Laminate Flooring vs Hybrid Flooring review
– A Sydney Market Perspective
This article explains what laminate flooring is and how it compares with hybrid flooring, written specifically for the Sydney market. Everything here is based on the Floorplan Studio team’s many years of experience supplying and installing laminate flooring across Sydney and NSW. The purpose is not to follow trends or marketing language, but to share practical, honest advice that actually helps homeowners make decisions.
Laminate flooring is built around a high-density fibreboard (HDF) core. On top of this core is a decorative layer that carries the timber look, followed by a tough wear layer. Underneath, there is a balancing layer designed to reduce moisture coming up from the subfloor. If you look at the cross-section of a laminate board and see compressed wood with a printed “paper” layer on top, you are looking at laminate flooring.
Most laminate floors use a four-side click-lock system and are installed as floating floors, together with underlay and a moisture barrier. Thickness usually ranges from around 8mm to 14mm. When you hold a laminate board in your hands, it feels heavy and solid, and it does not bend easily. This sense of strength is one of the reasons laminate flooring has remained popular for so long.
One of laminate flooring’s strongest features is its exceptional wear resistance. The surface contains aluminium oxide, which gives laminate very high resistance to scratching and abrasion. Heavy furniture such as dining tables, sofas, and even pianos can sit on laminate flooring without causing damage. This makes laminate especially suitable for busy households.
Wear resistance is usually described using AC ratings, such as AC3, AC4, and AC5. In today’s Sydney market, AC4 has effectively become the standard for residential use, while AC5 is more common in commercial spaces. For most homes, AC4 laminate flooring is already more than sufficient.
Wear resistance is usually described using AC ratings, such as AC3, AC4, and AC5. In today’s Sydney market, AC4 has effectively become the standard for residential use, while AC5 is more common in commercial spaces. For most homes, AC4 laminate flooring is already more than sufficient.
Water resistance is often misunderstood. Many laminate floors today are described as being water resistant for a certain number of hours, such as 24, 48, or 72 hours. In simple terms, a longer time usually means better resistance to swelling when exposed to water. However, laminate flooring is not waterproof. There is no truly waterproof laminate floor. Some products simply expand less than others when soaked. Any laminate product marketed as “waterproof” is usually relying on wording rather than reality. This does not mean laminate flooring is a bad product—it simply means its limits should be understood clearly.
Laminate flooring is a very mature product in Sydney. There are countless colours, finishes, and board sizes available. Well-known brands such as Preference Floors, Quick-Step, Wonderwood Floors, and Topdeck Floors all offer laminate ranges. Some suppliers even create their own exclusive products directly from overseas factories. This level of competition gives consumers more choice and keeps prices relatively affordable, which is why laminate flooring is often seen as a cost-effective option.
Many people ask whether laminate flooring from large hardware stores like Bunnings is worth buying. The answer is that it can work, but specialist flooring stores usually offer better-designed products, a wider range of matching accessories, clearer installation advice, and more complete after-sales service. For most homeowners, there is little advantage in buying laminate flooring from a hardware chain rather than a dedicated flooring supplier.
Laminate flooring also benefits from a very complete system. Matching trims, metal edges, scotia, and stair nosing are readily available. Installation methods are well developed, and requirements such as subfloor levelling, expansion gaps, and edge finishing are well understood today. Laminate flooring can be used in apartments, houses, shops, and offices. In practice, the brand itself is less important than proper installation. When the subfloor is prepared correctly and the details are handled properly, laminate flooring performs reliably.
A common question is how much laminate flooring costs to install in Sydney. As a rough guide, supply and installation usually range from around $50 to $100 per square metre, depending on board size, colour, AC rating, and brand. When additional work such as carpet removal, subfloor levelling, and edge finishing is required, the total cost may increase to $100–$200 per square metre. These figures vary from project to project, but they reflect typical market conditions.
Another frequent question is how long laminate flooring lasts. In most cases, laminate flooring can last 10 to 30 years. While factors such as AC rating, thickness, and water resistance matter, installation quality matters even more. Poorly installed laminate flooring can fail within a few years, while well-installed laminate flooring can perform well for decades.
Homeowners also ask whether laminate flooring adds value to a property. The answer is yes—if it is installed well. Poor flooring reduces value, but good laminate flooring can significantly improve the look and usability of a home. Many Sydney homes are replacing carpet with laminate flooring to create a more consistent, open look, improve ease of cleaning, and reduce allergy issues. Laminate flooring is often one of the fastest and most cost-effective ways to improve the overall feel of a home.
When asked about ideal thickness, our experience points to 12mm laminate flooring. After many years of installation work, this thickness has proven to be the most stable, with the fewest long-term issues.
This brings us to the key comparison: laminate flooring vs hybrid flooring.
Hybrid flooring is often chosen for its waterproof properties and low expansion rate. Laminate flooring, by contrast, is chosen for its wear resistance, structural strength, and higher tolerance of imperfect subfloors. Hybrid flooring boards tend to be more brittle, require very flat subfloors, and are sensitive to heat and strong sunlight.
Choosing between the two depends on how your home is used. If water spills are unlikely but there is frequent furniture movement, active children, or pets running around, laminate flooring is often the better choice. If water exposure is common—such as frequent spills, pets still toilet training, fish tanks, pools nearby, or daily mopping—hybrid flooring may offer greater peace of mind.
Objective site conditions also matter. Many Sydney houses, especially on upper levels, use yellow tongue subfloors, which can be difficult and expensive to level perfectly. In these cases, the cost of preparing the floor for hybrid flooring can exceed the cost of the flooring itself. Laminate flooring is often more forgiving in these situations. Homes with strong direct sunlight through large windows, very hot roof spaces, or powerful heaters near the floor should also avoid hybrid flooring, as heat can cause movement and deformation.
This article may sound slightly more positive towards laminate flooring, and there is a reason for that. Laminate flooring has one main weakness—water—and water is usually a manageable risk. Hybrid flooring’s weaknesses are often linked to environmental factors such as temperature, sunlight, and subfloor conditions, which are harder to control. This does not mean hybrid flooring is a bad product. In fact, the author’s own home uses hybrid flooring without issues. The key is choosing the right product for the right conditions.
In summary, laminate flooring is a highly mature and widely used flooring option in Sydney. It is strong, wear resistant, affordable, tolerant of uneven subfloors, and unaffected by heat or sunlight. For many homes, it remains the most practical choice.
Floorplan Studio supplies and installs laminate flooring across Sydney and NSW. Over the past ten years, our team has focused on selecting stable, durable, and visually balanced laminate flooring and refining installation methods to suit local conditions. We offer a wide range of brands and designs, all carefully selected based on real performance. You are welcome to visit our showroom, view the products in person, and speak with our team for honest, practical advice.
