Having second thoughts about Karndean

[shelldockley]

I've read lots of rave reviews for Karndean and Amtico on here and it meets all our needs for downstairs flooring so we got a quote and will be booking it in soon. Until...I was talking to a friend who has just moved house and she was complaining how under their carpets they had found vinyl tiles glued down and what a nightmare it was to get up, I was sympathising until I realised that's what we're doing! Also it's a cheaper version called 'Adore Style' we've gone for, tell me we're not bonkers and it's normal to have luxury vinyl tiles glued down?!!!

Old style vinyl tiles are a bugger to remove but karndean and its ilk are completely different and shouldn't be a problem to remove.

Having said that we have a mixture of wood floors, karndean and tiles and the karndean isn't a patch on the real thing in all honesty.

Oh glad to hear they are easier to remove! I'd love real wood but I like the waterproof properties of vinyl tiles as it will be good with pets accidents!

If it's waterproofness you're after have you seen the quickstep waterproof laminate stuff? I was going to get Karndean but you're floor has to be really level for it and our house been 100plus years old was going to need loads of expensive prep work doing.

The flooring bloke recommended quickstep, it's waterproof for 48hrs in lab tests. I had a puppy so was worried about laminate peeling up, etc but this has been fine and it's cheaper than Karndean.

That's interesting about the waterproof laminate, I'll have to look that up -we already have concrete floors so the levelling is easy enough although removing all furniture and appliances isn't!

We had Karndean in our last house an after 8 years there was barely a trace of wear on it. We will definitely use it again when we update this kitchen.

My Polyflor Camero flooring is brilliant, can't fault it.

We looked at Karndean and Amtico but instead went for a lacquered wood by Natura. It was cheaper and is brilliant - I love it. We have it throughout our kitchen diner. It doesn't mark from heels (although it hasn't had much exposure to that) spills are fine and it will only need to be re-lacquered in another six years (we've had it for a year). We have underfloor heating underneath it.

This is it.