Neptune is the high gloss colourway in the Clever Choice Touch hybrid range, and it’s one of the few hybrid floors on the Australian market that genuinely commits to a polished, reflective surface. Most hybrid planks are matte or low-sheen for a reason — gloss shows everything — so this review covers what you’re actually buying, where the high gloss finish suits, where it doesn’t, and how Neptune compares to other hybrid flooring brands in Australia.
What you’re actually buying
Neptune is a rigid SPC (stone polymer composite) plank with a printed timber-look decor layer and a high gloss UV-cured top coat. The core is fully waterproof, the wear layer is rated for residential and light commercial traffic, and the planks come with a click-lock joinery system that installs without glue over a level subfloor. There’s a pre-attached acoustic backing, which means you don’t have to lay a separate underlay in most rooms.
- SPC core, fully waterproof from top to bottom
- High gloss UV-cured wear layer (the defining feature of the range)
- Pre-attached acoustic backing, no separate underlay required in most rooms
- Click-lock joinery, glueless install over a level subfloor
- Manufacturer warranty covering residential and light commercial use
Where the high gloss finish works
A gloss floor reflects light, which makes a real difference in rooms that don’t get a lot of natural daylight. Narrow hallways, south-facing living rooms, and small inner-city apartments all benefit from a surface that bounces light around rather than absorbing it. Neptune also pairs well with high-end joinery and contemporary interiors where the rest of the palette is restrained — matte cabinetry, white walls, and brushed-metal fittings let the floor do the work.
Where it doesn’t suit
Be honest about your household before you commit. A high gloss surface shows footprints, dust, pet hair, and the fine swirl marks left by a dry mop in a way a matte floor simply doesn’t. If you have kids, dogs, or you’re not the kind of person who’ll run a microfibre over the floor twice a week, the look you saw in the showroom won’t be the look you live with. Gloss also telegraphs subfloor imperfections — any high spot or wave will catch the light, so we’d recommend self-levelling anything outside a 3 mm tolerance over a 2 m span before install.
Wet rooms are fine from a waterproofing standpoint — the SPC core handles spills — but a gloss surface is more slippery underfoot when wet than a matte plank. For bathrooms, laundries, or homes with elderly occupants, a matte hybrid is a safer call.
Installation and maintenance
The click-lock system is the same as any other SPC hybrid in this category — drop-and-lock or angle-and-tap, glueless, with an 8-10 mm expansion gap left at the perimeter. A competent DIYer can lay it; a professional installer will get a flatter, tighter result, particularly around door reveals and around-the-bend transitions.
For maintenance, sweep or vacuum (soft-brush head, not a beater bar) and damp mop with a pH-neutral floor cleaner. Avoid wax, polish, or anything that promises to “restore the shine” — the gloss comes from the factory UV coat, and most aftermarket products will smear or dull it. Don’t drag furniture, and put felt pads under chair and table legs.
How Neptune compares to other hybrids
Neptune sits in the SPC family alongside ranges like Easi-Plank and the broader Clever Choice catalogue. The defining difference is finish: nearly every other hybrid plank we stock is matte or low-sheen, so Neptune is the option for buyers who specifically want the polished, reflective look. If you’re still working out the SPC versus standard hybrid question, our difference between hybrid and SPC flooring explainer covers the core construction differences, and the hybrid flooring cost guide sets out where Neptune sits on price.
Should you buy it?
Neptune is a niche pick that does its niche well. If you want a contemporary, light-reflecting floor in a room that needs the lift, and you’re prepared to keep on top of the cleaning, it delivers. If you want a hybrid that hides daily mess and reads more like timber, choose a matte plank from the same Clever Choice range or a different brand. We carry Neptune across our Sydney and Brisbane showrooms — bring a swatch home, lay it on the floor in the actual room, and look at it under your own light before you commit. For the broader picture on what passes the wet test, see our guide to waterproof flooring options.
Ready to shop? Browse our full hybrid flooring range online, or drop into our Sydney or Brisbane showroom to see the range in person.