Karndean flooring

[Ruthiebabes]

We are soon starting a groundfloor extension, which will include a kitchen/diner and shower room. We are considering Karndean flooring, does anyone have any advice on this product? Thanks in advance for any info.
Ruthiebabes.

we have it in the kitchen and bathroom, what kind of advice are you looking for?

we have it in our family bathroom. verey nice.

I have it through my hall, kitchen/diner and downstairs loo. I think it's great - easy to clean, hardwearing and not quite as cold as tiles. We have American Oak in the hall/loo and soapstone in the kitchen.

Get it fitted by an expert if you are having any detailing/borders done.

Thanks for your help. Just need to know that it looks smart, is easy to clean and wears well. That sort of thing.

I am thinking of soapstone in the bathroom, but not sure about the kitchen/diner. Perhaps the oak in the kitchen/diner? Would you recommend the oak karndean over solid wood floors??

Thanks, advice really appreciated.

i had it in my old house. it was fantastic. i would recomend it over the wood floor that i have now. its easy to clean, warm underfoot and does not scratch or scuff at all.

we have solid wood and slate elsewhere with only 2 rooms actually carpeted - i prefer my wood over anything.

We're thinking of getting it in our kitchen, too. Either that or Amtico. have heard good things about it.

Can you put underfloor heating underneath it?

We have karndean in kitchen and amitco elsewhere for last 6 years and both equal IMO

Is real wood a lot more expensive than Karndean/Amtico? We have the latter in this house and, although I can see it's quite useful, I do hanker for real wood.

we are about to redo kitchen floor as well... Was recommended karndean but cannot get even a rough estimate on costing? What's the rough psqm cost anyone?

Is practical but looks fake and plasticky ime adn I have used 4 types in the past and the slate efect was the best.Wood effect is not so good.If you are spending all that money on an extension it is worth putting in an authentic floor imho

We've got slate effect Karndean tiles in the bathroom (installed by the previous owners) and despite my initial reservations I have been really impressed with how well the floor has worn. I wouldn't say that they look like real slate or anything, but the seal between each tile is so tight that the finish is still perfect after several years of bathroom sloshiness and wear, and it requires practically no maintenance apart from hoovering and the odd Dettol wipeover.

I think I'd prefer real wood or real tiles for hallway and kitchen though.

I have it in hall and kitchen & it's very hard wearing and looks nicer than the cheap laminate stuff/70s throwback tiles it replaced when we bought the place. Our kitchen has a border design in it which I really like. It's less noisy underfoot than real wood but real wood still nicer imho.

Piffle - mine was fitted just over 3 years ago. I think I paid between £35 and £50 a sq metre fitted. It does depend on the layout though as some styles need lots more cutting than others, for example a border or having it laid diagonally. In the hall I have the oak laid diagonally with a simple border. In the kitchen the soapstone with narrow oak 'grouting'. It was quite fiddly I think.

You can have under floor heating with it.

i have had both Karndean and Amtico (similar design but in different houses) and have to say I found the Amtico much more durable. I personally wouldn't use Karndean again.

Was quoted £55-80 psqm for karndean by local fitters. Also 55 for the nicer laminate tiles. She warned against karndean as it was very hard for kids etc but we already have ceramic and the kids have never lost conscious.

we have real slate and wood and karndean - my boys are 3 and 4 and are probably safest in the bathroom with the karndean!

have to say having looked a bit online (much to dp's head in hands what are you doing grimaces) I like the look of Amtico more.

we have it

well... we have found out that our kitchen sub floor is rotten due to some leak hidden under the shitty ceramic tiles - hence the cracking
So whole kitchen has to come out for new sub floor - ha insurance job
I really want a decent floor - I detest cleaning, although a bit of annual maintenance can be coped with
Am being seriously wooed by Amtico as have highly regarded fitters locally, also good fitters for karndean.
Kitchen gets mega wear, it is main room in from outside, ds2 regularly drops anything on it from highchair and wheelybugs etc.
We are selling within 3 years of when recession (if as bad as predicted) ends

I now also have to choose a kitchen!!!!
We have no budget for this ARRGHHHH
at least insurance will help pay for the floor. Praying they do not insist on tiles again ARRGHHH hate them

we looked into getting this when we had our kitchen/dining room re-done. Mil has it and I liked the look of it.

What put me off was when I did some more enquiries I was told that only certain cleaning products can be used (the ones that they make) and that if you use other products than theirs then you invalidate the warranty on the flooring. So I decided against it.

We looked into it. Our subfloor was completely rubbish too, and we realised that by the time we had put in a new subfloor (fit for Karndean) and then the Karndean on top, we could pretty much have rebuilt our entire house in diamonds.

We just put in really good floorboards - only one floor required.

well insurance are paying for the subfloor and most of the replacement flooring hence our frivolity

We have Amtico which I love, also Karndean, who have introduced some more interesting designs lately, but somehow doesn't seem as good as Amtico.

I think you mentioned underfloor heating - that works really well with the ceramic tiles in our kitchen, but we then have Amtico around the actual area where the appliances are - so two finishes in the one area - which looks and works pretty well.