Karndean vs wood flooring/tiles

[joe90]

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 ?.

[NSS]

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.

[Nickfromwales]

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. 

[joe90]

Thanks guys, yet to get samples but does the wood effect look like wood?

[Pete]

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.

[joe90]

 

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?

[Ferdinand]

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.

[Dudda]

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...

[Ian]

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.

[Nickfromwales]

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 ?

[NSS]

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...

[PeterW]

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. 

[Nickfromwales]

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. 

[joe90]

Thanks guys, mine will be going onto liquid screed covering the UFH and I have been told it will be dead flat.

[joe90]

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.

[Pete]

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.

[joe90]

We are having a no shoes policy!

[Pete]

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.

[NSS]

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!

[Ferdinand]

@Nickfromwales

 

Can the uniclic take stiletto heels?

Edited November 27, 2017 by Ferdinand

[Nickfromwales]

4 minutes ago, Ferdinand said:

@Nickfromwales

 

Can the uniclic take stiletto heels?

 tell you later 

[Ferdinand]

Just now, Nickfromwales said:

 tell you later 

 

Can we have a photo of you doing the test?

 

[PeterW]

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 ...

[jamiehamy]

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.  

[Ferdinand]

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