Do you have karndean?

[FlamingoAtTheBingo]

We are considering karndean flooring. It's either that or engineered wood.

We've had a quote through and just waiting for a second one. Would you recommend your karndean? Anything I need to know?

Thanks

Watching with interest as I'm in the middle of this decision too. Have had a quote for Karndean which is higher than I expected, and seems to be due to the subfloor preparation. Although engineered wood itself is more expensive, apparently it doesn't need all of the subfloor layers so may not work out much/any more expensive. The shop are telling me that engineered wood will scratch much more easily though, so I don't know what to do! They also tell me laminate is much more wood-like nowadays, so I've started to think about this as an option too......It's for the living/dining room though, and I'm not convinced laminate's going to look good enough.

@gerbo

This is it. Needs a hoover tho!

That looks exactly like mine but mine is Polyflor Camero LVT flooring.

@gerbo yours is lovely! What colour is that, please? I'm looking at all the different 'oak' variants of karndean and yours looks just what I'm after.

They also tell me laminate is much more wood-like nowadays, so I've started to think about this as an option too...

Don't go for laminate. We have commercial grade high end laminate and it was fine for about 3 years. Then it started to look crap as it got dented and the top layer (which is just paper) deteriorated wher it had dented. It also scratches in such a way that makes it really obvious it isn't wood.

Mine's only been down for month. But I'm really happy with it. Van Gogh French Oak.
I wanted something reasonably light, but warm in colour.

Yes we have Hessian Oak in the hall, lounge and kitchen and it's coping with 3 large dogs very well, doesn't show scratches from claws. Friends thought it was real wood.

Pants, we can't remember. Let me have a look online. It ranges from orangey to deep brown to light brown. It's warm and cosy, we have real oak worktops and they work well together.

Our planks measure 17cm x 120 ish. It's oak effect, I think Van Gogh range. I think it's smoked oak....

We have it in our kitchen/diner. Absolutely love it. You do need felt pads on the bottom of chairs though because without them you'll get scratches.

I had exactly the same planks as @Diddlysquatty for 8 years. I’ve just changed it as I’ve decorated & my DH is a fitter so it’s a cheap option for us. Now have this & I love it. We have dogs & it’s hard wearing & cleans up well.

My parents have it and HATED it from day one. It scratches easily and shows all marks and dog hair.

I originally thought I'd save for it but no way!

@FlamingoAtTheBingo

You're right - shouldn't be steam cleaned. But it's been a while since I steam cleanser anything since I discovered this ridiculous flash floor mops! I've become lazy

Good to know that it stays looking good for a while. I would love engineered wood BUT the job is so much bigger and probably a lot more expensive. Although we will pay for what will look and wear the best

It looks fabulous for ever, you will get sick of the pattern long before it wears out!!!!

Wood will discolour and dent and scratch. LVT will not

It is very hardwearing if that's your priority. But it is not nearly as nice as wood. We had it when we moved in and replaced it with wood and the whole place looks so much nicer.

@Diddlysquatty

Yup and very happy with it Would be seriously surprised if the quote for engineered comes back cheaper, but I guess there is a price range for both. I think ours is the Van Gogh type if they still do that. I am happy with it but because DH wanted to go with the thickest wear layer, normally used commercially, I think it has more of a sheen to it. Has worn massively better than the engineered wood in the other room

Looks really lovely @Diddlysquatty

Yes, i have van gogh, which is the thickest quality one and it has been brilliant every time. Had it in three homes over 20 yrs with kids,dogs,cats and its brilliant.

@kidscreatemess

My parents have it and HATED it from day one. It scratches easily and shows all marks and dog hair.

I originally thought I'd save for it but no way!

I'm told that the basic Knight Tile scratches easily. But the ranges up from that are really good. I really liked one of the Knight Tile colours, but still went for the Van Gogh for quality and resilience.

Have one of the oak varieties and absolutely love it. I’ve had the state one before, which was equally fantastic, but many people have asked if the oak one is real wood.

And I steam mop it - seems to be fine though.

To add, with Karndean the better quality ranges are far better than the cheaper ranges for wear, you really do get what you pay for.

I had a Karndean white tile with grey swirling through it for my previous bathroom. Within a year it had yellowed in front of the sink area where people stood. The room had no direct sun being north facing so wasn't that. I was surprised as it cost so much.

We had karndean fitted last year and its really good. We originally wanted engineered wood but went to the shop and got put off as it was for all downstairs including a kitchen and they said it would stain from the water in the kitchen no matter how careful you were.

Mil has found out the hard way that this is true.

We have an oak effect karndean in the bathroom and I love it. Still looks as perfect as when it was laid three years ago.
For cost vs wear it’s probably hard to beat.
It was a pain to lay on the uneven floor of our old house - we had to spend ages making the floor level. Worth it though.
If money was no object I’d go for real oak flooring, otherwise Karndean seems to do the job very well (and is lower maintenance than a real wood floor!)

We've had our quotes back and there is a 3k difference between karndean and engineered wood

My heart probably lies with wood BUT I'm not sure if it lies in the direction of an extra 3k! We can afford to do the wood but that additional 3k could go nicely towards the granite worktops I'd like

And the pics I've seen on here look fab. We'd be going for Van Gogh Smoked Oak

Our Karndean has been fantastic. Would highly recommend it.

I'm watching this with interest, as I need to replace the flooring in my kitchen and utility room.

We currently have the "plank" laminate, but where we've had water issues (a washing machine leak underneath, and a leak under the old fridge freezer), it's starting to separate on the top layer.

I was put off the Karndean by someone who said that it lifts really easily due to the new type of glue being used now. He said that the stuff fitted years ago was absolutely bomb proof, but the new stuff is just not nearly as good.

Looks like no one else here has said that though, so I might consider it again.

I have 2 children (10 and 13) who have played on it heavily and as I say, we live in that space very largely, and we have no scratches whatsoever. Our chairs admittedly are noisy when pulled back over the floor but felt pads did work, although they fell off after a while.

Our budget for a downstairs renovation/extension of a class is 1970s 3-bed house was not huge, but our flooring was worth every penny.

I think finding a good installer is a large part of the battle, as it's a bit of a faff to lay- the floor I seem to remember has to be levelled and a base coat laid.