Karndean - does the wood look real(ish) and is it as tough as it says it is?

[Yorkpud]

I am considering Karndean for my new kitchen/diner and have been looking at the wood effect and the tile effect. Has anyone got this and what type did you go for. Are you happy with it?

I am considering French Oak (Van Gogh) but also like the Opus tile range.

Do you think the wood looks realistic?

Thanks in advance for your opinions.

[Mandy21]

My parents have just had it in their dining room - wouldn't be able to tell you what range / colour it is but its the wood effect. With a superficial glance at a distance, it looks like wood. The closer (in distance) you get and the closer you look, the less "real" it looks. As soon as you walk on it, you can feel its not wood (its not solid like wood).

They think it is brilliant - very hardwearing / practical, but I personally think it looks a little lino-esque.

[noddyholder]

No it doesn't and it has a weird feel underfoot as you expect wood to have a certain sound and it just doesn't.

[IHeartKingThistle]

Oh God I am literally ordering mine tomorrow! I don't need any more indecision! I think it looks good, I am really not bothered if people realise it's not real wood. About the same price as real wood though, I think - we're definitely going for practicality (kitchen and hall).

If I was still living in an old house I'd probably want wood, but we're in a 1970s house that will forgive us!

[Alargeglassofred]

We have had kardean art select in a herringbone pattern put down on our hall going into dining room and kitchen. It looks amazing . Our neighbours now want the same! We are in an Edwardian house so put it over the floorboards that our dog had scratched. We are a heavy duty family and so far not a scratch. Initially we had the floorboards sanded and varnished there was marks from the dog within days!!! Most people assume it's the original flooring. The art select is at the top of the range I think so can't comment on other styles .

[CMOTDibbler]

I've got macrocapra effect, and my friend has french oak, and for both of us people comment loads on our 'lovely wood floors'.

Very hard wearing here - in our old house we had engineered wood and no child and it scratched and dented. Here we have a child and three cats, plus mud is tracked in all the time and it looks great with a quick mop

[partystress]

Got Spring Oak in hall and living room. Love it - 2 dogs, 2 kids, no prob.

[Alargeglassofred]

Forgot to say ours is auburn oak!

[IHeartKingThistle]

Oh good, some positives! Going for French Oak I think.

[Devora]

Just to throw in a curveball, I'm very taken with this:

www.johnlewis.com/231534119/Product.aspx

Rather tempted to go for this in my kitchen. Or bamboo.

[Yorkpud]

Thanks for all your opinions.

I really liked the wood effect and think that it looks realistic but am not too bothered whether it feels it. I have to go for something quite tough as the only back door to the garden comes out of the dining room so I think real wood would get ruined in the end. I also like the thought of the same product going through the kitchen and diner bit and would not put real wood in the kitchen bit in case of leaks etc.

Someone is coming today to measure up. I have ordered about 15 samples off the website today and want to compare them to my wood surfaces which I am currently oiling up!!!

Am also wondering about the stone effect as I am not sure if too much wood (worktops and floor) would look too much and am worried that the woods would clash. Too many decisions to make!!!

[IHeartKingThistle]

Ordered ours this morning! I think worktops and floors in wood (even fake) is great - our units are white so enough of a contrast there I think, and it will warm up the white a bit too.

[jake42]

Karndean have a massive showroom in evesham, well worth going as their entire stock is there . we were initially going to have wood, but was advised that with fat spillages and milk spills, it would need maintenance regularly .
so we looked at karndean as next option. karndean is pretty good but after a few years you have to "cut" the polish off it and re-varnish it ( excuse the lack of tech jargon!) so that put us off. In the end we went with Amtico. a freind had this and said how tough it was and it had a very tough coat that takes a lot of traffic. , apparently a lot of shops use it.
well its been down 2 years and cant fault it. still looks pretty good.

[ClaimedByMe]

I have it in my kitceh/diner, we have had it down over 5 years and if i remember correctly its called 'tiger wood' it doesnt look like real wood, but i didnt want that, it is hard wearing and easily cleaned.

[banyan]

We love it. We have Art Select Summer Oak and it is fab. Looks like real wood and super easy to keep clean. Also hides any bits of dirt which is essential with 2 small kids - with our old laminate they just looked permanently dirty as it was too shiny but the Karndean is shiny without being too much IYSWIM.

We get lots of comments from friends about it too, how much they like it.

[Yorkpud]

Thanks again, for the comments. It is sounding pretty good so far!

IHeartKingThistle - sounds like you are having similar to us. We are having while painted wood shaker style units and oak worktop. Well done for ordering, I will probably faff about for another week before making final decision!!

jake42 - I didn't know that!! More dilemmas, maybe I will look at that too but have been told it was more expensive!

[memder]

Might be too late for you to see this OP but we have had Karndean for about 10 years now in the entrance hall and through to the kitchen and I can't fault it. Even though it has a 10 year guarantee, if I remember correctly, it still looks good and I've only done the usual in looking after it, you know swept it, mopped it (and not as regularly as I should).

[Sausagedog27]

Also got the 'tiger wood' one- it's a very close match to our fake oak wood b&q kitchen work tops. I love our floor- really hardwearing and we get loads of compliments about it!

[sweetmelody]

Largeglass - I want the herringbone karndean in my new kitchen/living/dining space. My dad is trying to put me off as he has real oak parquet (although not in kitchen) and thinks the karndean hes seem doesn't look realistic (but he's not seen the art select). I love the fact that I can have the look of wood but the practicality of vinyl in what will be a wet and high traffic area.

Did you find it hard to get a good fitter? Do you mind me asking the cost per sq m to supply and fit?

[IHeartKingThistle]

We sooo wanted the herringbone - the quote was (almost) DOUBLE the quote for the plank style. We didn't want it that badly!

[heartstart]

Iheart we have summer oak, love it. Wanted herringbone but cost too too much also have one of the tile effect in kitchen which is fantastic

[Tranquilidade]

I have an oak one in my kitchen with cream shaker units and black granite. Underfloor is concrete so we needed something thin and this stuff is ace, it looks fab and accordine to all accounts wears well.

[Alargeglassofred]

Sweetmelody, I will need to find our paperwork for the measurements but was £3900 for hall, understairs toilet and large dining room and kitchen. What is your location? Can give you the details of the company that did ours. You do need to be careful If you have a step and need 'nosing', karndean don't provide that good a match, luckily we had good tradesmen who worked to find a perfect match.

[sweetmelody]

We are in Herts, alargeglassofred. I have just worked out that we need about 75m2 - kitchen/dining room is 7.5m by 8.5m approx, utility room is 4m by 2m approx. So yes would be useful to know what you paid per sqm - I know the herringbone design is back breaking work so that's why it is so much more expensive . Could you PM me the name of the company if you think it would work location-wise? Thanks

[Yorkpud]

Thanks for the additional comments. Can I ask if you all used Karndean registerer fitters and how much the fitting cost per metre2 if you just went for the plank look.

[BiscuitNibbler]

We have just ordered the Van Gogh in Auckland Oak through a registered fitter. It is £60/m fitted. It should be done in a few weeks and I can't wait.