Flooring advice - karndean, engineered wood flooring, tiles?

[PippaFawcett]

We went to a flooring shop intent on pricing up engineered wood flooring but came away advised that Karndean would suit us better. The online reviews are mostly good with some shockers. It is for the whole of the downstairs so I think something that 'flows' through the rooms would be best. Apparently engineered wood flooring isn't ideal in kitchens, is that true? And more than double the cost. How did you decide on your flooring?

We've got Quickstep nearly everywhere downstairs, including the kitchen. We've had it just over a year & it looks good as new. Very practical with 3 young DCs!

What is Quickstep? I haven't even heard of that one!

I had Karndean put in my kitchen diner 2 years ago. I love it. Still looks immaculate. Warmer under foot than lino (but not proper warm, just less of a chill factor). A quick mop and it's brill.

I went for a darkish brown colour as I had read lighter colours can show scratches. No sign of any wear on mine despite it being a high traffic area.

Fitting was a big job as the floor had to be levelled and that was a 2 day job but it was worth it.

I second Karndean. Ours has been down nearly a year in our kitchen / family room and I love it. Very practical with a young family and looks fantastic.

I think Quickstep is similar to Karndean? AFAIK Quickstep call their engineered wood floor Hardwood.

www.quick-step.co.uk/en-gb/hardwood

This is weird. I heard about Karndean for the very first time yesterday, read about it I mean. Then twice today I saw articles about it, my friend who is renovating a house just e-mailed me and she is using it and now this thread!!! Must be the flooring of the moment. I am seriously considering it as I was already looking for options. I don't have a clue about how much it costs for a normal sized house as my friend's place is huge but I am interested to find out.

MN talks about no other make! It is rather boring "looks like"
flooring! Ceramic tiles are much smarter. Porcelainosa has tiles to die for and are great for kitchens. Engineered wood elsewhere downstairs. Get the thickest you can afford in terms of the veneer. Karndean just isn't comparable but is probably cheaper. It would also depend how much you value your house. Proper flooring adds money - Karndean? Not my idea of a great lounge floor! Nor what I would want in a period house or a detached one.

Well I have to disagree with the implication it may somehow devalue a house! Karndean is not cheap, is available in hundreds of different designs and is far from boring. There are lots of different LVTs out there. They have the benefit of looking like wood or stone but being much easier to maintain.

The million pound new build near me have been floored with Amtico.

I went to have a nosy because I'm doing a kitchen extension and would like to use Amtico.
We currently have flag stones and they look great but they are so cold.

I think karndean and Amtico are the same thing, just different brands.

Go to a showroom and check some out op.

I have and I quite liked it. But we were very much pushed in that direction once the salesman knew we wanted one flooring downstairs ideally/had kids. But now I'm wondering if I was dazzled by his enthusiasm for it! What are the benefits of it over laminate?

And to the OP who said that they hadn't heard of it until the other day - that often happens with things to me too! Like a restaurant etc.

Amtico is the prestige brand, definitely seen as superior to Karndean by reputation and more expensive.

I get that vinyl flooring is practical even though I don't like it personally (too many years growing up with lino!!) so I understand why people get it for a kitchen or say a play room with young children. But if you want something for the whole of the downstairs, including a lounge / living space, I agree with a pp that vinyl wouldn't my choice, seems a bit odd for a lounge.

To answer your question, engineered wood is suitable for a kitchen (that's what we have). Obviously I'm biased but its so much nicer and authentic than the Karndean my parents have.

We have engineered wood in our kitchen/diner and it's fabulous. Wed love to get the living room redone and as part of that would get engineered wood in there as well.

Some friends of ours have got wood effect Karndean, it looks quite nice but you can tell it's not real wood. Also, there aren't that many different "planks" so in a large area you keep seeing the same plank over again which makes it even more obvious it's just a posh laminate.

Our house has Karndean in the kitchen and we hate it. It's got a horrible texture and feels crap underfoot. The previous owners also had crap taste so it's ugly to boot.

It was in the hall too but we've replaced that with engineered wood, which is much nicer. We'll be replacing the stuff in the kitchen when we get the kitchen done. Probably with porcelanosa tiles (the plan is to buy them when they have a 40% off sale!). The wood effect tiles look better than wood effect karndean.

I've got karndean. It is really ora rival and has worn really well. I don't absolutely love it but it was definitely best for us. The only thing is I find it really hard underfoot.

Ora rival = practical. Obvs.