Karndean and Amtico are the two names customers ask for by brand rather than by product, and both deserve their reputation. They are also where the gap between a good fit and a poor one is most obvious, because a designer floor laid on an unprepared subfloor still looks like a badly laid floor. We are independent fitters, so we have no reason to push one brand over the other. What follows is how we explain the choice on site, what the fitting actually involves, and where the money goes.
What the premium brands actually give you
Three things: design quality, consistency and support. The embossing follows the printed grain rather than sitting under it, the bevels and edge detail are crisp, and shade variation across a batch is controlled so a large floor does not stripe.
You also get long domestic guarantees, published wear layer thicknesses and clear technical data on adhesives, underfloor heating limits and acclimatisation. On a floor you intend to keep for fifteen years, that documentation has real value.
Karndean at a glance
Karndean's glue down collections cover wood and stone effects in a wide spread of price points, with the higher collections offering longer planks, deeper embossing and more convincing grain. There are also click and loose lay formats for situations where gluing down is not practical.
Loose lay is genuinely useful in rented commercial units and over some existing floors, because it can be lifted and reused. It needs a very flat, clean subfloor to perform, so it is not a shortcut around preparation.
- Glue down plank and tile: the mainstream choice for kitchens, halls and open plan rooms.
- Click formats: quicker to fit, useful over slightly less perfect subfloors.
- Loose lay: liftable and reusable, needs a first class subfloor.
- Design strips and borders: a low cost way to make a hallway look bespoke.
Amtico at a glance
Amtico is a British manufacturer with a strong design led range, and its Signature and Spacia collections sit at different points in the market. Signature is the heavyweight designer tier with the widest laying pattern options, while Spacia covers the mid market at a keener price.
Amtico's laying patterns are one of the strongest arguments for the brand. Herringbone, chevron, basketweave and parquet layouts are properly supported with the right plank formats and setting out guidance, rather than improvised from a standard plank.
The subfloor decides the result
Both brands are only a few millimetres thick, so they follow the surface underneath exactly. On timber floors that normally means plywood overboarding, screwed at close centres with joints staggered. On concrete it means removing old adhesive and applying a smoothing compound, or a self levelling screed where levels are genuinely out.
Manufacturers also specify moisture limits and acclimatisation, commonly leaving the material in the room for a day or two before fitting. Skipping that step is how gaps and lipping appear months later, and it will invalidate the guarantee.
Cost: what drives the number
Material cost rises with collection tier, plank size and pattern complexity. Fitting cost rises with pattern too: herringbone and parquet layouts take substantially longer than a straight lay and generate more waste, so treat them as a different price bracket rather than a small upgrade.
Preparation is the third pillar and the one that varies most between properties. An honest quote itemises material, preparation and fitting separately so you can see which part you are paying for.
- Straight plank lay: the baseline for both material use and labour.
- Herringbone or chevron: roughly a third more fitting time, higher waste allowance.
- Design strips and feature borders: modest material cost, extra setting out time.
- Preparation: plywood or smoothing compound, priced after a survey rather than guessed.
Which should you choose?
If you want a specific pattern such as a true herringbone or a parquet layout, look hard at Amtico first. If you want the widest spread of wood effects at a range of budgets, or you need a loose lay solution, Karndean often answers it better.
In practice, both are excellent and the decision usually comes down to the sample you prefer in your own light. We bring samples to the survey and leave them with you, because a plank looks different on a showroom floor than in a north facing kitchen.
Looking after a designer floor
Sweep or vacuum regularly, clean with the manufacturer's recommended product rather than a general purpose cleaner, and avoid steam mops. Use felt pads under furniture and a proper barrier mat at external doors, because grit is what dulls a wear layer.
Keep a few spare planks from the same batch. Individual plank replacement is one of the real advantages of glue down LVT, and it only works cleanly if the batch matches.
Want this priced for your own rooms?
We measure, check the subfloor and give you an itemised written quote - free, with no obligation, across South East London and Kent.
Frequently asked questions
Is Amtico better than Karndean?
Neither is better overall. Amtico has the edge on pattern led layouts, Karndean on breadth of wood effects and loose lay options. Both need the same standard of preparation to perform.
Are you an approved fitter?
We fit both brands regularly and follow the published installation guidance, including subfloor preparation, adhesive choice and acclimatisation, which is what the guarantee depends on.
Can these go over underfloor heating?
Yes, within the manufacturer's surface temperature limit, commonly around twenty seven degrees, with the system commissioned gradually before and after fitting.
Why is fitting a premium LVT dearer than laminate?
Because the subfloor has to be near perfect and glue down work is slower and less forgiving. The plank is thin, so the preparation is doing much of the work.