When you have energetic children, playful pets, and constant foot traffic, your house floors take the most hits. Soon, you’ll be grappling with dents, scratches, and markings that impact the aesthetics of your space.
For instance, toy trucks and running pets can scratch hardwood floors, while pet food and spills can lead to stains and attract pests.
For that reason, you need a flooring option that’s tough, practical, and easy to live with, especially if you have kids and pets. Hybrid flooring delivers the comfort and durability that modern families need, and you can see the latest waterproof hybrid flooring designs that suit your style.
Below, we explore why hybrid flooring is the ideal flooring for families with kids and pets.
What’s Hybrid Flooring?
Hybrid flooring combines vinyl, laminate, and timber into a versatile, durable flooring solution for your home. It features the aesthetics of wood, the toughness of laminate, and the water resistance of vinyl.
Typical hybrid flooring is built with:
- A durable wear layer to resist stains and scratches
- A printed design layer for a realistic wood design
- A rigid core (WPC or SPC) for stability and longevity
- An acoustic underlay for comfort and quieter steps
This structure makes hybrid flooring a reliable and long-lasting flooring solution for most modern homes in Australia. You can install it in your laundries, bathrooms, kitchens, living rooms, and other rooms in your home.
Types of Hybrid Flooring
There are two different types of hybrid flooring you can consider installing in your home:
- WPC flooring: WPC is preferred for decking applications, and it’s made of PVC and limestone powder with a foaming agent. But it has an aerated core, which creates different problems like air bubbles.
- SPC flooring: SPC doesn’t contain a foaming agent, but has a higher limestone content, usually 80% or more. It’s solid, making it superior to WPC. This means it also costs more.
When considering hybrid flooring for your home, SPC is a better option thanks to its solid core, which bonds to a picture film easily and ensures a sturdier construction.
What makes it Perfect for Families with Pets and Kids
When planning a flooring installation, here are good reasons that make hybrid flooring the right solution for your home:
1. Exceptional Durability
Hybrid floors boast a multi-layered construction that can withstand everyday activities and impacts that cause dents, stains, and scratches.
For instance, toys get dropped, furniture gets dragged, accidents happen, and pets sprint across the floor. With a poor flooring option, these activities can leave scratches and dents that ruin the look of your floors.
But hybrid flooring holds up better against everyday wear and tear than traditional flooring options. It also withstands extreme temperature changes, reducing expansion and contraction that can lead to warping and buckling.
2. 100% Waterproof
With kids and pets, you can expect spills, splashes, and occasional messes on your floors. With bydrid flooring, you don’t have to worry about the impact of such messes. Its core creates a watertight seal that withstands spills and liquids.
This also makes hybrid floors an excellent flooring option for moisture-prone areas, such as kitchens, laundries, and bathrooms. The waterproof element gives you peace of mind, as you don’t need to worry about water damage.
3. Easy to Clean
Kids and pets generate mess when at home; you’ll constantly need to clean your floors to keep your home, and that’s just part of family life.
But hybrid flooring makes the whole experience easier for you. You can simply wipe the planks with a wet cloth or mop to clean spills. A quick vacuum removes crumbs, dust, and pet hair, and you don’t need special polish or cleaners to get the job done.
This flooring option is also ideal for households with members who are prone to allergies. Its surface doesn’t hold onto allergens as carpet does.
4. Family-Budget Friendly
Flooring renovations in Australia can be expensive, costing between $25 and $250 per square metre. You’ll have to pay a hefty price tag, especially if you want hardwood flooring.
Hybrid flooring gives you the look and style of hardwood floors without digging deep into your pockets. You can get great options for your home for less than $40 per square metre, making it the perfect alternative to engineered timber and hardwood floors.
The installation cost of hybrid flooring is also lower than that of traditional floors. This is because they feature a click-lock system that makes the process cheaper and quicker. If you’re a DIY-savvy homeowner, you can even install hybrid flooring yourself.
But if you haven’t worked with this type of floor, it’s advisable to hire a professional to help with the installation.
5. Pet-Friendly Design
Pets are beloved members of the family, but they also create a mess you have to clean up almost every day. The good thing is that you can stave off some of the challenges that come with owning a pet.
Hybrid flooring makes that possible thanks to its claw-resistant surface, which prevents scratches for your furry friends. It features a wear layer that your dog or cat can scratch.
Unlike carpets, hybrid floors do not absorb pet odours. In the event of accidents, you can clean them up quickly without lingering odours. Also, some floors come with slip-resistant surfaces to improve traction, helping prevent falls and crashes for older pets or energetic puppies.
Consider Hybrid Flooring for Your Home
If you’re looking for flooring that can stand up to scratches, spills, and constant activity, hybrid flooring is one of the most practical solutions for family homes. It’s durable, easy to maintain, comfortable, pet-friendly, and affordable.
Whether you’re renovating your home or updating your kitchen, hybrid flooring gives your space a fresh look and ensures optimal performance and reliability. You can choose your preferred option from popular brands like Complete Floors, Airstep, and Terra Mater Floors.
When you’re ready, you can see the latest waterproof hybrid flooring designs in our vast collection.
