How to lay Hybrid Flooring

Author: SearchMyLocal | Last Updated: 12 Mar 2022

If you’re looking to install new flooring in your home, you may be wondering what your options are. Hybrid flooring is a great choice for many homeowners because it offers the benefits of both laminate and vinyl flooring. The good news is that hybrid flooring is also very easy to install by yourself, making it a very cost-effective option for renovations or new homes.

What is hybrid flooring?

Hybrid flooring is a type of flooring that is made up of multiple layers that combine the benefits and functionality of laminate and vinyl flooring. It is waterproof, like vinyl flooring, but can be installed in a “floating flooring” manner (which means it doesn’t require gluing to your actual floor), like laminate flooring. Hybrid flooring is also visually appealing because it is made to look like timber, giving a classic and elegant look to your home.

Why is hybrid flooring a good choice?

Hybrid flooring has become an increasingly popular choice for homeowners, and with good reason. It is an affordable, stylish, and long-lasting material that brings the best of both vinyl and laminate flooring, along with the beauty of natural hardwood floors.

Durability:

Hybrid flooring is extremely durable. Because it is constructed with multiple layers, each contributing to the hardiness and sturdiness of the flooring, it can survive wear and tear better than other types of flooring materials. Topcoats of hybrid flooring are usually made to withstand scratches and dents, and can even include properties like UV protection to ensure the printed layer (where the wood pattern is) does not fade. Hybrid flooring also includes a “wear layer,” which helps further strengthen the material against damage. The material is also waterproof, making it a great choice for busy homes with kids or wet rooms.

Installation:

Installing hybrid flooring is incredibly easy because it is a “floating floor,” meaning that it does not require attachment to the actual floor of your property. Hybrid flooring panels can easily click together, which means they can be installed by anyone, even if they don’t have the slightest bit of construction or home repair experience.

Aesthetic:

Hybrid flooring makes the beauty of hardwood floors accessible to everyone. With hundreds of “prints” available, you can select any sort of pattern, colour, even graining that will suit the aesthetic of your home. There’s no need to limit yourself to what timber choices are available to you, because you can quite literally pick whatever you fancy and lay it on your floor!

Now that you have a better idea of what hybrid flooring is, let’s go through the steps to install it in your home or property.

1. Double-check your measurements and prepare your installation tools

Presumably, you’ve already measured your floor space and bought the right quantity of hybrid flooring panels for your space, but it’s good to re-measure and double-check that you have the right number and size of panels before you install them. It will also be helpful to have the following tools:

Chalk or pencil
Tape measure
A wooden block (can be scrap or a trimmed piece of the flooring)
A power saw
Tape
Utility knife
Ruler
Rubber mallet

2. Visualise the space

Remember that hybrid flooring often comes with wood timber patterns that should be laid a certain way to ensure it doesn’t look disjointed—this will help create an illusion of authenticity to the wood patterns. If your hybrid flooring has different shading, you may also want to consider where you want the darker parts to lay, and where the lighter parts should be. This is another advantage of hybrid flooring: because it doesn’t need to be glued down, you can move the pieces around as you visualise, helping you find the most cohesive look and feel for the floor.

3. Start laying down the planks

Once you’re ready to really get into it, start laying down your planks. It is recommended that you start from one side of the room across the other, lengthwise, as it looks better in terms of the wood patterns. Hybrid flooring planks will always have some sort of “click and lock” mechanism, making it easy to “snap” the floor planks into place. Make sure that you also have equal-sized spacers at each side of the wall, giving room for the flooring to expand and shrink due to temperature changes.

4. Continue the installation row by row

Now that you’ve started the first row, it should be easier to continue laying down the rest of the floor. You can cut shorter planks at this point to help stagger them throughout the installation, if that is appropriate for the look you are going for. Throughout the process, remember that you can always adjust the plank by cutting bits off little by little using your tools: draw a straight line with your pencil or chalk following the ruler, then run your knife along the line, guided by the ruler, making sure to cut through the laminated top layer of the material. Then you can easily snap it off with your hands to fit into the space. A power saw can also do this, if you have that on hand.

5. Finish the installation

Keep laying, adjusting, and locking the hybrid flooring planks into place until you’ve covered the entire floor area. Check that the planks are parallel to the walls, and go over the joints and connecting areas to ensure they’ve laid flat and are not raised. Use your rubber mallet to tap them into place if they are not fully “locked” to ensure that you get a smooth surface all throughout the floor space. It should feel tight and secure. If you’ve installed the hybrid flooring in a wet room, such as a kitchen or bathroom, make sure that you seal the spaces where the floor meets the wall with a waterproof sealant. This will help ensure that your hybrid flooring will last longer and be less prone to replacements or repairs.

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