joe90 Posted November 27, 2017 Share Posted November 27, 2017 We were set to buy engineered wood flooring and tiles for our ground floor when our builder told me his brother had laid Karndean flooring of “wood” and” tiles “ in his own house and he could not tell it from the real stuff. I have always thought “ pretend” flooring would never look like the real stuff. We also have UFH and been told Karndean is better than wood for this anyway. The wear layer on Karndean is only 0.4mm but it will never need re treating ( like wood) so with care will need no maintenance. A big dilemma for us, I would like to hear your opinions on this matter please folks ?. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NSS Posted November 27, 2017 Share Posted November 27, 2017 We've done the whole house in Karndean. Had it in the hallway and kitchen of our old house for 15 years and still looked like new when we sold the house. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nickfromwales Posted November 27, 2017 Share Posted November 27, 2017 Just pulled up 15 / 20 year old Karndean in a kitchen diner knock through and it was still looking exceptionally good for its age and the fact it was in a high traffic / adverse environment. I think it's naturally warmer underfoot too, plus offers some impact sound absorption. The Amtico I saw was still too commercial - hospital feel / look for my liking. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joe90 Posted November 27, 2017 Author Share Posted November 27, 2017 Thanks guys, yet to get samples but does the wood effect look like wood? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Posted November 27, 2017 Share Posted November 27, 2017 We had Karndean fitted in our last house and we loved it, only problem we had with it over the 10 years was the uv light through the french doors severely bleached the colour in that area and it was really noticeable. The product was the warm oak wood effect tile. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joe90 Posted November 27, 2017 Author Share Posted November 27, 2017 1 minute ago, Pete said: We had Karndean fitted in our last house and we loved it, only problem we had with it over the 10 years was the uv light through the french doors severely bleached the colour in that area and it was really noticeable. The product was the warm oak wood effect tile. Yes we have two sets of bi folds that face south and was worried about UV bleaching, but that would affect real wood as well, I don’t think it would affect tiles? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ferdinand Posted November 27, 2017 Share Posted November 27, 2017 Just a note that B&Q have their Quick-Step Livyn Luxury Vinyl Uniclic tiles at £22 per sqm for the next week. I will be switching to these from the Laminate version I was planning to use. I have samples and it is an excellent product imo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dudda Posted November 27, 2017 Share Posted November 27, 2017 Have never dealt with Karndean as it’s not as popular a brand in Ireland but Forbo and Polyfloor do almost identical products and I’m very impressed with them. All these wood effect vinyls have come a long way in the last 5 years. Used them in a high end fashion flagship store which has heavy use and also in a Hospital. The area in the hospital was a family room so wanted to create a comfortable relaxing environment away from the clinical hospital environment. It had to pass a load of infection control, maintenance and heavy duty traffic standards that timber and tiles (due to the dirt building up in grout) couldn’t meet. Planning to use it on two more hospital projects next year and possibly some student housing. Very impressed with how realistic the wood looked and obviously all the above uses are heavy traffic areas. When looking for a house or site it's location, location, location but then it's samples, samples, samples... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian Posted November 27, 2017 Share Posted November 27, 2017 52 minutes ago, joe90 said: Thanks guys, yet to get samples but does the wood effect look like wood? Yes it looks very like wood to the point where they are very difficult to tell apart. The only real give-away is the lack of noise when you walk across the Karndean compared to real wood. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nickfromwales Posted November 27, 2017 Share Posted November 27, 2017 38 minutes ago, Ferdinand said: Just a note that B&Q have their Quick-Step Livyn Luxury Vinyl Uniclic tiles at £22 per sqm for the next week. I will be switching to these from the Laminate version I was planning to use. I have samples and it is an excellent product imo. It's nice stuff ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NSS Posted November 27, 2017 Share Posted November 27, 2017 Yep, very wood like, and as others ha ve said, easy to clean, warmer under foot (even without the UFH I on) and quieter than wood. Also worth mentioning that it's a more forgiving surface when dropping glasses/crockery (my wife is a bit of a 'butter fingers. Here's our hallway... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterW Posted November 27, 2017 Share Posted November 27, 2017 Don’t forget it needs a “dead flat” subfloor so it is going onto concrete then you will need to put self levelling compound down so factor that into any pricing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nickfromwales Posted November 27, 2017 Share Posted November 27, 2017 12 minutes ago, PeterW said: Don’t forget it needs a “dead flat” subfloor so it is going onto concrete then you will need to put self levelling compound down so factor that into any pricing. +1. Even purpose laid plywood will need what the layers call 'smoothing compound' to get the joints and screw holes invisible. Its like self levelling compound but much finer and can be feathered out to nothing and 'sanded' with a carborundum block. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joe90 Posted November 27, 2017 Author Share Posted November 27, 2017 Thanks guys, mine will be going onto liquid screed covering the UFH and I have been told it will be dead flat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joe90 Posted November 27, 2017 Author Share Posted November 27, 2017 1 hour ago, Nickfromwales said: It's nice stuff ? Can this be glued down as I hate floating floors and I want to bond the flooring to ensure heat is transferred. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Posted November 27, 2017 Share Posted November 27, 2017 1 hour ago, NSS said: Yep, very wood like, and as others ha ve said, easy to clean, warmer under foot (even without the UFH I on) and quieter than wood. Also worth mentioning that it's a more forgiving surface when dropping glasses/crockery (my wife is a bit of a 'butter fingers. Here's our hallway... I would agree with all of the above but avoid slightly intoxicated ladies in stiletto shoes putting all their weight through the heel as it left small indents that we had to look at for years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joe90 Posted November 27, 2017 Author Share Posted November 27, 2017 We are having a no shoes policy! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Posted November 27, 2017 Share Posted November 27, 2017 I think it is best laid on a solid surface as our floor make up was block/beam with insulation and then a chipboard floor floating but glued edges and in certain light you could make out the ripple effect over the entire floor. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NSS Posted November 27, 2017 Share Posted November 27, 2017 12 minutes ago, Pete said: I would agree with all of the above but avoid slightly intoxicated ladies in stiletto shoes putting all their weight through the heel as it left small indents that we had to look at for years. Yep, killer heels have to be removed at the door! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ferdinand Posted November 27, 2017 Share Posted November 27, 2017 (edited) @Nickfromwales Can the uniclic take stiletto heels? Edited November 27, 2017 by Ferdinand Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nickfromwales Posted November 27, 2017 Share Posted November 27, 2017 4 minutes ago, Ferdinand said: @Nickfromwales Can the uniclic take stiletto heels? tell you later Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ferdinand Posted November 27, 2017 Share Posted November 27, 2017 Just now, Nickfromwales said: tell you later Can we have a photo of you doing the test? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterW Posted November 27, 2017 Share Posted November 27, 2017 5 minutes ago, Ferdinand said: @Nickfromwales Can the uniclic take stiletto heels? Most vinyl can’t, the only ones that can are the ones with high volumes of solids ie Rhino, Altro etc as the resins and polymers just aren’t dense enough to stop the pressure. Given the force through a stiletto is around 20 times that of a car parking on your floor, it’s unlikely most things can stand it ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jamiehamy Posted November 27, 2017 Share Posted November 27, 2017 2 hours ago, Ferdinand said: Just a note that B&Q have their Quick-Step Livyn Luxury Vinyl Uniclic tiles at £22 per sqm for the next week. I will be switching to these from the Laminate version I was planning to use. I have samples and it is an excellent product imo. Useful tip - thanks! WIll pop down tonight for a sniff as I need to get some for kitchen and other areas. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ferdinand Posted November 27, 2017 Share Posted November 27, 2017 Just now, jamiehamy said: Useful tip - thanks! WIll pop down tonight for a sniff as I need to get some for kitchen and other areas. The sale may be home delivery only, but there should be the product to look at. Uniclic are the ones with the blue square logo ... or that is how the BnQ chap said to find them :-). F Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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