Karndean v Amtico

DD has Karndean throughout their ground floor except for the kitchen. They have had it down for over ten years; it is very hard wearing (it has ‘grown up’ with my boisterous grandson) and it looks as good as it did when it was laid. It isn’t cheap but they consider it has been worth every penny.

We have had two Amtico floors in our kitchen in our last home and in our current home. Both are wooden floorboard like designs and we are very pleased with them. We had them fitted (not being handy ourselves). Easy to clean, looks like new (been down 5 years) no problems that we are aware of. Never heard of the other brand, sorry.

We had Amtico laid in our kitchen in 2004 and it still looks as good as new. We've also had it laid in the bathrooms. The only downside is the cost which means that we won't be changing it any time soon.

We had an Amtico floor laid in our downstairs cloakroom, and the passageway leading from the back door to the garden, in 1996. It has worn superbly, but we did have it laid by professionals, from John Lewis. It was called Norwegian Slate and visitors often think it is real slate.

I have Karndean in my kitchen and shower room/toilet. It's been down for about 12 years, no problems at all. Heavy wear area through the kitchen as it also leads to back garden. It was laid by a friend of my son, it was actually left over from a large hotel he had been refitting. We removed old tiles ourselves and then the floor had to be levelled, which he did one evening and then returned next day to lay the floor.

We are very happy with the Karndean which has been in our kitchen, dining room and hall for many years now. These are very busy through rooms but the Karndean still looks good.
I seem to remember that Amtico is more expensive than Karndean.

Ah! Thanks everyone! It was John Lewis that I've contacted and they're sending someone out to measure up later this month. Does Amtico need specialist underlay? I've found that laminate flooring is a bit "clicky" and echoing; is Amtico?

We have some Karndean ( Karndene?) here,about ten years old now, looks just as good.I have splilled things on it and dropped things on it, no problems!

Our kitchen Amtico was glued onto marine plywood which had been laid over the floor boards. It doesn't click at all. The work was done by a professional floor layer who had received training from Amtico

This is a bit difficult to describe but.... The one I have in mind is like oak planks - similar to the laminate flooring I currently have. The laminate floor just clicks together with no visible joins. Does Amtico/Karndene have visible joins or does that look like seamless too? Also, is it waterproof? After effects of the flood have made me a bit twitchy about floors and water!

I have Karndean in the hall, my D has it through her "downstairs " including the conservatory. It is good looking and hard wearing. Amtico was beyond our price range, although beautiful. It does not click as it is permanently glued down on a surface which is laid the day before.

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Chewbacca This is what our kitchen flooring looks like. Each strip has a slightly bevelled edge which buts up against the next plank when they are glued together. There are lots of designs but ours looks like planking and even has a wood-grain finish. We've never had any problems with it lifting after kitchen floods.

Karndean is waterproof ( untested with floods though!)
Have heard good things about Amtico, but not seen it.

That looks brilliant oldgoat, I like the style of that very much indeed! she said, storing it for design ideas for herself!

I've just googled Karndean and Amtico and you're right! Amtico is about £10 per metre more expensive. You've all been really kind and helpful, thanks so much. I've got until the 17th to make my mind up!

We had Karndean for around 10yrs in kitchen/dining area and I'm that boring I got exactly the same fitted in new house in kitchen when we downsized!! It was a tile effect with a gold trim which looked really effective especially in the dining area. We then also had it laid in the lounge with a wood finish and was well admired. It was recommended to us by an architect on the basis of cost and hard wearing quality.

Chewy

We have Amtico in our kitchen and it was laid 15 years ago!

We had a flood a few yearsago but it didn't lift until a long time after and only then on a couple of strips on the edge.

We chose a mid cream colour and over the years it has faded but I can honestly say it has been hard wearing , easy to clean and to be honest we are changing the kitchen hopefully next year and I wonder if it will be a problem because it has been 'stuck down' so steadfastly it must be a pain to rip it up to replace.

Hope your decorating goes well .

We have Amtico in the bathroom and Karndean in the conservatory. Both have been down for several years and are as good as new - even though we I constantly trudge through the conservatory with wet, muddy shoes Karndean is slightly cheaper than Amtico (or was!)

Thanks Pogs & Squiffy. I'm pretty much decided on Karndean or Amtico, rather than the laminate flooring I currently have. I've got John Lewis coming round in a couple of weeks to give me a quote for Amtico but I'm now hunting round for a local supplier of Karndean so that I can compare prices. They both seem to have excellent recommendations for durability and style. Just the price to sort out now! The flooring is asphalt, under the underlay, so I'm hoping I won't need it screeding too.

We have Karndean tiles in the bathroom and Karndean Paleo Clic in the kitchen. It looks great and cleans easily. I gave it a thorough refresh after it was down for a year. The only problem we had was it was laid over parquet which lifted and the floor had to be re screeded and the floor relaid.

So does Karndean need specialist underlay Treebee? I've got asphalt floors with the underlay for the laminate flooring and wondered if the same underlay would be used or new stuff fitted. Don't fancy flooring lifting again! The laminate lifted after "the great flood" last year.

I have a through lounge. When I came here it had a carpet. As the back part is the dining room, and also has french windows into the garden. (long galley kitchen, no room for a table), and my g.children were all very young then, I needed something that would look good, be hard wearing and easy to wipe over. I chose Amtico. Went for their top end - which looks exactly like the orginal parquet in the hallway. Even was able to select colours and pattern for the border. Took a week to lay, each tile is laid separately. This was carried out some 12 years ago. Must say the cost was high, but the effect was and still is stunning. Anyone who comes into my home - whether guest or tradesperson, comments on that floor. So easy to keep clean, has withstood animals, babies mess and childrens. Looks today much as it did the day they finished laying it. Cannot recommend it enough.

I have Amtico in hall, kitchen and bathrooms. The floors were prepared with a scree and the finished job was very good. It has been down 6 years without problems except I did mark the surface when I dropped a bottle from the fridge.

I looked at the title and thought this was a boxing match!

I regret not having this type of flooring put down in our kitchen diner.
I decided on porcelain tiles in the kitchen area which do look great but in the diner area engineered flooring with a gloss finish which was a bit mistake. The flooring shows every mark.
I have a mat finish engineered flooring in the hall and it's fab should have had the same in the diner.
The Amtico flooring I could have had all the way thru and this would have worked better for me.
You live and learn.