Hybrid Flooring Melbourne

What hybrid flooring is, and why Melbourne homes choose it

Hybrid flooring is a plank made in layers: a rigid core that does not soak up water, a printed layer that gives the timber or stone look, and a clear wear layer on top that takes the scuffs. Many hybrid planks also have a soft underlay fixed to the back, which takes some of the noise out of footsteps. The result is a floor that looks like timber and behaves more like a hard plastic composite, which is why it has become one of the most common choices in Melbourne renovations and new builds.

Melbourne weather can swing from hot afternoons to cold, damp mornings in the same week. Solid timber moves with that change in humidity. A hybrid core barely moves at all, so the boards stay flat and the joins stay tight through the seasons. That stability, plus easy cleaning, is the main reason families, landlords and busy households ask us about hybrid first.

Thickness: 6.5mm, 9.5mm, 10mm and what changes

Thickness is one of the first things people search for, and it is easy to misread. The figure stated for a hybrid plank usually includes the pad fixed to the back. A thicker plank generally feels more solid underfoot, sounds a little quieter and copes better with a slightly uneven subfloor. A thinner plank is lighter, easier to cut and suits a floor that has to sit close to a door or a stair nosing.

Most of our hybrid ranges sit between about 5mm and 10mm, with 6.5mm to 9.5mm being the common band for living areas. If you are choosing between 6.5mm and 9.5mm, think about the room more than the number: a bedroom or a rental unit is well served by the thinner plank, while an open-plan living area or a hallway with heavy traffic is where the extra thickness is noticeable. Our guide to how thick hybrid flooring should be goes through it room by room. The exact thickness of every range is on its own page.

Waterproof, SPC and WPC: what the words mean

The core of a hybrid plank is either SPC (stone plastic composite) or WPC (wood plastic composite). SPC is dense and hard, so it resists dents and holds its shape well under furniture and in rooms that get a lot of sun. WPC has a slightly softer, warmer feel underfoot. Both are waterproof in the sense that the plank itself will not swell or rot if water sits on it. We explain the difference in SPC, WPC and hybrid explained.

Waterproof does not mean you can ignore a leak. Water that runs under the planks can still be trapped against the subfloor, and it will not evaporate through the plank. Wipe up spills, fix leaking appliances quickly and keep the edges of the floor sealed where it meets a wet area. Our page on whether hybrid flooring is waterproof covers the limits in more detail.

Which rooms hybrid suits

Hybrid works well in living rooms, bedrooms, hallways, kitchens and laundries, and many people lay it right through a home so the floor runs without a break from room to room. In kitchens and laundries the waterproof core is the advantage. In bathrooms it can be used where the room is well ventilated and the floor is not regularly flooded, but the junction with the shower and the door needs careful sealing, so tell us about the room when you book a measure.

It is also a common choice for rentals and investment properties, because it handles tenants, pets and cleaning without much upkeep. If you are weighing it against a timber-look laminate for a kitchen, our comparison of laminate and hybrid in Melbourne kitchens is a good place to start.

Hybrid flooring across Melbourne, suburb by suburb

We supply and lay hybrid flooring in homes across Melbourne. People who come to us live in suburbs such as Balwyn, Malvern, Blackburn, Nunawading, Bayswater, Camberwell, Mount Waverley, Caulfield and Epping, as well as around our own area in the north. The suburb matters less than the building. A 1950s brick home in Camberwell with a timber subfloor, a modern townhouse in Epping on a concrete slab and a unit in Caulfield with a body corporate each need a slightly different approach to preparation and underlay.

Period homes in particular deserve a close look at the subfloor before anything is laid; our note on hybrid flooring in Melbourne period homes explains what we check. If you live in an apartment, ask your owners corporation about floor coverings and sound rules before you choose.

How installation works in a Melbourne home

Most hybrid planks are installed as a floating floor. The planks click together along the edges and sit on the subfloor without being glued down, with a small gap left around the walls so the floor can expand and contract. That makes installation quick and clean, and the floor can be lifted and replaced later if it is ever needed.

The subfloor decides how good the finish looks. It needs to be clean, dry, firm and flat; high spots are ground down and low spots are levelled before the planks go on, because a click floor will show a dip. On a concrete slab we check for moisture first. Over an existing hard floor, such as tiles, the grout lines may need to be filled so they do not show through. Our guide on how to lay hybrid flooring in Melbourne describes the steps, and hybrid flooring with underfloor heating covers heated floors.

Choosing a look and a finish

The ranges on this page cover most of what people ask for: pale oak and Scandinavian tones, warm blackbutt and spotted gum, greys, and darker browns. Lighter colours hide dust and small scratches better, while darker boards show them sooner but look rich in a well-lit room. A matte or low-sheen surface with a light texture usually looks the most natural and hides marks well.

If you want a pattern rather than long straight planks, look at our herringbone hybrid flooring. For ideas on colour, see hybrid flooring colours in Melbourne.

Looking after a hybrid floor

Care is simple. Sweep or vacuum with a hard-floor head to lift the grit that scratches the surface, then clean with a damp mop and a cleaner made for hybrid or vinyl floors. Avoid steam mops, because the heat and moisture can work into the joins, and avoid abrasive pads or strong solvents. Put felt pads under chairs and tables, and lift rather than drag heavy furniture. Large glass doors that face the afternoon sun can heat the floor, so blinds or curtains are worth using. Our guide to cleaning hybrid flooring has the details.

See hybrid flooring in our Thomastown showroom

The best way to choose is to stand on the floor. Our Thomastown showroom is in Melbourne's north, and you can bring a photo of your room, a paint chip or a cabinet sample to compare against the boards in daylight. If you would rather not travel, our mobile showroom brings samples to your home. To arrange a measure, call us on (03) 9961 4792 or send a message through our contact page, and tell us the rooms and the suburb.