Karndean is a globally renowned brand that specializes in luxury vinyl flooring. They stock a diverse range of wood-look and stone-look vinyl boards and tiles- and have built a reputation as a manufacturer of premium-quality vinyl flooring through their 40-plus years of existence.
Here’s a complete review of Karndean vinyl flooring- including an overview of the various products, the advantages/disadvantages, and the costs.
Karndean vinyl plank flooring products
Karndean vinyl flooring products are classified by look, range, and format. Each of these product classifications is discussed in detail below:
Classification by Look
1. Wood-look Karndean Vinyl Plank Flooring
Wood-look Karndean vinyl flooring products feature elegant designs and realistic texturing that mimic the look of various types of natural wood floors like maple, pine, and oak. To create these wood-effect vinyl flooring planks, the brand leverages the latest technologies to imitate the grain details of real hardwoods and softwoods. The result is a product that looks just as good as natural wood flooring but is much cheaper.
2. Stone-look Karndean Vinyl Plank Flooring
Karndean stone-effect vinyl flooring products feature realistic designs that mimic the look of various types of stone flooring such as marble, concrete, slate, and travertine. These handcrafted designs will elevate the aesthetic appeal of any living space- and are devoid of the drawbacks of natural stone flooring.
Classification by Format
When purchasing Karndean vinyl plank flooring, you can either go for glue-down, loose-lay, or rigid-core planks. Each of these formats offers different capabilities, depending on their installation methods. Here’s a brief overview of each of these options:
- Gluedown Karndean Vinyl Flooring
As the name suggests, glue-down planks are installed by being glued down to the subfloor using an adhesive. As such, no expansion gaps are needed with this format. Karndean’s glue-down products have the widest range of options that you can choose from.
This format also allows the greatest room for personalization using design strips. These are decorative strips that are laid along the grout lines- and can be made to match the Karndean vinyl tiles for perfect color coordination.
2. Loose-lay Karndean Vinyl Flooring
Karndean Loose-lay planks boast the brand’s K-wave friction grip backing technology that enables them to strongly stick to the subfloor without the need for any adhesives. This format is recommended for those who prefer fast and simple installation or may want to replace the flooring sometime in the future (Karndean loose-lay planks are easy to remove).
You can also install loose-lay Karndean flooring in upstairs rooms to minimize noise transfer downstairs, as the planks can lower noise transfer by up to 16-decibels.
3. Rigid-core Karndean Vinyl Flooring
Boasting rigid-core construction, this type of Karndean vinyl flooring can be installed over most hard surfaces. Meanwhile, the click-locking mechanism of the planks allows you to lay them straight or at an angle for varying visual aesthetics.
Finally, the pre-attached backing provides acoustic treatment while also concealing subfloor imperfections.
Classification by Range
Finally, you can classify Karndean Vinyl Flooring products by range. These include Art Select, Korlok, Da Vinci, Van Gogh, Opus, and Knight Tile. Each of these ranges features a wide variety of styles and textures that you can choose from, as detailed below:
- Karndean ‘Art Select’ Vinyl Flooring
Flooring planks within this collection boast a unique, natural charm that brings life to any room. What’s more, there are up to 40 different designs to choose from within the ‘Art Select’ line.
2. Karndean ‘Korlok’ Vinyl Flooring
The brand’s Korlok range features two lines, namely ‘Korlok Select’ and ‘Korlok Reserve’. The Korlok Select collection features a wide array of wood-look and stone-look planks. Therefore- whether you’re going for vinyl flooring that resembles oak or marble- you’re likely to find something you like in this collection.
You can also arrange the Korlok Select marble-effect tiles in a herringbone pattern for even better visual aesthetics. Finally, most Korlok Select tiles boast stain-resistant grouting technology- Integrout- that makes the grout lines easy to clean and maintain.
Meanwhile, the Korlok Reserve collection includes a variety of wood-look options. You can also choose from different types of finishes depending on the style you’re going for. Karndean Korlok Select planks with an aged finish- for instance- are perfect if you’re going for a rustic/traditional aesthetic.
- Karndean ‘Da Vinci’ Vinyl Flooring
Karndean vinyl flooring products within the ‘Da Vinci’ range are best-suited for those who want a transitional aesthetic- as the planks are a detailed mix of classic and contemporary styles. There’s also no scarcity of options- with over 30 different designs to choose from.
2. Karndean ‘Van Gogh’ Vinyl Flooring
Vinyl planks within the Van Gogh collection embody American style while recreating the natural beauty of wood floors. The planks are textured to mimic the detailed graining of real wood floors- all minus the drawbacks that come with wood flooring.
Planks within this line fall either within the glue-down or rigid-core format- with the latter using a click-locking installation mechanism.
3. Karndean ‘Opus’ Vinyl Flooring
Karndean vinyl flooring products within the Opus range embody contemporary design aesthetics- such as neutral colors for a minimalist appeal. These floors look great in modern office spaces and homes with subtle aesthetics and open floor plans. The Opus range includes Opus Wood, Opus Stone, and Heritage collections.
Opus Wood large-plank size wood-effect flooring- including walnut and pine. Opus Stone includes stone-inspired tiles- including concrete-look and travertine-look options. The Heritage Collection- meanwhile- features flooring with eccentric patterns for a sophisticated appeal. These vinyl flooring options are great for creating visual transitions in homes with open floor plans.
4. Karndean Knight Tile
With 36 options to choose from, Karndean’s ‘Knight Tile range offers the utmost diversity in terms of style and design options. Wood-effect and stone-effect flooring options are available in varying sizes and formats- including glue-down and rigid-core. What’s more, the 12mil wear layer offers decent durability.
5. Karndean Loose-Lay and Loose-Lay Longboard
With most Karndean flooring options being either glue-down or rigid-core, loose-lay Karndean vinyl flooring offers a nice alternative. The planks use friction grip technology for easy installation, making them a great flooring option for DIY enthusiasts.
Karndean Loose-Lay boards measure 10” x 41”. However, if you prefer longer planks for faster installation, you can opt for Karndean Loose-Lay Longboard planks which measure 10” x 59”.
Karndean flooring price per square foot
Being as it is vinyl flooring, Karndean flooring is cheaper compared to most types of wood flooring. Nevertheless, Karndean is a high-end luxury vinyl flooring brand, and you’ll find their products slightly pricier than other vinyl flooring brands.
The cost of Karndean flooring varies depending on the collection under which it falls. For instance, products under the ‘Art Select’ range start retailing at $5.50 per square foot, while Karndean ‘Da Vinci’ is just a little bit cheaper at $5.19 per square foot. Meanwhile, Karndean Opus, Knight Tile, and Korlok Reserve retail starting from $3.84, $2.68, and $4.61 per square foot- respectively.
Durability
Due to its Polyvinylchloride (PVC) core construction, Karndean flooring boasts excellent durability/longevity. In addition to the dual PVC backing layers, the scratch-resistant wear layer ensures that the floor stays protected from scratches, scuff marks, and minor dents. Most types of Karndean flooring have relatively thick wear layers that clock in between 20-30 mils.
Note though, that Karndean vinyl flooring still isn’t as durable as real hardwood flooring, which can last for over 100 years before needing to be replaced. Nevertheless, you can adopt the tips detailed below to enhance the lifespan of your Karndean vinyl floor:
- Avoid dragging heavy furniture and house appliances across the vinyl surface to prevent scratches and dents. If you have Karndean flooring installed in your bedroom, it’s advisable to install felt pads or area rags underneath slippery beds.
- Mop up spillages as soon as you notice them. Liquid spills are more likely to cause permanent staining if left pooling on the Karndean vinyl surface for a long time.
Pros and cons of Karndean LVP flooring
Pros
- Realistic Wood Look- Karndean flooring look and feels just like natural wood flooring. The same goes for Karndean stone-effect flooring.
- Eco-friendly Flooring- Karndean Luxury Vinyl Plank (LVP) flooring is eco-friendly as it doesn’t emit harmful volumes of toxic gases, as is the case with most other brands of vinyl flooring. In fact, Karndean flooring products are licensed by various environmental bodies- including Global GreenTag and the U.S. Greenguard Environmental Institute.
- Low maintenance flooring- due to its stain-resistant capabilities, Karndean flooring is easy to maintain and keep clean. What’s more, the planks and tiles feature a protective treatment on the wear layer that provides resistance against scuff marks.
- Relatively durable- Karndean flooring is LVP/LVT flooring with a hardy PVC core. This makes it considerably more durable than regular sheet vinyl flooring that has a fiberglass core.
- Waterproof- due to its dual PVC core construction, Karndean flooring holds off water well. It’s for this reason that it’s recommended for installation in bathrooms.
Cons
- Limited installation options- the vast majority of Karndean flooring products (three-quarters) fall under the glue-down installation format. This is restrictive for clients who prefer floating vinyl floors that use click-locking or loose-lay installation.
- Karndean flooring can scratch- while it’s listed as scratch-resistant, Karndean flooring is not entirely scratch-proof.
- Karndean flooring can fade- Karndean vinyl floorboards will get discolored if exposed to the sun’s UV rays. As such, this type of flooring is not recommended for installation in outdoor spaces such as decks.
- Warranty conditions- while Karndean offers limited lifetime warranties ranging between 15-20 years for all their product ranges, these warranties are subject to various terms and conditions. For instance, you cannot file a warranty claim for damage on your Karndean flooring if you installed it in a commercial establishment with heavy traffic/use.
How to clean Karndean vinyl flooring
Due to the microbial-resistant PVC wear layer and K-Guard+ surface protection technology, it doesn’t take a lot to keep Karndean vinyl floors clean. To effectively clean your Karndean floor, all you need is a cleaner and a spray mop.
Take note though that some commercial cleaners can be too harsh on Karndean flooring and cause irreversible damage. To avoid this, we recommend using Karndean’s brand cleaner (Karndean Clean); which is specially formulated for safe cleaning on Karndean vinyl surfaces.
If you don’t have Karndean Clean- any odorless, pH-neutral cleaner will suffice. For deeper cleaning, you can machine-clean your Karndean vinyl floor.
Is Karndean flooring scratch proof?
Karndean LVP/LVT flooring is classified as scratch-resistant. This means that it can withstand a significant degree of surface abrasion without showing any superficial scratches.
However- Karndean flooring isn’t 100% scratch-proof. Very heavy furniture or sharp objects can still cause scratches and dents on the floor surface.
Where is Karndean flooring made?
While Karndean vinyl flooring products are made in Asia, the company’s roots can be traced to the UK. Karndean also has distribution centers spread out globally, including in Canada, the USA, Europe, Australia, and New Zealand.
Is Karndean better than laminate?
When compared to laminate flooring, Karndean vinyl flooring has more advantages and is clearly the better option- both functionally and aesthetically. Its waterproof construction prevents moisture from penetrating the subfloor- making it great for use in wet spaces like kitchens and bathrooms.
By comparison, laminate flooring has decent moisture resistance, but delamination will occur under conditions of extreme wetness. This is because laminate flooring has a wood-composite core that swells when exposed to waterlogged conditions. It’s for this reason that vinyl is preferred over laminate flooring in bathrooms.
