Hard Flooring – Making or breaking the budget

If we give the analogy of your home is a piece of ART, then your flooring is the canvass it is painted on.

Your flooring sets the scene for the atheistic & style of your home and it is the first layer to each room’s mood. Beyond the mood-setting aspects of your floor, your flooring needs to stand the test of time.

The advancements in flooring mean as homeowners we have never had more choice. But with that choice comes decisions not just on colour tones, textures and material but also on ‘what is the smart decision for our type of home’.

So let’s break down the 3 hard flooring options at play!

Engineered Timber Flooring

Let’s cover off what actually is ‘Engineered Timber’ flooring.

The word ‘Engineered’ comes from the fact that the board is made up of a top layer of natural hardwood that is then glued on top of a more affordable plywood (or sometimes pine or Eucalypt) substrate. It is the merger of the hardwood top layer with the sturdy substrate that makes this an affordable (& some may argue more durable) option when compared to 100% natural hardwood flooring options.

Because Engineered Timber Flooring has the hardwood top layer, yet it is more affordable is ‘why’ it is the most popular flooring with homeowners. Put simply, Engineered Timber has the most natural & beautiful cosmetic finish. The options available are unlimited and the beauty of it is–that it is real timber in its most stable form.

Engineered Timber is great for middle to upper-end valued homes from a return-on-investment perspective and it is also a great way to freshen up a tired home.

Premium Laminate Flooring

Now I can hear some of you already, please don’t be put off by the word ‘Laminate’!

A quality laminate board has come a long way in all aspects – style, texture and quality.

Going down the path of a laminate floor can be a truly smart investment. Laminate is not only cost effective but it is also one of the most durable options available on the market. But a word of warning, as highlighted above this needs to be a ‘quality’ Laminate – don’t be fooled by cheap and nasty products being advertised.

Laminate flooring is ideal for those looking for durability in busy/heavy foot traffic areas and is especially ideal for investment properties. Laminate is relatively swift to install and if not laid under fixed cabinetry such as kitchens, laminate can easily be replaced.

Hybrid Flooring

Hybrid Flooring is the new Craze and understandable too.

Hybrid has nothing timber about it other than its cosmetic appearance. It is usually 100% waterproof and has the underlay built into it, so you have one less thing to worry about with your flooring journey.

However, like laminate be wary of cheaper products, as the construction of these boards can be quite poor. Hybrid is not only durable but is flexible and is the most cost-effective option in terms of getting a timber floor look in your home.

As with laminate, Hybrid’s qualities make it a great option for investment properties, or those heavy foot-traffic areas.

From the Author

Billy Subasi - Suburban Flooring Co

Managing Director

Regardless of which hard flooring option you chose, the quality of the product, the subfloor condition and the installation crew is key to having the floor of your dreams. Our showroom is a great way to check out all the options and have a chat.