A rigid core hybrid floor is about as low maintenance as flooring gets, but it is not bulletproof. On the Gold Coast the four things that wear one out early are direct sun through unprotected glass, sand and grit tracked in on bare feet, the wrong cleaning products, and a house left closed up in the heat. Get those four right and the floor looks after itself.
Why spring is the week to think about this
The floor that sailed through winter is about to meet the hardest six months it gets. The sun climbs, the morning and afternoon light comes in lower and longer through the glass, the beach and the pool are back in the routine, and the humidity starts to build. Most of what our care instructions ask for comes down to a handful of summer habits.
Sun through the glass is the big one
SPC hybrid vinyl changes colour with exposure to ultraviolet light, and how much depends on how much direct and indirect sun the floor takes. Sun beating through unprotected glass does two things: it fades and degrades the surface, and the heat makes the boards expand, which is how a floor ends up buckling, cupping or separating as it cools again.
- Blinds, curtains or a good quality window tint on the glass that takes the morning or afternoon sun, closed at the hours that sun is hitting the floor. Our care instructions treat this as essential, not optional, and floor left unprotected from direct sun is not covered by the product warranty.
- Move rugs, mats and furniture around every so often. A rug that sits in the same spot all summer leaves an outline when you finally lift it.
Sand and grit act like sandpaper
Nothing wears the surface of a floor faster than fine abrasive grit under a foot or a chair leg, and on the coast the grit is sand. It comes in on thongs, towels, kids and dogs from about now until Easter.
- Good quality, non-staining mats inside and outside every entrance door, and in the high traffic spots like the kitchen sink and the hallway. Avoid rubber or latex backed mats and coconut or grass fibre mats, which can stain the floor.
- Sweep or vacuum before you mop, every time. Mopping over sand just drags it across the surface. Check the vacuum head and broom for anything sharp first.
- Proper floor protectors on the dining chairs and bar stools. Most of the wear we are asked to look at is under the dining table. The hard plastic cups with a felt pad that hammer into the chair leg stay on far better than stick-on felts.
- A good quality, non-staining mat under any office chair on wheels. Castor wheels go straight through the coating.
How to clean it, and what never to use
Sweep or vacuum first. Then a microfibre mop, wet and wrung out well, with a pH neutral floor cleaner misted onto the floor from a spray bottle rather than poured. We stock the cleaner we recommend at the showroom, and warm water with a little mild, neutral detergent works if you run out. Run a fan, open up for a breeze or put the air con on so it dries quickly. A damp mop, never a wet one: hybrid is slippery when wet and excess water is the enemy.
- No steam mops. Ever. Steam forces moisture into the surface and causes the finish to peel and delaminate, and a steam mop voids the warranty.
- No all-purpose household cleaner, window cleaner, steel wool, aerosol furniture polish or wax. Some scratch, others leave a slippery film of silicone or wax.
- No methylated spirits or kerosene as a regular cleaner. Petroleum distillates slowly turn the finish dull for good. A diluted test patch on a stubborn sticky mark is the only exception.
Spills, pots and pets
Hybrid handles water from above far better than timber does, but spills still need wiping up promptly. Wine, acidic food, pet urine and vomit left to sit will etch the coating. Keep pot plants off the floor, even with a tray underneath, because condensation in the tray can stain, and bamboo or grass baskets can leach onto the surface. Check the floor every so often around the dishwasher, the fridge if it has an ice maker, and along sliding doors and windows where summer storms can push water in.
And the rule that does not change: SPC hybrid is water resistant from above only. Water underneath a floating floor causes swelling, cupping and broken locks, which is why it is not installed in bathrooms, laundries or powder rooms.
Do not shut the house up in the heat
Hybrid performs best around 24 degrees with relative humidity between 30 and 70 percent. A house locked up for a fortnight over the Christmas holidays with the sun on the glass is the opposite of that. Circulate the air with fans, open up on dry days, run the air con when it is hot, and on the sticky days keep the doors closed so you are not letting the humidity in. A hygrometer on the wall tells you where you stand.
Can I use a steam mop on hybrid flooring?
No. A steam mop pushes moisture into the surface of the plank and can make the finish peel and delaminate. Using one is excluded from the warranty. A microfibre mop that is only just damp, with a pH neutral cleaner misted onto the floor, does the job without the risk.
Will hybrid flooring fade in the sun?
Yes, it can. Like most floors, SPC hybrid changes colour with long exposure to ultraviolet light, and heat through unprotected glass can also make the boards move. Blinds, curtains or a good window tint, closed when the sun is on the floor, prevent it. Fading from long sun exposure is not covered by the warranty.
What should I put under my dining chairs?
Hard plastic cups with a felt pad inside that are hammered or pinned into the chair legs. Stick-on felts get knocked off and leave a hard tip scraping the floor, which is why the area under the dining table is where most wear shows up. Check them every few months.
Is hybrid flooring OK with sand and wet feet from the beach?
It copes with wet feet far better than timber, as long as water is wiped up and not left to sit. Sand is the bigger risk, because grit scratches the coating. Mats at every door, a sweep before every mop and outdoor shoes left at the door keep a hybrid floor looking new for years.
Come and ask us
If you are not sure what is safe to use on your floor, or you are choosing a floor for a sunny room and want to know what to plan for, drop into the Burleigh Heads showroom. We will talk you through it, and you can see the Classic Collection colours in real light.