karndean - is it worth the cost?

[GnomeDePlume]

We need to refloor our ensuite. We are thinking about vinyl tiles such as Novocore from Wickes. It is around £24/m2.

Karndean is around £42/m2. What is the advantage of karndean please?

DH (very experience DIYer) will be doing the fitting whatever we choose.

I wouldn’t fit karndean without a specialist fitter.

What's the complication in the fitting please?

We used polyflor camaro vinyl tiles and they are great in the bathroom. They are also click system so easy to diy.

We have Karndean throughout our entire downstairs, it was quite expensive but absolutely worth it. We had it fitted by a professional, as we had a mixture of floorboards and concrete floor underneath so it all needed levelling first. It's really hardwearing, easy to clean, and looks amazing. We previously had laminate flooring and honestly it is 10 times better than that for approximately double the cost. No contest for me!

I have Karndean in the kitchen and bathroom.. It was fitted by the kitchen and the bathroom fitters as part of the work, they are not specialist flooring fitters.

I bought at all on eBay. DH drove to collect one lot and the other was sent by courier. There’s lots of Karndean on there, often said to be left over from big contracts. It was mostly in sealed boxes, with a few tiles in a partly opened box.

It looks as good as new now, I’ve had no problems with it.

Karndean is excellent as long as you don’t buy the entry level stuff, which isn’t as long lasting. The da vinci level stuff is excellent and bomb proof, had it in many homes over last 20 yrs.. Have it professionally fitted though.

I have Karndean in my bathroom. Yes expensive but very hard wearing and no issues

The screed underneath has to be perfect. I’ve just heard of people unhappy and they always had a non karndean specialist fitter. I’ve no idea what’s so tricky. We had a large area and I wasn’t prepared to risk it but reviews consistently reinforced having it laid by an experienced tradesperson.

We have also brought a job log on eBay commercial grade

Kitchen hall dining room fitted by a carpet fitter all for £700

It’s got 20 year warranty doesn’t mark hard wearing I love it

We have karndean throughout downstairs (apart from the kitchen, as we want to wait to put karndean down until we re-do that) and love it. It always has compliments from visitors. So easy to clean when you have pets and/or children. Ours was laid by specialist fitters.

Thanks all, food for thought. This is a first floor ensuite. The sub floor is chipboard flooring. On reflection I think we will go with the Novocore. Not sure that we need something incredibly hardwearing as the ensuite is used by DH and me only.

The cost of having karndean fitted is about that of the material itself which is what makes it expensive compared to other vinyl floorings.

My dad used to lay Karndean and Amtico - he's retired now but was a specialist fitter. It is a skilled job and getting the screed perfect is critical to the final finish. It is really worth it. He laid the karndean flooring in a family members kitchen diner over twenty years ago and it still.looks good as new.

Harvey Maria is great too. But like the other brands, you only get the guarantee if you use their specialist fitters.