We live in such an advanced world that sometimes it seems as if there cannot be anything genuinely new. It is hard to find new products when you are talking about industries such as flooring, where it seems like it has all been done before. There are several well-established types of flooring. Each has its features and benefits that make it preferable for specific uses.
However, when we do find these innovations, the Online Flooring Store is proud to be at the forefront of bringing these products to the market. This new category, which has been the result of bringing 2 existing categories together is Timber Top Hybrid Flooring.
What is Timber Top Hybrid Flooring?
Timber Top Hybrid flooring as the name suggests, is a hybrid floor with a veneer of natural timber or bamboo on top. To understand the Timber Top Hybrid and why it is such an exciting addition to the flooring world, we first need to understand hybrid flooring in general.
A Brief Discussion about Hybrid Flooring
Standard hybrid flooring combines the best qualities of vinyl and laminate flooring. The result is a durable, water-resistant floor that is easy to care for and looks fantastic.
Hybrid flooring is an excellent choice for those who enjoy doing projects in their home. It is easy to install and does not require a significant amount of technical capability. Manufacturers and The Online Flooring Store are happy to help DIYers who experience problems with installing hybrid floors.
Hybrid floors work well on top of several kinds of flooring including,
- Concrete
- Floorboards
- Plywood
- Tile
- Vinyl
Is Timber Top Hybrid Flooring Suitable for the Do it Yourselfer?
Timber Top and other hybrid floors are suitable for do-it-yourself projects. Additionally, most reasonably handy homeowners should have no trouble with installing the flooring, provided a little care is taken, and the manufacturer’s instructions are followed.
Three Important Points about the Installation
- You must install the flooring on top of a smooth and level surface. You can quickly check to see if your floor is in good shape for adding hybrid Flooring. Lay a straight edge (such as a spirit level,) on top of your floor. It should lie flat on the floor with little or no movement. If your straight edge rocks from side to side, this represents a high point in the floor. If it forms a bridge, and you can see light under your straightedge, it means you have found a low point. The Manufacturer’s installation instructions will let you know how much tolerance is available to you. If your floor falls outside of this range, and you are not confident attempting subfloor preparation, it is time to engage a professional.
- Do not lay hybrid flooring on top of the debris. Any sharp edges such as screws can pierce through the back of the hybrid flooring. Ensure that the floor is clean, and all debris removed, and remain vigilant on this point during your installation, as small pieces that are cut from your flooring as you work may be left behind.
- Follow the Manufacturer’s instructions at all times when you are installing your new floor. Whilst this should go without saying, many people jump into the job without prior knowledge or having read the instructions. Short cuts can make long, costly delays.
How was Timber Top Hybrid Flooring Developed?
Years of research went into developing Timber Tops, and in its early development, it seemed that the category may be too unstable to pursue.
The concept of placing natural timber veneer on top of another core and base to create a composite product was not a new idea. However, early manufacturers tried and failed to create a timber veneer on a Hybrid core product that was fit for consumer use.
It took a few years of development, but the solution was quite a simple one: weight.
The problem with Early Timber Top Hybrid Prototypes lay in laminating the timber micro veneer to the Hybrid core. While a micro veneer has little strength, when it is laminated to another product, and not balanced from behind, it has the strength to lift the core that it is bonded to under certain weather conditions.
Initial versions were on a 7mm Hybrid core because, at this time, a 7mm SPC core was considered very heavy. Simply making the Hybrid core thicker, making it too heavy for the Micro Veneer of timber to lift and stabilised the entire system.
What is Currently Available
Right now, Online Flooring Store offers two different categories of Timber Top Hybrid flooring on our website:
- The GAT Bamboo Collection – The GAT Bamboo flooring comes in a natural Bamboo shade. It features a 1.2mm veneer of real strand woven bamboo on top of a Hybrid Core.
- The Storm Deluxe Hybrid Collection – The Storm Deluxe collection, offers a mix of both Australian Species and European Oak Veneers. The Australian Species use a .6mm veneer of real Australian Timber, and the Oaks feature a 1.2mm veneer of genuine European Oak.
Following the Natural Look
The short answer to the question is yes, and it looks like natural wood because it IS a natural wood veneer that is seen on the top of the product.
*Case Study*
Clem from Online Flooring Store recants the following story:
‘I had a customer call one Saturday morning in a fluster as he had bought a new house, and had organized a floor sander to come and sand and finish his floor in his new home to bring it back to life. What he was unaware of was that it was a Micro-Veneer timber, and neither he nor the floor sander was able to tell that it was anything other than a solid timber floor.’
‘He was to learn to his dismay after the floor sander had sanded back about twelve metres of the flooring and had sanded off the Micro-Veneer, that this was not the solid timber that he thought it was.’
To the untrained (and in some cases trained,) eye, Micro Veneer timbers are indistinguishable from regular engineered timber floors because they are real timber. From the top, it is just not possible to tell how thick the product is.
Home Suitability
Timber Top Hybrid flooring is ideal for most areas of your home. It has an elegant high-end look that makes a perfect backdrop for all styles of décor.
You can install Timber Top Hybrid flooring in areas where traditional hybrid flooring would go. Living Rooms, dining rooms, bedrooms, hallways, and other areas are good locations for Timber Top Hybrid flooring.
You should avoid outdoor use. While the product resists water in household situations, such as spills or wet shoes, prolonged exposure to the elements will result in damage to the product. Additionally, indoor products often lack the slip ratings required for external usage.
Timber Top Hybrid Flooring should not be laid in wet areas, as while the hybrid core is waterproof, the veneer is real timber and is likely to be damaged by water over time.
Timber Top Hybrid flooring is an ideal alternative to natural timber flooring. The product gives you the upscale look of 100 per cent timber at a fraction of the cost. Additionally, placing a thin layer of bamboo or timber onto a Hybrid core requires a much smaller amount of slow-growing timber is used. This makes it a great environmentally friendly option for creating a greener home space.
More Facts
Customers often want to know as much as possible about a product before they decide whether or not it is right for them.
To help you make that choice, here are some facts about Timber Top Hybrid flooring:
- The core of the Timber Top flooring is waterproof. Period.
- Timber Top flooring is not entirely scratch proof. The same care you would take with a real timber floor should be taken with Timber Top Hybrid Flooring. Scratches can be disguised for a time by rubbing an oil-based product like WD40 into the scratch. Mr Sheen will also achieve the same result. They will make this area of the floor slippery for a time, so take care, and use it sparingly.
- By using a Hybrid Core, Timber Top Hybrid can be laid in much greater raft sizes before expansion brakes are required than Solid or engineered timber flooring can. This gives a much more seamless look to the finished job.
If you would like to learn more about Timber Top Hybrid flooring, do not hesitate to contact the Online Flooring Store. Our friendly and knowledgeable staff is happy to answer your questions and provide any assistance that you need with your new floor.
