Choosing The Right Hard Flooring for your Home

With so many flooring options available, it can be hard to know where to start. Choosing the right hard flooring for your home will change the style, functionality and durability of the most used surface you own.
During our selections process, a visit to our local Carpet Court is scheduled with your Selections Consultant. This ensures you have every option available to you and can speak directly with our flooring specialists.
We have compiled our top tips for selecting your hard flooring, which is a great tool for researching your options before your selections appointment.
Exploring the types of hard flooring available
While the overall look is important, your home lifestyle should determine the first decision in your final flooring choice. Here are our customers most requested flooring options:
Engineered Timber Flooring
Engineered flooring is a timber floorboard topped with a veneer of a timber variety that you choose plus layers of either plywood, rubberwood or hevea underneath. Consequently, they are more stable than traditional timber flooring.
They still offer the classic and elegant look of a traditional timber floor, and give that classic solid hardwood feel under foot. This modern take also offers the durability and longevity that can be sanded and refinished when the time comes.
Vinyl Flooring
This flooring option brings a balance between being practical and visually pleasing. Vinyl is water-resistant and is known as the most noise friendly option. With a core of PVC and layers of synthetic materials, the ‘wear layer’ is the most important as this protects the surface from everyday life.
- Q-Lay 2.0mm Vinyl Plank in Bushwick Oak
- Q-Lay 2.0mm Vinyl Plank in Bushwick Oak
- Q-Lay 2.0mm Vinyl Plank in Bushwick Oak
Laminate Flooring
Laminate is a composite product that features multiple protective layers of high-density fibreboard and a melamine or aluminium oxide (both are types of plastic) protective layer which makes this your scratch and stain resistant friend. A great choice for busy homes.
Hybrid Flooring
This hybrid option brings together the best of both vinyl and laminate flooring giving you a hard-wearing and water-resistant floor covering.
- Titan Hybrid Home in Natural Rustic Oak
- Titan Hybrid Home in Traditional Oak
- Titan Hybrid in Moonlight Gum
Choosing the colour and finish for your room
Now we are jumping into some more of the finer details. Your final colour choice and finish will compliment your rooms and your lifestyle. The colour can be your standout feature in your rooms or it can be chosen to compliment your furniture and décor.
Light colours play on the sense of space in a room, whereas dark colours give off depth and contrast.
Engineered Timber Flooring
Remembering that these are your classic timber floors so think either a glossy or matte finish, keeping in mind that you can sand and refinish if your style changes down the track. Colours come in a huge range from cool greys to warm rich golds and popular wood finishes are available – oak, blackbutt, jarrah and spotted gum to name a few.
- Regency Hardwood Engineered Timber in Blackbutt
- Native Squared Narrow Plank Engineered Timber in Tasmanian Oak
Vinyl Flooring
The finish of vinyl planks can replicate the look of popular woodgrain finishes in different thicknesses, widths and lengths. A commercial grade option can also replicate stone, geometric and abstract option in sheets, tiles or planks.
Laminate Flooring
Just like timber, laminate comes in a matte or glossy finish with plenty of colours and shades to select from. Different lengths and widths in varying thicknesses give you plenty of style options.
- Clix Laminate in Authentic Oak Light Grey
- Clix Laminate in Authentic Oak Light Grey
- Clix Plus Laminate in Oak Barrique
Hybrid Flooring
Much like vinyl flooring, the finish of hybrid planks can replicate the look of either wood, stone, terrazzo, marble and concrete. As with the other ranges, there are plenty of warm and cool colours to choose from.
- Armstong Essentials Hybrid in Warm Barnyard Grey
- Titan Hybrid Home in Traditional Oak
- Armstong Hybrid in Blonde Oak
Looking long term at maintenance
Yes, we all must do it. The regular task of cleaning and maintenance can quickly sway your decision. All these hard floor options cater for brooms, microfibre mops, vacuums (with a hardwood floor attachment, if your vacuum has one) and damp mops. The only exception is vinyl and hybrid which can tolerate wet mopping.
Keeping your furry friends in mind
With a huge 69% of Australian households owning a pet, the ideal flooring for your home doesn’t just stop at the humans. As much as we love our pets, they do bring plenty of dirt inside, scratch their nails over the flooring and add moisture to your home.
Laminate is great for a scratch resistant surface, whereas vinyl and hybrid are water resistant for those puppy accidents or dribbly drinkers. You know your pet best and what their habits are.
The quick choices:
We have summarised the most popular reasons for your floor choice to narrow down your selections:
High-Traffic area friendly: vinyl, laminate or hybrid
Water resistant: vinyl and hybrid
Pet friendly: laminate, vinyl and hybrid
Budget friendly: laminate
Long lasting: engineered
Kookaburra Homes customer favourite: vinyl and hybrid
Looking for more inspiration? Check out Our Projects to see more flooring inspiration.
By Amy Rosendale