Laminate or Hybrid? How to Make the Right Flooring Choice (Without Guesswork)
🕒 4 min read
Choosing the perfect flooring for your home can feel overwhelming. Laminate and hybrid (SPC) flooring both look fantastic and offer affordability, but each serves a distinct purpose depending on your home’s environment.
Laminate Flooring
Ideal for living rooms, bedrooms, and other dry areas.
Affordable with attractive, realistic wood finishes.
Requires a dry and stable subfloor.
Not suitable for wet areas; can swell or warp if exposed to moisture.
Hybrid SPC Flooring
Completely waterproof, ideal for kitchens, bathrooms, laundries, and even entire home coverage.
More stable with less expansion and contraction
Highly durable with scratch-resistant surfaces, perfect for busy families and pet owners.
Requires a smooth, well-prepared subfloor for optimal performance.
How to Choose the Best Flooring for Your Needs?
Ask yourself these key questions:
- Do you have concrete or timber subfloors?
- Is your floor level or uneven?
- Do you have pets, children, or a busy lifestyle?
- ️Are you aiming for consistent flooring throughout wet and dry spaces?
- What's your budget, and what's your ideal look?
📞 Ready to Choose Smarter? Let’s Make It Easy.
Flooring is a long term decision and we’re here to help you get it right.
✅ Explore our waterproof SPC flooring ranges
✅ Book a free expert consultation – no pressure
✅ Order free samples delivered NZ-wide
Can laminate flooring be installed in kitchens or bathrooms?
Laminate flooring is not recommended for wet areas, as it can warp or swell with moisture. SPC/hybrid flooring is a better choice for these spaces.
Is hybrid flooring good if I have pets or young children?
Yes, hybrid flooring is highly durable, scratch-resistant, and waterproof, making it ideal for busy households with pets and kids.
Can laminate and hybrid flooring be installed over uneven floors?
Both types require reasonably level subfloors. Hybrid flooring can handle minor variations better, but significant unevenness should be addressed prior to installation.
How long do laminate and hybrid floors typically last?
Good-quality laminate typically lasts around 10–15 years, while hybrid flooring often lasts 15–20 years or more, depending on care and traffic levels.
What makes SPC hybrid flooring different from regular laminate?
SPC (Stone Polymer Composite) flooring is fully waterproof and made with a rigid core, making it more stable in changing temperatures and humidity. Laminate, while cost-effective, isn’t suitable for wet areas or environments with moisture.
Can I install hybrid or laminate flooring myself?
Both flooring types use click-lock systems that are DIY-friendly. However, hybrid flooring is more forgiving and often easier to install due to its rigidity and waterproof design.
Do I need underlay for laminate or hybrid flooring?
Laminate flooring always needs a separate underlay. Most quality SPC hybrid floors include a built-in underlay saving time, cost, and effort during installation.
Will hybrid flooring look like real timber?
Absolutely. Many SPC hybrid floors feature high-definition timber-look textures with matte finishes that look just like real wood without the maintenance or moisture issues.
What subfloors work best for hybrid flooring?
SPC hybrid flooring works best on clean, level surfaces like concrete or timber. Thanks to its rigid core, it can handle slight imperfections better than laminate.
