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Original poster

So CAN you have wood flooring in a kitchen? Another wood v Karndean thread...

65 replies

IHeartKingThistle · 09/02/2012 20:27

We've been looking at Karndean flooring for the kitchen and hallway (I've posted about it before, I'm very boring) and just presumed flooring guy was right when he said real wood wasn't recommended for kitchens.

But I read a LOT of interiors magazines (told you I was boring) and this month everyone's bloody kitchen has a wooden floor! Not one with Karndean or anything like it (or no-one admitting to it anyway).

Do any of you have a wooden floor in the kitchen? Would a messy family ruin it quickly? If you have Karndean, are you glad you went for it over wood?

It's SUCH a lot of money either way, I just want to get it right!

Sorry for another boring thread

OP posts:

PigletJohn · 09/02/2012 23:09

Parawood is what they call rubberwood when sold as flooring.

I rather like it

allaboutthename · 10/02/2012 17:28

Oh..I had this exact dilemma. I had originally considered Karndean but when I had large samples I just didn't love it and it seems so expensive. I then got quotes for solid wood flooring and it wasn't hugely more expensive. Compaing a wooden floor and karndean sample shown the quality of the wood. We chose engineered wood, quite thick and you do get different thickness and I love it. It is in the kitchen and family area. There has already been some dents but not noticeable unless very close up and so far we haven't had any major spillage but washing up drips haven't been a problem.

Are you planning to have a new kitchen - for wooden floor we had to get a tradesman who would fit flooring under units, so install was more expensive then karndean but I'm still glad we chose it. Wooden floors do have a beauty about them.

We laid out lots of samples in the area and that helped to make the decision. Karndean is so expensive so it's worth getting the comparisons first.

fresh · 10/02/2012 17:43

We've had engineered wood (Kahrs 3-strip oak) down for 11 years. It's dented in places, mostly from dragging heavy things across it like the fridge freezer, but it certainly hasn't worn out anywhere, or stained. We've had it stripped and resurfaced once, but that was because the lacquer had gone yellow and I wanted it back closer to the original oak colour. The dishwasher has leaked on it and although it soaked into the joints, it dried out again. I do find the joints open up a bit in very cold weather though, but once it warms up they close again.

Original poster

IHeartKingThistle · 10/02/2012 18:05

Oh no now I'm swaying back again!

Yes new kitchen allaboutthename. Why did you have to have wooden flooring under the units?

It's the expense that's makes it such a tough decision though - we've done a lot of decorating and home improvements and I don't think I've ever spent that much on one element of a room before!

OP posts:

Haziedoll · 10/02/2012 18:13

We have oak floor in the kitchen, there is no more wear and tear in the kitchen than there is in the living room. In fact the living room floor is more damaged due to all the toy cars and trucks bashed around on it.

CMOTDibbler · 11/02/2012 08:54

We have wood effect Karnean (macrocapra) everywhere downstairs except the kitchen which has slate effect Karndean. It is wearing beautifully, and inspite of people traipsing through in dirty boots etc, only ever needs a wip to look great again.
We had engineered wood in the last house, and it was far noisier and marked hugely in comparison

wonkylegs · 11/02/2012 09:55

We've got oak throughout the downstairs except the kitchen and tbh it's lasted well (8yrs ) even in a loo where the men of the house don't have particularly good aim
And by the front door where it gets boots, mud, snow & ice and the lounge& dining room which had both had floods in last years thaw (weight of snow knacked both flat roofed bays and we had serious water damage else where but floors ok)
I'm not bothered by shoes in the house either so it's done ok and still looks ok - a few knocks (toy car crashes) give it character

ChickensGoMeh · 11/02/2012 10:07

Those with Karndean, does it tolerate scratches etc? We have a dog and I need something that will tolerate a bit of abuse

PigletJohn · 11/02/2012 11:07

allabout

I agree about having the flooring under units. I had a kitchen stripped and redone last year, the kitchen fitter said the flooring people could come along later and cut round all the units, however I particularly wanted the flooring down first. Then there are no gaps for spilt milk to run under, or ants to come up, and if you ever want to change units or roll a different appliance in, it is much easier.

nemno · 11/02/2012 11:13

Can I hijack too please? I'm a bit put off by Karndean's own website that says only their own cleaning products must be used or it voids the warranty and that furniture must be placed on felt pads to avoid damaging the surface. This sounds to me like it is not a very hardwearing product, what about guests in stilletoes, dropping things etc? What do current owners think? I need a surface that can cope in a kitchen, dining and sitting room open plan room. So it must cope with chairs legs being scraped back and wet as well as heavy traffic. Maybe bamboo is the answer? Oh yes and the flat has regulations about sound transference to flat below. What underfloor would I need?

Smum99 · 11/02/2012 13:27

As we were retro fitting the wooden floor we decided to have the kitchen units cut at the bottom so flooring was underneath. It means we didn't need to have to wooden strips around the units - it adds to the look.

I was so sure that we would have Karndean that I had the kitchen fitted but afterwards changed my mind. It's not a big deal but does look better if the wood is under the units. A good tradesman wouldn't have a problem doing this.
We went to a local guy who supplied and fitted the floor - that's all he does and therefore was skilled. The Karndean suppliers could have also supplied the wood but they didn't have the specialist wood floor fitters.

I would recommend that you get large samples - strips/planks are best rather than small squares. The wooden floor was about 20% more expensive then Karndean so not stupidly priced.

saggarmakersbottomknocker · 11/02/2012 16:46

nemno - mine's been down 6+ years and I've never used any special cleaning product. I think you can strip it back and repolish but I can't see me bothering. Sweep and mop (I don't mop that often TBH [slattern]. Absolutely no problem with heels or dropped crocks etc, no damage, just some wear (small scratches) at the bottom of the stairs. No marks where the table is.

You can lay certain soundproofing materials underneath I think.

nemno · 11/02/2012 21:34

Thank you for that saggar, and to others on this thread providing info.

alybalybee · 11/02/2012 21:48

We had wood and Karndean in our last house. Wood was ok but we loved the Karndean. We had wood effect in our living room and a stone effect everywhere else, everyone thought the wood effect was real wood, when we were selling and said 'no' when we were asked if it was wood we were frequently asked "are you sure"!!! Loads of people would kneel down to touch it.

We are about to start an extension in our new house and are planning to have Karndean, all the same, throughout downstairs, which will include the kitchen. We had all the Karndean cleaning fluids, we were given a box of each when it was fitted but it was all a bit of a faff so I just used hot water and a bit of a generic floor cleaner which worked fine for me.

CharlieBoo · 12/02/2012 09:47

We have wood effect karndean in our open plan kitchen/diner. Has been down since June and I love it!! It's so easy to clean, always looks great and it looks so like real wood you have to touch it to see it's not. On the other hand we've had a solid oak wooden floor that cost us a small fortune 6 years ago in our lounge. So many dents from ds' toy cars, and toys being dropped. Lots of scratches too. It's still lovely but no way for me in a kitchen (says she who has solid oak worktops... But I love them). Karndean is expensive for what it is, but it's so easy to care for.

BobbinRobin · 12/02/2012 13:18

I think I'd go for luxury vinyl rather than wood in the kitchen - this stuff - Polyflor Camaro was recommended to us by an independent floor fitter. It's cheaper than Amtico or Karndean. I've seen a downstairs done in it and it looks very very good - no scratches and some of the designs are slightly textured so extremely realistic. Not had the work done yet but I think this (or one of the stone or tile effect ones they do) is what I'd go for.

PigletJohn · 12/02/2012 13:42

I had a kitchen done in vinyl not long ago, rather disappointed. Where the appliances were rolled into position, it has left dents and marks.

BobbinRobin · 12/02/2012 14:12

Was it the hard vinyl PigletJohn, or the padded stuff? I've had the padded stuff in a few kitchens and bathrooms before and although it's nice and warm and easy to clean, it does mark badly if you drag anything over it.

PigletJohn · 12/02/2012 14:15

I think you'd call it padded. White foamy back.

I got it at a trade carpet supplier, he was very good for carpets, said all the vinyls were much the same. Maybe vinyl was just a sideline for him as he just had one rack of it in his entire warehouse.

BobbinRobin · 12/02/2012 14:21

The Polyflor sample I've got is definitely different to the vinyl I've had before - much thinner and harder. I've dragged a knife across it and it seems virtually indestructible! It comes in plank-shaped pieces rather than a roll as well.

PacificDogwood · 12/02/2012 14:29

We have solid oak planks in the kitchen/dining room.
It is warm under foot and I love it .

It has so far stood up well to messy family life (4 under 9s), some scratches which I like as it adds to the lived in look IYKWIM. If you hate obvious traces of use then I'd avoid. In theory, ours can be sanded down and resaled which I might consider when everybody has left home .

Our one regret about the floor is that we did not install underfloor heating which is possible under timber floors - don't let anybody tell you otherwise!

Bamboo is cheaper as it is an easily renewable resource - v v fast growing.

Wrt to work tops: in a previous kitchen we had oak butcher's block worktop about which I had major reservations and we only got because DH is mad keen on wood. It was great and I would have it again in a flash!
We now have Corian which is great too, but much more high-tech/contemporary to look at.

Francagoestohollywood · 12/02/2012 14:38

I have solid oak floor boards everywhere, even in the bathrooms. If treated properly it's very easy to maintain.
Stains seem to disappear after a few week.

We had pine floor boards in the kitchen also when we lived in the UK, it was ok.

hobnob · 12/02/2012 15:57

Going back to bamboo, we have it in our kitchen and it's utterly fab - hardwearing and beautiful. Search 'bamboo' in this topic to see people, including me, going on about it. In fact I got the idea from MN in the first place and have never looked back.

HouseOfGrittyBits · 12/02/2012 16:34

Re bamboo, there seems to be a big difference in quality between 'regular' bamboo and 'strand woven' in terms of how scratch-proof they are. The regular stuff is cheaper but scratches very easily, whereas the strand woven is very durable by comparison.

Original poster

IHeartKingThistle · 12/02/2012 17:05

Wow, so many conflicting opinions! Last night we had almost decided on the Karndean, now I have to google bamboo!

OP posts:

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