Engineered, hybrid and laminate get lumped together because they all tend to click or float. Underneath they are different products, with different movement, different tolerance for water and different options when the surface wears out.
For the basic material differences, see timber vs hybrid vs laminate.
Engineered timber
Engineered boards are a real timber wear layer over a stable core, often plywood or multi-ply. They move less in width than solid timber, but the timber face is still hygroscopic, so humidity still matters. Leave expansion gaps, especially on floating installs. Around 8–12mm or more at the perimeter is typical unless the product sheet says otherwise.
Glue-down on slabs is common in Melbourne apartments. It feels more planted than floating, and body corp acoustic packs often assume glue-down with a specific underlay or membrane.
Wear layers commonly sit around 2–6mm. Thin veneers may allow 0–1 careful sands; thicker 3mm+ may allow more. Don’t assume a timber face means unlimited resands. Check with the manufacturer for the specific product.
Seasonally, expect smaller width gaps than solid, though floating engineered can still show end gaps or length movement if the room runs dry or the perimeter is pinched. Occupied indoor RH is often discussed around 40–60%; an empty heated apartment can sit well outside that range and the floor will show it.
Laminate
Laminate is a photographic timber print on a dense fibreboard (HDF) core. The surface is tough when the wear layer is good, but the edges do not cope with standing water. Swelling at the seams is the classic failure after a mop flood or bathroom steam.
It looks uniform because the print repeats, which suits people after a calm, consistent look and disappoints anyone expecting the variation of real hardwood. Laminate can’t be resanded like solid timber. Once the print wears through, you’re replacing boards or the whole floor.
Floating is the usual install, and expansion gaps still apply. Heavy furniture pinning the floor in the middle of a run is a common cause of peaking.
Hybrid
Hybrid has a plastic core with a printed face. Humidity barely moves it, but temperature does. In hot north-facing rooms, behind big glass, or over underfloor heating, leave room for expansion and follow the maximum surface temperatures on the product sheet.
Waterproof claims refer to the core; they don’t cover installation mistakes. Seams, wet-area detailing and underlay still matter. Underfoot it feels cooler and firmer than timber. Some people mind that; plenty don’t.
Floating floors and expansion gaps
Floating systems need room to move for the life of the floor, not just on install day.
- Keep perimeter gaps clear (often around 8–12mm or more; the product’s own rules take priority)
- Don’t fill the gap with silicone that bonds the floor to the wall
- Cabinetry, island benches and plaster returns that pin the floor will cause peaking
- After renovations, check the gap is still clear; trades sometimes pack material into the void
Click joints aren’t a structural connection. Dragging appliances and slamming doors both put strain on the locks, so lift heavy furniture instead of sliding it.
Resand limits (engineered) and end of life
Engineered floors can be sanded only if the veneer thickness allows it, and only carefully. Many Melbourne apartment products are thin enough that one light sand is the realistic ceiling, and sometimes none at all. Factory finishes also mean the usual refresh is a recoat; a full sand back to raw timber is rarer.
Laminate and hybrid have no traditional resand option. Wear through the print and you’re into board replacement or a full uplift.
Wet areas
- Engineered timber: usually fine in kitchens where spills get wiped up, particularly glue-down. Bathrooms and laundries are usually not suitable.
- Laminate: keep it out of wet zones. Steam and standing water get into the edges.
- Hybrid: the usual choice where a timber look is wanted near water. Wet rooms still need proper detailing; a waterproof core doesn’t make the whole installation waterproof.
Noise
Floating floors on underlay sound different to glue-down. Body corps generally care about impact sound reaching the neighbours below; how quiet the floor feels inside your own flat is a separate question. Use the acoustic system the body corp approves; the cheapest underlay on the shelf rarely satisfies it.
A hollow sound underfoot usually comes down to underlay choice or a floating system on a hard slab. Some people hate it; others stop noticing within a week. Walk a finished sample room if you can.
Care mostly comes down to controlling grit and using the correct cleaners — see floor care. For matching a system to your building, see how to choose timber flooring and supply & install.