Confused about Flooring choice for new kitchen

[Pennox]

I'm in the planning stages of a new kitchen.

What are my option for flooring? Aftrr years of cheap old laminate I assumed I'd have stone tiles but the kitchen designer is pushing amtico or karndean, which i know nothing about (is this LVT?). Is engineered wood still an option?

What are my options for a modern looking, easy maintenance kitchen floor?

I’ve always had the impression that Amtico and Karndean are just posh vinyl. I’m looking at stone for my kitchen floor too.

I’m wary of engineered wood because kitchens are wet places. I’ve got it in other rooms, but they don’t get steamy and splashed. I’ve already had an issue with engineered wood warping after fitting as it expanded and presume moisture had something to do with that. For me, it would be too expensive to risk.

I'd go for polished concrete, I think it looks great, and no joins

I'm not sure exactly what it is but I've got amtico in my kitchen. It's been down about 5 years now. It looks just as good as it did when it was put down and I have kids and dogs! One of the benefits of it is that you can replace a tile of it without having to do the whole floor or a big strip. I haven't had to do that so I'm not sure how well that goes in practice

Just posh vinyl - well that's a statement full of negativity! LVT is harder wearing than sheet vinyl, which lots of people mistakenly call lino. It's warm underfoot, easy to care for and sounds like what you're looking for. More sound insulating that ceramic tiles or stone.

I have LVT -it’s thicker than vinyl, hard wearing doesn’t scratch, looks new and easy to clean, takes some battering.

In my old hose the floor had been down 30 years and still looked good.

Would recommend it!

We're looking at LVT. MILhas Amtico in her hallway & kitchen, it looks really nice and seems quite easy to care for.
Our main driver is that we are both v clumsy & anything dropped on a stone or tiled floor would be smashed to smithereens.

We've had Amtico in the bathroom for 20 years and it still looks great (low traffic area though). We've had it in the kitchen for I think 8 years, still looks great.

I wouldn't have stone as a) it's cold and b) anything dropped will smash. I wouldn't be keen on engineered wood either - the reason for redoing our kitchen floor and, in the process the whole kitchen, was that the previous laminate floor had been ruined by a couple of washing machine leaks.

We are renovating and looking into this also. Will you have under floor heating? I was thinking of a real wood floor, but do worry about spills on wood over time. I saw some amazing looking tiles- which look so similar to wooden floor boards. No idea how they wear, if everything that falls will just shatter etc, but they look great. Not this brand but gives you the idea:
www.porcelainsuperstore.co.uk/collections/wood-effect?page=1

We went for tiles with underfloor heating. Easy to clean, doesn't matter if it gets wet, and at £17.99/m so much cheaper than other options. 9 months in I still love it.

These were the ones.

www.tilemountain.co.uk/p/graziella-roble-oak-wood-effect-porcelain-floor-tile.html

In my old house I had slate with underfloor heating and I broke a huge number of glasses and mugs. I don't think I'd do that again.

In my new place I have engineered board. No problems with it - it's warm underfoot and also easy to clean. But if I was doing a place from scratch I'd probably go with karndean or amtico.

I have hardwood in my kitchen and hate it. Any spills or leaks and it warps. There is crud in the joins that I can't get out no matter how I try. I debated between porcelain tile and LVT and after researching both I went with Karndean Corris in the end. I also chose it because my DH is notorious for dropping things and there is less chance of breakage with the Karndean.

p.s. I haven't had mine installed yet. I'm getting it next week!

I’ve got stone tiles in my kitchen diner, and engineered oak in the living room. I love them both!
I’ve had Karndean in the past in a kitchen and it didn’t last well - also, it looks a bit plastic.

Also, my stone floor is quite warm as it’s a south facing room, I’ve never broken anything on it, but did break a glass of red wine on my wood floor!!!

We've got LVT - polyflor camaro in hall, living room, kitchen/diner downstairs loo. Apart from a few scratches under the kitchen table ( heavy oak chairs), it looks as good as new. The scratched strips can be heat gunn'd up, the strips replaced if I wanted. Will probably do it when they are very noticeable.
Much cheaper than Amtico/Karndean - bought from local flooring shop and laid by them also. Floor will likely need screed down which increases the cost.

So are amtico and karndean brands of LVT?

No underfloor heating i dont think as its a modern house and very warm with a Nest and i dont think I could justify the extra expense, especially with the situation with utility bills now and id rather spend the money on the kitchen

Porcelain tiles?

I worry about the plasticky effect with the LVT.

I've got Karndean with underfloor heating and live it, had travertine times before which I hated. It's warm, quiet and looks as good now as it did 5 years ago when fitted, ours is plank style that comes in pieces like laminate and us very slightly chamfered on the edges and with a very this border round the edge.

Not quite this colour but very similar.

images.app.goo.gl/VLAHpFRZHZhwuggW9

I have inherited 15y old laminate in the hosue at the moment and i have to say i despise it, am worried karndean/LVT will be too reminiscent of laminate?

What about real/hard wood?

I like the look of polished concrete but tbh i dont think it would go in a standard family house?

I've got pale oak effect porcelain plank tiles and I love them.
BUT big regret is we didn't use resin /epoxy grout.

I have slates in this house: hate them as freezing, uneven & anything dropped instantly smashes

I’d choose amitco, karndean or similar in a heartbeat as warmer & fewer breakages, think they have a long guarantee too

I have engineered wood, parquet style. It's been fine to look after, really warm to walk on. Our fitter glued it together so it's really tightly fit to prevent water getting under or in any cracks.
We had stone flooring in our old house and I was a nervous wreck when my kids were playing as it was so hard when they took a tumble and so ruled it out this time. I may switch in future but for now I'm really happy with the wood

We have a stone floor in our kitchen and it's freezing!
Recently had Karndean fitted in an herringbone oak effect in our hall and it's much warmer and more practical. I personally don't feel it looks 'plasticky'
Wood/engineered wood probably would have looked better but I was worried that it would scratch and be hard to maintain as it can't be mopped with water etc.