What Is Hybrid Flooring? A Floating Floor Guide

By Tony Chalhoub, founder of CarpetAce

Short answer: Hybrid flooring is a timber-look plank with a rigid, water-resistant core, a printed design under a clear wear layer, and an underlay bonded to the back. It’s called hybrid because it combines the firm, click-together board of laminate with the water resistance of vinyl. It’s laid as a floating floor: the planks lock together and sit on the subfloor without being glued or nailed down. At CarpetAce, Terra Mater Resiplank hybrid is $45–$65/m² supply only and $28/m² to install, including GST.

Here’s what hybrid actually is, how a floating floor works, and where hybrid does and doesn’t belong, from someone who has been installing floors for more than 20 years.

How a hybrid plank is made

From the top down, a hybrid plank such as Terra Mater Resiplank has four layers:

Wear layer: a clear, tough top coat that takes the scuffs. Resiplank’s is 0.5mm on the 7mm and 8.5mm planks and 0.7mm on the 9.7mm.
Design layer: a high-resolution print of timber (or stone), often with texture that follows the grain.
Rigid core: the stiff, water-resistant heart of the plank, 5–7mm thick in Resiplank depending on the plank. Stone polymer composite (SPC) planks such as UB Trading Aqua Stone use a dense stone-and-polymer core.
Attached underlay: Resiplank has an EVA underlay bonded to the back, so there’s no separate underlay to buy.

The rigid core is what separates hybrid from 5mm vinyl plank, which is flexible and needs a very flat floor because it shows bumps and dips underneath, and from laminate, whose fibreboard core doesn’t like water.

Is hybrid real timber?

No. Hybrid is sometimes sold as “hybrid wood flooring”, but there’s no real timber layer in it: the grain is a print under the wear layer. From across the room a good hybrid looks like oak or Spotted Gum; close up, and over the years, it’s a different floor. If you want real timber, the closest option is engineered timber, which has a real hardwood top layer that can usually be sanded and recoated. Our guide to hybrid vs engineered timber compares the two side by side.

What is a floating floor?

A floating floor isn’t fixed to the subfloor. The boards or planks lock together at the edges into one sheet that rests on the floor, held in place by its own weight and the locking joins. Hybrid, laminate and most engineered timber can be laid this way.

Expansion gap: a floating floor moves slightly with temperature, so it stops a few millimetres short of every wall. The skirting boards (removed and refitted, so the floor runs underneath) or a scotia moulding cover the gap.
A flat floor underneath: every maker sets a flatness tolerance. Laid over hollows or high spots, a floating floor can flex at the joins or sound hollow underfoot, so floor preparation matters more than people expect.
Over a slab: moisture is the main risk, so the slab should be tested first, and a moisture barrier goes down wherever the floor’s maker requires one.
Over an existing floor: a floating floor can often go over an existing hard floor if it’s flat and sound, which we check at the measure. Old carpet always comes up first.
Fixed items: anything heavy and fixed in place, like a kitchen island, shouldn’t pin a floating floor down, because the floor needs to move. We plan the layout around these at the measure.

The alternative is direct stick: engineered timber glued to the subfloor, which feels more solid and quieter underfoot but costs more to install ($35/m² plus $15/m² adhesive, against $28/m² for a floating hybrid). Our hard flooring guide explains each method.

Hybrid compared with other hard floors

	Hybrid	Laminate	Vinyl plank (5mm)	Engineered timber
Core	Rigid, water-resistant	High-density fibreboard	Flexible PVC	Real hardwood top layer on a layered core
Water	Planks resist water; water can get under edges and joins	Keep it away from water	As for hybrid	Wipe spills promptly
Can it be sanded?	No	No	No	Usually, yes
Laid	Floating	Floating over underlay	Glued or floated, by product	Floating or direct stick
Supply per m² (inc GST)	$45–$65	About $40	About $45	Oak from $89

The most common question is hybrid or laminate: read hybrid vs laminate for the full comparison and real costs. For bedrooms, carpet vs hybrid weighs comfort against easy cleaning.

Where hybrid works, and where it doesn’t

Room	Hybrid?
Kitchen and meals	Yes, our first choice for most kitchens: the planks resist water and the wear layer handles traffic
Open-plan living and hallways	Yes: one continuous timber look with no grout lines
Laundry and powder room	Yes
Kids, pets and rentals	Yes: the wear layer handles claws, toys and sand
Apartments	Yes, within the owners corporation’s rules. Terra Mater rates the 9.7mm plank 6 Star acoustic, and the 7mm and 8.5mm 5 Star
Bedrooms	It works, though most families still choose carpet for bedrooms
Bathroom with a shower or bath	It can be laid, but we don’t recommend it: water can get through the joins and edges to the subfloor. Those bathrooms are usually tiled, and we don’t lay tiles

What hybrid costs

Terra Mater Resiplank hybrid	Supply per m² (inc GST)
7mm	$45
8.5mm	$55
9.7mm	$65

Installation is $28/m² with nothing extra for underlay. Removing and refitting the skirting is $20/m² of floor, or scotia $10/m². As a guide, a 30 m² open-plan area in 8.5mm Resiplank with the skirting removed and refitted comes to about $3,222 including GST, before floor preparation: 32.4 m² of flooring (floor area plus 8% for offcuts) at $55, plus $840 installation and $600 for the skirting. Floor preparation is quoted at the measure. Our hybrid flooring prices page has more worked examples, or price your own rooms with the instant price guide.

How to clean and care for hybrid

Grit is the enemy. Sweep or vacuum with a hard-floor head, and put a good mat at each outside door.
Damp-mop, don’t flood. Use a well-wrung mop and a cleaner the floor’s maker recommends.
Steam mops: check the maker’s care guide first; many advise against them.
Spills: wipe them up promptly, so water doesn’t sit on the joins or run under the edges.
Furniture: felt pads under chair and table legs, and lift heavy furniture rather than dragging it.

Our flooring installation and care guide covers the first days after installation and everyday care.

Frequently asked questions

Is hybrid flooring waterproof?

Terra Mater lists the Resiplank planks as 100% waterproof, so kitchen spills won’t swell them. The floor isn’t a waterproof barrier for the subfloor, though: water that runs under the edges or through the joins can reach it. That’s why, although it can be laid there, we don’t recommend hybrid in a bathroom with a shower or bath.

Does hybrid flooring need underlay?

Not a separate one. Every hybrid we sell has the underlay attached to the plank, so there’s no underlay charge on top of the $28/m² installation.

Is hybrid good for pets?

Yes. The wear layer resists everyday scuffs from claws and toys, and the planks resist water. It isn’t scratch-proof, and it can’t be sanded back once the wear layer is worn through, so keep claws trimmed and grit off the floor.

Can hybrid go over tiles or an existing floor?

Often, yes, if the existing floor is flat and sound. We check it at the measure. A new floor can sit higher than the old one, so some doors may need trimming.

Can hybrid go over underfloor heating?

Terra Mater lists Resiplank as suitable for hydronic underfloor heating up to 27°C. Tell us about your heating at the measure.

Which thickness should I choose?

Thicker planks feel more solid underfoot, and the 9.7mm has the thicker 0.7mm wear layer and a 6 Star acoustic rating. The 7mm is a good floor for most rooms. Compare samples at home before you decide.

Book a free measure and quote

Our mobile showroom brings hybrid samples to your home, we check the subfloor and email a written quote within 24 hours of the measure. Browse our hybrid flooring, book your free measure and quote or call 0425 552 816.

What Is Hybrid Flooring? How It’s Made and How Floating Floors Work