Views: 75 Author: Site Editor Publish Time: 2022-11-29 Origin: Site
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For homeowners and consumers looking for new floor styles, natural timber planks, affordable cost and easy DIY installation, hybrid flooring is one of the popular options they may come across. This type of flooring applies modern technologies to create a 100% waterproof floor and is made possible thanks to the perfect combo of vinyl planks and laminate flooring materials.
Refer to "future of flooring", the evolution of hybrid floors have made them a much sought after choice for Australian homes as these floors can give you a beautiful aesthetic without the maintenance and cost associated with real timber.
There are many brands options on the market, how do you choose from ? There are few professional answers which we collect from Australian market and feedback, which may give some useful information.
Hybrid flooring is a revolutionary flooring innovation that is currently trending in the real estate market. It combines the best qualities of vinyl and laminate flooring materials to produce a superior floating floor for home or office. For your information, hybrid flooring also means that the technology uses multiple layers of diverse materials combined to form hard floor finishes for commercial spaces and residential homes.
Hybrid flooring emerged as a new trend around the globe, but now, this innovation is becoming a high-demand floorcoverings option for the Australian domestic and commercial market.
Hybrid flooring manufactures from layers of different materials that join together, creating one unique hard-wearing floorboard.
Top Wear Layer–This is a hard-wearing, impact scratch, and UV-resistant coating.
Decor Film Printing layer–This is a design that you see and feel on the floor surface. It could be a mimic of any wood species, such as OAK or Spotted gum, for example.
Board core– the composite material that creates an actual body, the core can be made of a number of hard and durable materials including stone (typically limestone) which are much more durable than wood alone.
About Hybrid flooring core
There are two most known core types of hybrid flooring available on the market. Both are made of mixed materials, creating a hybrid floor.
Stone Plastic Composite (SPC) –This core type is mixed using limestone, polyvinyl chloride - PVC, and stabilisers.
Wood Plastic Composite (WPC)–This type of core is made of recycled wood and polyvinyl chloride - PVC.
In comparing this type, the SPC boards usually thinner, more flexible, and softer. On the other hand, the WPC usually be a thicker board, heavier and more durable, and impact resistant.
We must mention what a PVC is, as this is one of the most asked questions about buying a hybrid flooring.
PVC is a polyvinyl chloride, which is also known as vinyl. It is one of the most used plastic polymers in the world. It is used to produce many things and items in different industries, such as pipes, footwear, window frames, stationery, etc.
Underlayment - This is a cushion to create a comfortable feeling for your feet as also creating an acoustic barrier when walking on the hybrid flooring.
In many cases, this is a matter of personal aesthetic presence and budget allocation. However, there are differences between the two materials in feel and function.
SPC flooring is made from 20% polyvinyl chloride and 80% limestone. Although they are slightly harder underfoot, they are extremely durable and a much longer lasting product than WPC. With that said, limestone is also a bit less comfortable to walk on since its higher density means less give, or cushioning, underfoot.
WPC flooring is made from 30% polyvinyl chloride and 70% recycled wood fibers, WPC is softer underfoot, but is less durable than SPC. on the other hand, is less dense since it is made of compressed recycled wood materials, also making them a bit less durable over time. But because the natural materials have a little more flexibility to them, compared to limestone, homeowners tend to find that these floors are a bit more comfortable to walk on and a little quieter as well.
When it comes to pricing, the rates for both will be close to each other when it comes to hybrid flooring. Overall WPC tends to cost a little more than SPC. Any floors that include a layer of real wood on top will be the most expensive.
Either option will work well in your home and you should consider the specifics of your project - such as size, budget, time-frame and geographic context–before making a decision. In general, laminate will cost less than hybrid flooring (though both are among the cheapest flooring materials available) and it has a slightly easier installation process. However, laminate is not as waterproof and therefore its durability is limited because it will likely require maintenance in the future. Hybrid flooring is also slightly more comfortable underfoot as it is slightly softer.
Hybrid flooring and vinyl planks are among the most popular options. 100% waterproof makes them extremely suitable for almost any room in your home or office, even bathrooms, kitchen areas.
How do you choose between the two ? Below is a quick look and clear answer:
| Hybrid flooring | Vinyl plank flooring | Winner | |
| Construction | ✓ – sturdy, advanced construction | ✓ – sturdy, advanced construction | Hybrid |
| Installation and Repairability | ✓ – click lock system, easy to install | ✓ – glue down or loose lay to install | Hybrid |
| Affordability | ✓ – very affordable, but generally more costly than vinyl. Lower cost in installation. | ✓ – extremely affordable. But more costly in installation. | Tie |
| Design | ✓ – over 100 colours and styles at FloorVenue | ✓ – a multitude of different colours and styles | Tie |
| Water Resistance | ✓ – 100% waterproof | ✓ – 100% waterproof | Tie |
| Durability | ✓ – very hard and durable | ✘ – not as durable, can tear under heavy loads | Hybrid |
| Comfort | ✓ – soft and comfort underfoot due to its use of underlayment | ✓ – soft and comfort underfoot due to glue down fixed installation. More solid feel. | Vinyl (slightly) |
| Maintenance | ✓ – extremely easy to keep clean | ✓ – extremely easy to keep clean | Tie |
Hybrid flooring is a realistic design, waterproof core, durable, fade, UV coated, stain-resistant flooring. It is also easy to fix, repair, clean, maintain, and gives you a quiet and soft feeling underfoot. In addition, it comes with cost-effective installation and an extended warranty.
Cost-effective installation
The hybrid floor is floating flooring, which is mean you lay it over any existing floor. Because it comes with the underlayment attached to each board, you do not need to spend an additional budget on the underlay. Generally looking at floating flooring, this is one of the cheapest installation methods when hiring a professional flooring installation company.
Realistic design
Like laminate and vinyl planks, a hybrid flooring style layer gives you a wide design choice. Almost every flooring shop can offer you unlimited style, visual appearance, and texture. In addition, you can find any timber species printed to create a hybrid flooring you would like, oak, spotted gum, blackbutt etc.
Waterproof core
Hybrid flooring boards are 100% Waterproof. 100% waterproof performance allows installing this type of flooring in wet areas, such as laundry, toilets, and sometimes in bathrooms except for shower areas.It does not suck water into the board, as some laminates will do in a minute after with water contact. In addition, being a waterproof hybrid can give an advantage for pet owners.
Fade, UV Coated and Stain-resistant
The key features of hybrid flooring include UV coating. It also holds up against fade and stains. They are manufactured with advanced technologies and designed to stand out in the most extreme conditions. Top coating is protecting hybrid planks from direct sunlight and therefore allowing them to keep their original colors for a long time. Even durable stains can be removed from hybrid flooring surface with the help of detergents and sometimes solvents if properly applied.
Colour Consultation
The final step after considering the above factors is the colour choice which can be the quite overwhelming when there is a wide range of colours to choose from. With each consultation we give our customers a visual experience of how the flooring will appear in their homes.
Embossed Effect (Real EIR)
Hybrid flooring not only has some embossed texture but you can feel what you see such as the knots and the grain of the floor to create a realistic feel. This would need an extra stage at the manufacturing process to emboss the design on the hybrid flooring surface very accurately.
Size of Planks
There are three available sizes of hybrid flooring in the market: 1.2, 1.5 and 1.8 metres roughly. Large hybrid planks are the new trend. Larger planks in any size room gives an aesthetically pleasing, uncluttered look in both residential and commercial applications. Rooms are left with less joins, thus creating a more streamlined look.
Durability
The hybrid flooring is also durable as it is made to resist scratches and dents, even in high-traffic areas as offices. Moreover, they can last for lifetime if maintained and looked after regularly.
Easy to fix and repair
hybrid flooring’s click-lock system makes it easy to install and can be completed as a DIY project, especially since no nails or glue are required. Hybrid flooring can be easily unclicked and replaced with a new board because it is a floating flooring. It is a good practice to buy a few extra boxes when doing your flooring project. It comes in handy when you need to replace or fix a few boards. The good point for keeping a spare board from the same batch order as it perfectly matches replacement board color and patterns.
Eco-Friendly
Hybrid flooring is made of eco-friendly materials.
Easy clean and maintain with wet or steam mops
Hybrid flooring made as waterproof and scratch-resistant boards creates an ideal floorcovering surface that can be vacuumed, cleaned with a wet or steam mop, or even maintained with professional cleaning machines. For example, the Rug Doctor, with the correct attachment.
Quiet and soft feeling underfoot.
Hybrid flooring is noise-free and comfortable and reduce the impact of sounds due to the installed underlayment on each floorboard. In addition, it provides an excellent thermal insulation cushion and extra comfortable feeling and support to your feet.
Extended warranty
Thanks to highly durable and robust material, and life expectancy, hybrid flooring is made to perform and last. Most of the brands will offer an extended warranty for this product. You will find that the warranty period will be something in between 20 -30 years or even lifetime.
Water can penetrate
Even though hybrid planks are 100% waterproof, water can still penetrate through joints and ended up under the flooring. This will not damage the flooring but can develop harmful bacteria, bad smell, and mold, which can be a hazard to your health.
Need flat subfloor
Hybrid flooring is a robust material, but you must install it on a perfectly flat subfloor to perform and last. Before laying hybrid flooring, make sure to check your slab for any unevenness, and make sure to level it by grinding or adding a self-leveling compound to bring it to Australian standards. Avoiding professional floor preparation will lead to floor bouncing, height difference, and cracking every time you step on it.
Joints can brake
During the installation, this is very important when it comes to the Fold-Down lock system due to its locks are fragile. If you knock too hard or force it to lock, the top join can bend, crack, and cause board separation in the future.
It cannot be re-sanded
Unlike natural timber floors or engineered boards, hybrid flooring can not be re-sanded. So if you managed to scratch the floor, the only option is to replace damaged planks. The good thing is there are unique products available on the market to hide micro scratches, and it is very easy to use.
Less realistic feeling
Even though hybrid flooring has a realistic design and look, unfortunately, it does not feel like natural timber when you touch or walk on it barefoot. The reason behind it as part of its composite mix is plastic (PVC). Some manufacturers such as Carsem Floor manufactures matt surface hybrid flooring, which make more natural timber looking.
Requires much thorough regular cleaning
Hybrid plank's surface treatment may allow dust to build up in its grooves. Therefore you would need to perform a deep cleaning of this floor more often to keep its original look.
Fading and Discolor
Although hybrid flooring is UV resistant, the endless direct sunlight and lack of floor maintenance can cause discoloration and plank fading. To avoid this happens, make sure to maintain your hybrid flooring with regular cleaning and reapplying UV protection sealer from time to time.
Must be professionally installed.
Hybrid flooring manufacturers offer a great warranty on planks. However, make sure you hire a professional flooring installer or follow all manufacturer installation guidelines and installation standards to keep the warranty in place.
There is no need to use glue during the installation of hybrid flooring which makes it easy to install and reduces the cost of installation. Several locking system options.
Uniclic–This is a joining system allowing worry-free flooring installation. Angle-angle and fold down installing options.The locking system is durable and strong.
Valinge–It is another locking system options, similar installing method as uniclic.
I4F - Fold Down click for fast installing.
We will describe just a few examples from two well-known hybrid flooring brands that you will find in most retail flooring stores in Australia. In addition, it will show you a difference in hybrid flooring design and manufacturing types.
Smart Flooring provides innovative quality hard and soft flooring solutions. View our full range of flooring available at Bunnings today.
Hybrid waterproof flooring is floating hybrid flooring with click lock, different thickness options, such as 5mm & 6mm & 6.5mm &7mm & 8mm & 8.5mm & 9mm & 9.5mm & 10mm, 12mm hybrid flooring etc. Hundreds of hybrid flooring colours can be chosen in our factory. Carsem floor also supply hyrbid flooring trims, hybrid flooring edge trim, hyrbid flooring scotia, hybrid flooring staircase, hybrid flooring underlay, hybrid flooring cutter, installation kits.
Choosing Carsem Floor as your wholesale hybrid flooring supplier allows you to reduce your operating expenses while enjoying the benefits that our hybrid flooring can give you. Our innovative technologies to produce high-quality SPC hybrid flooring that can meet the industry standards. With 20+ years in hybrid flooring manufacturing, you can trust us for your different requirement. Carsem Floor factory also manufactures other hybrid flooring as below except for SPC Hybrid Flooring.
Hybrid flooring is a rigid floating floor product that combines the best attributes of laminate and vinyl. The high-density core and tough surface of hybrid flooring is scratch resistant, stain resistant and pet friendly. This flooring is available in a wide range of colours and designs that perform like durable timber hardwood planks or tiles.
The Aspire Hybrid Floors Collection is a range of 10 unique colours. 100% waterproof, Aspire Hybrid flooring has the most stable and waterproof core of any flooring worldwide. The strength and stability of this material is a result of blending specific stone powders and vinyl polymers together and then extruding as a continuous sheet of Rigid Core PVC. Softer and warmer under foot than natural wood or stone flooring, additional cushioning in the backing helps make this floor extremely comfortable, even to sensitive feet. Quick and easy to install over most existing hard floors, all that is required is a smooth, level, dry and dust-free subfloor.
Titan Hybrid XXL
Titan Hybrid is a rigid core plank with a highly resilient surface structure. Almost as beautiful as real timber but far more tolerant to water, scratches and indentation. The extra wide and long planks in the XXL range provides a generous reveal that exudes style in any open space. The integrated acoustic underlay allows the click planks to be installed over all kinds of flat surfaces, and go down faster than ever. On top of that, Titan Hybrid XXL offers a complete solution with perfectly matching accessories for a beautiful finish of your floor.
Discover the new generation of hybrid flooring available at Harvey Norman or browse a stunning range of timber & vinyl flooring.
COREtec took vinyl flooring and completely redesigned it as a product. It began with an extra strong, high density core, made from recycled wood and bamboo dust, limestone, and virgin PVC. This waterproof core is then overlaid with a luxury vinyl plank with and extra heavy duty commercial wear layer which permanently bonds to the core. COREtec products are durable enough to handle high amounts of foot traffic.The PVC wear layer is then finished with a double coat of a UV-treated acrylic, for the perfect wood or stone look that is stain resistant and easy to clean.
Godfrey Hirst Hybrid Floors combine the durability and strength of vinyl plank and the appealing look and feel of laminate.
These floors are known for their durability with double surface layer protection for hard wear and high impact. This SPC hybrid floor has a limestone composite core that also remains stable in extremes of temperature to prevent warping. To help with noise from foot traffic, the boards are shipped with an already-attached acoustic underlayer.
Karndean rigid core (vinyl) flooring is available as a click-in flooring (Korlok) or Karndean Looselay, using an adhesive glue directly to the subfloor.
How much does it cost to lay down Hybrid Flooring?
Is Hybrid flooring Pets Friendly?
How to install Hybrid Flooring?
Is hybrid flooring quiet?
Is hybrid flooring toxic?
