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Original poster

Wooden flooring or Karndean (or similar)?

60 replies

Daphnesmate · 30/07/2019 17:23

I would love to put white ash wood (engineered) down in kitchen diner/hallway but thinking this is going to be totally impractical - heart says wood but head says go for a Karndean substitute (3 dcs including 2 young ones).

Engineered wood is not the sensible option but for some reason I am resisting the thought of a more man made material substitute.

Anyone else made this sort of decision - what did you go for in the end?

OP posts:
IceBearRocks · 30/07/2019 17:49

We have Amtico......no regrets!
Kids were 3,5 &7! Worse now they are older!!!

paw1977 · 30/07/2019 17:49

We went with Camaro flooring which was recommended to us by a kardean fitter . Good quality and easy to clean, but also a lot cheaper .

Foxyloxy1plus1 · 30/07/2019 18:15

Amtico

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Home improvement
Foxyloxy1plus1 · 30/07/2019 18:15

It came with the house!

CatsMother66 · 30/07/2019 18:29

Engineered wood all down stairs, everyone told us not to have it in the kitchen as it would not take the wear and tear. We had it tiled. In my previous house we had Karndean in the kitchen. Pleased with both.

Original poster
Daphnesmate · 30/07/2019 19:13

Thanks, I have also ordered some samples from Amtico.

Will have a look at Camaro Paw, thanks for mentioning it.

OP posts:
alliwantisagoodnightssleep · 30/07/2019 20:07

Another vote for Camaro. It is extremely hard wearing and easy to keep clean. I much prefer it to the Karndean we had in our old house.

Original poster
Daphnesmate · 30/07/2019 21:53

Not many votes for wooden flooring so far. Interesting, have sent off for more samples from mentioned suppliers.

OP posts:
DonttouchthatLarry · 30/07/2019 22:50

We had Karndean laid in our hall, downstairs loo, kitchen and lounge a couple of years ago and it's been brilliant with 2 large dogs running around. Much warmer underfoot than ceramic tiles.

GarethSouthgatesWaistcoat · 30/07/2019 22:55

Sorry to crash your thread OP Blush

I was wondering similar but for a bedroom! I'm fancying a change from carpet and for various reasons sanding the original boards isn't an option.

Noname99 · 30/07/2019 23:05

Hate hate Karndean. I’ve just had most of it covered with carpet.
It is really really hard to clean - everythung sticks to it
It’s bloody cold
It scratches

It’s bloody horrible stuff

Original poster
Daphnesmate · 31/07/2019 10:21

Thanks Noname for this feedback - the posters who mentioned the other similar types of flooring - have you had any problems like this?

OP posts:
Redshoesandtheblues · 31/07/2019 12:21

Im with Noname99 on this.
It scratches far too easily and just after 18months, I'm love to replace it. But cant afford to, unfortunately.
Hate the bluddy stuff.

GreenTulips · 31/07/2019 12:24

We had the kitchen in kardean for over 30 years and it still looked good

I ordered our current floor from eBay it’s Apollo, commercial flooring like kardean but with 20 year guarantee, got a local fitter.

3 rooms, total cost of £800, worth doing some research.

BettySwollocksandaCrustyRack · 31/07/2019 12:49

I have karndean in my hall, lounge and bathroom, I love it. it's easy to clean (I use a steam cleaner) and always looks fab.

Oldraver · 31/07/2019 13:19

I pricedup some Karndean for our hall and one room, it came to £3000, I was a tad shocked. It 2as one of their more expensive ones at £70 Sam, and was told around £30 sqm for fitting

We've put it off for s while

Foslady · 31/07/2019 13:51

Haven’t got a clue what make it is but I have dark brown bamboo in my kitchens and hallway as it works with the different humidities (The manufacturer stated it was acceptable for use in a bathroom and kitchen). Would light bamboo work? The one I have can take one sanding if needs be but it’s been down nearly 10 years now and still looks good (once I’ve removed the shoes and the dust bunnies Blush)

Napqueen1234 · 31/07/2019 13:53

Another vote for amtico! Preferred to karndean when we got samples looks lovely and warm underfoot

Singlenotsingle · 31/07/2019 15:47

We've got karndean in one of the bathrooms. Can't wait to change it. I don't like it at all.

Ihatenicknames · 31/07/2019 15:53

We had Karndean wood effect and have just replaced with engineered wood parquet. Karndean is hard wearing but doesn't look or feel like wood. You can see the pattern repeat itself and it feels synthetic. A great choice of you have dogs, small children and don't want to bother with maintenance but it's not close to wood in my opinion.

Original poster
Daphnesmate · 31/07/2019 18:08

Thanks for all of these comments so far. Yes, Ihatenicknames, flooding our downstairs with a synthetic material just doesn't feel right. Sensible in our current situation though I guess.

Interesting comments about Karndean, thank you. I will wait for the samples to arrive and take a closer look.

OP posts:
paw1977 · 31/07/2019 18:16

Iv had no problems with my Camaro, easy to clean , not scratched and looks really good . I can pm you some pictures of my flooring if you like . However I have heard bad things about Camaro Loc .. so avoid that

Herefortheduration · 31/07/2019 18:24

I have engineered wood in my kitchen, I'm really pleased with it so far but it's only been down a year, so can't vouch for longevity but there's not a single mark on it yet so can't see it deteriorating too much. I've been told to be careful with water but I just clean up spillages immediately and it has been fine.

Original poster
Daphnesmate · 31/07/2019 19:54

Thanks Paw, yes please p.m me if you can.

Here - what make of wood did you use?

OP posts:
DENMAN03 · 31/07/2019 20:13

I've got Karndean wood effect in the kitchen and love it. Had it down for three years and it's still
Immaculate. I haven't found it scratched at all. I'm having the Victorian floor 'tile' version put down in the hall in a couple of weeks. It's not cheap but so much easier to keep clean than carpet (and I'm at my wits end with a senile 20 year old cat who has decided that's where he wants to wee! Confused)