Karndean Vinyl Plank Reviews and Prices 2023

Karndean is a global flooring company with its roots based in Offenham, UK. The company has expanded significantly since the 90s, and they now have a headquarters in Pittsburg and three showrooms in the United States. Unlike other flooring manufacturers, Karndean Design specializes in producing luxury vinyl planks, and they bring some unique styles to the table as well.

Karndean Vinyl Flooring Collections

We love a company with an expansive catalog and are pleased to say Karndean’s arsenal of flooring is quite impressive. They have 10 collections on the market at this time, and all are easy to browse through their official website.

Karndean Art Select 

The Karndean Art Select collection is designed to mimic the look of natural wood or stone tile. You’ll find some of the company’s most detailed planks and tiles in this collection courtesy of realistic embossing techniques.

At this time, there are four stone options with Slate, Limestone, Travertine, and Marble. Each type of stone is available in several different tones, but sizes vary wildly from traditional to large format tile. Their wood-look vinyl planks range from 4” to 7” depending on the style, and there two species with Oak and Maple although Parquet is an option as well.

Karndean Da Vinci 

The Da Vinci collection from Karndean turns back the clock with flooring that has a timeless appeal. There are around 30 styles of flooring in this collection, and there’s a nice mix between tile and planks. Colors range from a rusty copper to a light pink marble, so there is truly something for everyone from that standpoint. That includes consumers that prefer the look of weathered steel to wood.

Luxury vinyl planks from this collection have a beveled edge and are designed to look like Walnut, Maple, Oak, or Acacia. While we find the boards quite convincing, the company only produces them in 3” widths for this particular collection.

Karndean Van Gogh & Van Gogh Rigid Core

Despite its namesake, the Van Gogh collection billed as a series about American style and performance. Instead of finding vinyl that looks like marble from ancient times, you’ll get wood that resembles domestic hardwood species from the United States like Beech, Pine, Redwood, and Oak. The Van Gogh lineup has a slightly thinner wear layer than the previous two series, but there are 46 styles to choose from.

Van Gogh Rigid Core features 14 styles and the same shades found in the regular series. The difference is in the core, as these luxury vinyl planks are more rigid. While they still have a thinner 20mil wear layer, these boards are thicker at 4.5mm. Neither of the Van Gogh series includes tile.

Karndean Opus

They say variety is the spice of life. Well, if you need some spice in your home, the Karndean Opus collection should be the first place you look. This collection has more variety than the rest of their lines combined and also features some of the more interesting flooring options as well.

There are 36 styles in the Opus collection, including Golden Teak with its swirly patterns and Nero, a black stone style that resembles slate. Sizes vary wildly as well from 4” to 9” wide boards and extra-large tiles that are square or rectangular. While we didn’t check all 30+ styles, the overall thickness takes another hit with this collection by dipping down to 2.5mm.

Kardean Knight Tile

With 36 styles, the Kardean Knight collection provides consumers with a nice array of wood-look vinyl in an array of natural hues. The edges were non-beveled on the boards we checked, and most had a smooth texture despite some styles rustic appeal.

The tile from this series is constructed in the same fashion, although textured, which adds some realism to each square. Most of the options are lighter in tone, with the exception of a few wilder styles like Andesite or Copper Slate. The wear layer on products from this collection is 12mil, while both the boards and tiles are 2mm thick.

Karndean LooseLay & LooseLay Longboard 

The majority of Karndean’s collections use the glue-down method of installation, but they’ve bucked that trend with their LooseLay series. No glue is required to install these planks, which makes them an ideal option for homeowners that want to do it themselves. The company’s K-Wave friction grip backing helps in that regard, as well.

Durability with vinyl flooring, luxurious or not, is different than durability with flooring like hardwood or tile. You can’t use the Janka scale to judge the hardness of your flooring, so you have to rely on the company’s information and their promises of durability. As you can see from our Karndean collections review, the thickness of their flooring varies from around 2mm to 6.5mm.

Most styles have a 20 to 30mil wear layer, and we saw several listings mentioning the company’s K-Guard+ surface protection as well. Their planks and tiles are said waterproof and all their lines have a lifetime warranty as long as they are used in a residential setting. There aren’t a great deal of reviews for their products, so just how durable they are compared to other brands is unknown.

The Green Factor

You can only go so “Green” when you choose to use vinyl flooring, but most manufacturers have adopted eco-friendly practices over the past decade. With Karnean, you can expect all of their flooring to be FloorScore certified, so off-gassing and VOCs will not be a concern. Their flooring is ortho-phthalate free, and all their adhesives are solvent-free with low VOC emissions.

Karndean actually takes things a step further than most companies as their green policies extend beyond the showroom floor. They employ energy-saving methods in their offices, use recycled material for packaging, and all their products are made in factories with ISO 14001 and ISO 9001 certifications. If you’d like to learn more about the company’s eco-friendly policies, be sure to check out the environmental commitment section on their site.

Karndean Vinyl Plank Cost & Availability 

Karndean Design Flooring is considering a premium brand, but that’s not a bad thing if you appreciate high-quality flooring. Unfortunately, their products are not as easy to acquire compared to brands like Mohawk or even Cali Bamboo. Big box stores are out of the question, so you’ll need to locate a local flooring dealer and see if they have it in stock or can order Karndean flooring.

FAQs

Q: What should I use to clean Karndean vinyl plank flooring?

A: The company recommends using its own cleaning products, including Kardean Clean. You should never use an abrasive cleaning product or steam cleaners with their flooring.

Q: Can I use a flooring heating system with Kardean’s vinyl flooring lines?

A: Yes, but you will want to proceed with caution. Although Karndean adhesives are approved for use with radiant heat systems, it is only compatible if you ensure the installation meets the company’s standards.

Q: What type of floor mats are safe to use on Karndean vinyl?

A: A mat made from natural woven materials is the best choice as anything with synthetic rubber on the back can discolor your flooring in time.

Q: Can Karndean vinyl flooring be repaired if it becomes damaged?

A: It depends on the extent of the damage. If it is too severe or gets through the wear layer, you will probably need to replace the plank. For light scratches, you can use a product called Karndean Remove.

Q: How does Karndean measure up to other companies from an eco-friendly standpoint?

A: Karndean flooring is a member of the Green Building Council in the United States, New Zealand, and Australia, where they qualify for v4 LEED points. Their products are also FloorScore certified and listed in the SCS Global Services Green Product Guide.

Q: Where can I obtain samples of Kardnean flooring?

A: You may be able to find samples locally through dealers in your area that carry Karndean vinyl flooring. Otherwise, you can order samples directly from Karndean.

Q: What types of beveling options are available with vinyl flooring from Karndean?

A: At this time, the company has three alternatives available with beveled flooring, non-beveled flooring, and thread bevel.