or testimonials?
What warranties do you offer on your workmanship?
Are your employees licensed and insured?
Hybrid flooring is a great alternative to traditional timber that can have the same look and feel at a fraction of the cost. The catch is to choose the right design and material for the job and to have it installed properly from the start.
Allen Brothers Flooring know all things flooring – especially hybrid systems. We help our clients from the very start of the process with free onsite quotes so you know what to expect. Every project we take on is managed with the highest quality and attention to detail. We’re proud to be Australian and family owned with over 30 years of experience and 20+ years of experience in Perth in the flooring industry.
Call us on 0407 983 020 for a fast and free quote!
