By Tony Chalhoub, founder of CarpetAce
Short answer: Choose hybrid for kitchens, laundries, open-plan living and busy homes with kids or pets, because its planks resist water. Choose laminate for dry rooms such as bedrooms, studies and living areas, where its very hard-wearing surface and slightly lower price make sense. At CarpetAce, laminate is about $40/m² and Terra Mater Resiplank hybrid is $45–$65/m², supply only, and both are $28/m² to install, all including GST.
In the box, hybrid and laminate look almost the same: timber-look planks that click together and float over the floor. The difference is inside the plank, and it decides which rooms each one belongs in. Here’s how they compare, with our real prices.
In this guide
- What’s the difference?
- Hybrid vs laminate at a glance
- Hybrid: pros and cons
- Laminate: pros and cons
- Which floor for which room
- What it costs
- Frequently asked questions
What’s the difference?
Laminate is a high-density fibreboard (HDF) core under a photographic timber layer and a hard, clear wear layer. The surface is very hard-wearing, but the fibreboard core doesn’t like water. The boards float over a separate underlay, with a moisture barrier over a concrete slab. We supply Terra Mater NuCore Excellence (12mm, AC4) and NuCore Extreme (12mm, AC5, rated for heavy commercial use), and Airlay Rustic (8mm and 12mm, AC4) and Woodland Oak.
Hybrid is a rigid-core plank with a printed timber look under a clear wear layer and an underlay bonded to the back. The core is built to resist water, which is the main reason people choose it over laminate. Terra Mater Resiplank comes in 7mm, 8.5mm and 9.7mm, with a 0.5mm wear layer on the two thinner planks and 0.7mm on the 9.7mm. We also supply UB Trading Aqua Stone, a stone polymer composite (SPC) plank, and Airlay Oakwood Hybrid.
Both are printed floors, not real timber. If you want real timber, read hybrid vs engineered timber.
Hybrid vs laminate at a glance
| Hybrid (Resiplank) | Laminate (NuCore, Airlay) | |
|---|---|---|
| Core | Rigid core built to resist water | High-density fibreboard (HDF) |
| Water | Terra Mater lists the planks as 100% waterproof; the floor isn’t a waterproof barrier for the subfloor | Keep it away from water: Terra Mater lists NuCore Extreme with 24-hour water resistance, not as waterproof |
| Scratches | The wear layer resists everyday scuffs | Very hard-wearing surface; AC5 boards are rated for heavy commercial use |
| Underlay | Bonded to the back of every plank | Separate underlay, included in our installation price |
| Sound underfoot | Terra Mater publishes acoustic ratings of 5 Star (7mm, 8.5mm) and 6 Star (9.7mm) | Can sound a little hollow if the underlay is poor, especially upstairs |
| Thickness in our ranges | 7mm, 8.5mm or 9.7mm | 8mm or 12mm |
| Underfloor heating | Resiplank listed for hydronic systems up to 27°C | NuCore listed for in-slab hydronic systems up to 27°C |
| Can it be sanded? | No | No |
| Installation (per m²) | $28, floating | $28, floating, underlay included |
| Supply price (inc GST) | $45 (7mm), $55 (8.5mm), $65 (9.7mm) | About $40 |
Hybrid: pros and cons
Pros
- Handles water. Kitchen spills and wet dog paws won’t swell the planks, which is the biggest single reason to choose hybrid.
- Works almost everywhere in the house. One floor can run from the kitchen through the living areas and hallway, with no change of floor at the laundry door.
- Underlay already attached. There’s nothing extra to buy, and installation is $28/m².
- Acoustic ratings. Terra Mater publishes star ratings for Resiplank, which helps when an owners corporation asks for them.
Cons
- Costs a little more. $45–$65/m² supply against about $40 for laminate, though on a whole room the gap is smaller than people expect (see the costs below).
- Not a waterproof barrier. Water that runs under the edges or through the joins can still reach the subfloor, so although it can be laid there, we don’t recommend it in a bathroom with a shower or bath.
- Can’t be refinished. Once the wear layer is worn through or deeply gouged, it can’t be sanded back.
Browse our hybrid flooring or read what hybrid flooring is.
Laminate: pros and cons
Pros
- A lower supply price. About $40/m², with the underlay included in the $28/m² installation.
- A very hard surface. AC4 boards suit busy homes, and AC5 boards such as NuCore Extreme are rated for heavy commercial use, so laminate also works in offices and shops.
- A choice of thickness. Our laminate comes in 8mm and 12mm boards, and the thicker boards feel more solid underfoot.
Cons
- Doesn’t like water. If water gets into the joins, the fibreboard core can swell, and swollen edges don’t go back down. Keep laminate out of laundries, bathrooms and spill-prone kitchens.
- The underlay matters. A floating laminate floor over a poor underlay can sound hollow, so we include a proper underlay, with a moisture barrier over a slab.
- Can’t be refinished. Like hybrid, it can’t be sanded back.
Browse our laminate flooring or read about the different types of laminate.
Which floor for which room
| Room | Hybrid | Laminate |
|---|---|---|
| Kitchen and meals | Yes, our first choice for most kitchens | Not recommended where spills are likely; hybrid is the safer choice |
| Laundry and powder room | Yes | Not recommended |
| Bathroom with a shower or bath | It can be laid, but we don’t recommend it: water can get through the joins and edges. Those bathrooms are usually tiled, and we don’t lay tiles | No |
| Living areas and hallways | Yes | Yes, away from water |
| Bedrooms and studies | Yes | Yes, a good fit |
| Upstairs and apartments | Yes, within the owners corporation’s rules | Yes, with a good underlay and within the owners corporation’s rules |
| Offices and shops | Yes | Yes, in an AC5 board |
| Rentals and homes with pets | Yes | In dry rooms |
Many homes use both: hybrid through the kitchen, living areas and laundry, and laminate or carpet in the bedrooms. Where two floors meet at a doorway, a trim finishes the join.
What it costs
Hard floors are ordered at floor area plus 8% for offcuts. Installation, underlay and edges are charged on the floor area. In these examples the skirting is removed and refitted at $20/m², so no scotia is needed. All prices include GST.
A 30 m² open-plan living area
| Item | Laminate | Hybrid 7mm | Hybrid 8.5mm |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flooring (32.4 m²) | × $40 = $1,296 | × $45 = $1,458 | × $55 = $1,782 |
| Installation (30 m² × $28) | $840, underlay included | $840, underlay attached | $840, underlay attached |
| Skirting removed and refitted (30 m² × $20) | $600 | $600 | $600 |
| Total | $2,736 | $2,898 | $3,222 |
On this room, 7mm hybrid costs $162 more than laminate. If the area includes the kitchen, that’s usually money well spent. The 9.7mm hybrid comes to $3,546. With scotia or quad beading ($10/m²) instead of refitting the skirting, take $300 off each total.
A 20 m² bedroom or study
Laminate: 21.6 m² × $40 = $864, plus $560 installation and $400 for the skirting, so $1,824. In 7mm hybrid it’s $1,932, $108 more.
Jobs under 20 m² have a $450 small-job charge, and apartment or body corporate jobs in homes add 10%. Floor preparation, door trimming and trims are quoted at the measure. We don’t paint, so your painter touches up the skirting afterwards. For more examples see our hybrid flooring prices, or price your own rooms with the instant price guide.
Frequently asked questions
Is hybrid better than laminate?
For kitchens, laundries and busy family homes, yes, because hybrid planks resist water and laminate’s fibreboard core doesn’t. In dry rooms laminate is just as good a floor, with a very hard surface, and it costs a little less.
Is laminate waterproof?
No. The surface is very hard-wearing, but the core doesn’t like water: Terra Mater lists NuCore Extreme with 24-hour water resistance, not as waterproof. Wipe spills up promptly and keep laminate out of wet areas.
Is hybrid waterproof?
Terra Mater lists the Resiplank planks as 100% waterproof, so spills won’t swell them. The floor as a whole isn’t a waterproof barrier, though: water that runs under the edges or through the joins can reach the subfloor. That’s why, although it can be laid there, we don’t recommend hybrid in a bathroom with a shower or bath.
Which is more scratch resistant?
Both resist everyday scratches well, and an AC5 laminate is rated for heavy commercial use. Grit is what scratches hard floors, so put a good mat at each outside door and felt pads under furniture, whichever you choose.
Which is quieter?
Both are floating floors, and both can sound hollow over a poor subfloor. Resiplank has the underlay bonded on and published acoustic ratings; laminate depends on its underlay, which is included in our installation. In an apartment, check what your owners corporation requires before choosing.
Do hybrid and laminate need underlay?
Every hybrid we sell has the underlay attached, so there’s nothing extra to buy. Laminate needs a separate underlay, which is included in our $28/m² installation, with a moisture barrier over a slab.
Can I see both floors in my home first?
Yes. Our mobile showroom brings hybrid and laminate samples to your home, so you can compare them in your own light. You can also preview a floor in a photo of your room with See it in your room.
Still deciding between all the hard floors? Our hard flooring guide compares engineered timber, hybrid, vinyl plank and laminate, and carpet vs hybrid helps with bedrooms.
Book a free measure and quote
We’ll bring hybrid and laminate samples to your home, check the subfloor and email a written quote within 24 hours of the measure. Book your free measure and quote or call 0425 552 816.