What Are the Disadvantages of Karndean Flooring? An Honest UK Buyer’s Guide

Charlie Mac
Aug 18
6 min read

Elegant room with a white sofa, beige cushions, and a textured throw. Ornate arches and patterns in the background create a classic vibe. Karndean Luxury Vinyl Flooring Tiles in herritage wood.

“Research has confirmed the pendulum to be a reliable and accurate test, so HSE has adopted it as its standard test method for assessing floor slipperiness.” — Health and Safety Executive (HSE). HSE

Karndean is a premium luxury vinyl tile. It looks realistic, feels quiet underfoot, and is simple to clean. It also has trade-offs you should weigh before buying. This guide sets out those drawbacks in plain English, using credible UK sources, and explains when they matter in everyday homes.

Short Answer: The Main Trade-Offs

Karndean can be a great choice, but the main downsides are:

Higher Total Installed Cost, because proper subfloor preparation is usually essential. cfa.org.ukcontractflooringjournal.co.uk
Sensitive to Moisture and Installation Quality, especially on concrete that has not been tested and prepared to British Standards. Document Centercontractflooringjournal.co.uk
Scratches and Dents Can Happen, particularly from grit, pets and heavy furniture.
Sunlight Can Fade or Yellow LVT without shading or films in bright rooms.
Limited Repair Options compared with sanding real wood.
Environmental Questions, as PVC floors raise end-of-life and recycling considerations, although UK schemes for LVT recycling exist. Recofloor

The Disadvantage Table You Can Act On

Disadvantage	Why it happens	What reduces the risk
Higher total installed cost	LVT needs a dry, flat, smooth subfloor. British Standard BS 8203 expects moisture testing and proper smoothing, which add labour and materials.	Include moisture testing and prepare the subfloor to BS 8203. Budget for smoothing compounds and, if needed, a surface DPM. Document Centercontractflooringjournal.co.uk
Moisture-related failure	When concrete is above the accepted limit, adhesives and vinyl can fail. The UK benchmark for surface RH is typically 75% for resilient floors.	Test the slab and only proceed once readings meet the standard, or install an appropriate moisture management system. contractflooringjournal.co .uk F Ball
Scratches and dents	Karndean’s protection comes from a wear layer, usually 0.3 mm to 0.7 mm depending on the range, so heavy point loads and grit can mark it.	Door mats, regular sweeping, felt pads, and soft rubber castors. Choose thicker wear layers in busier spaces. karndean.com +2karndean.com +2karndean.com +2
Fading or yellowing in sun	UV exposure can fade colours or yellow vinyl over time, especially near large windows.	Fit blinds or UV films, move rugs occasionally, and pick finishes with UV-stable coatings. karndean.com
Limited repair vs wood	You can replace an individual plank or tile, but you cannot sand and refinish like timber. Exact colour matching may be needed.	Keep spare boxes, and use a trained fitter for plank swaps. karndean.com
End-of-life and recycling	PVC raises sustainability questions. Household recycling is limited, although commercial take-back schemes accept LVT.	Use reuse routes and UK take-back schemes such as Recofloor for LVT offcuts and uplifted material where eligible. Recofloor

1) Cost: Why Karndean Can Surprise Your Budget

Karndean’s material price is only part of the bill. Getting a long-lasting result often means moisture testing, smoothing compounds, and sometimes a surface DPM. Those steps are not optional if you want the floor to stay flat and bonded.

Typical LVT prices in the UK are often £25–£40 per m² for mid-range products, before fitting. MyJobQuote
Supply-and-fit examples for small rooms commonly land in the low hundreds, depending on the range and layout complexity. Checkatrade

Why it matters: skipping prep to save money is a false economy. BS 8203 exists to prevent lifting, bubbling and gaps. Document Center

2) Installation Quality Is Everything

Karndean will only perform as advertised when the subfloor is dry, flat and sound. In UK practice, installers verify this with hygrometer testing and follow BS 8203 for adhesives, smoothing and tolerances. If the slab is above the accepted moisture level, failures are likely without a moisture management solution. contractflooringjournal.co .uk F Ball

Takeaway: hire a fitter who actually tests, documents RH and follows the standard, rather than relying on guesswork. Document Center

3) Scratches and Dents: What to Expect, What to Do

Karndean’s wear layer protects the design film, but it is not armour. Typical wear layer thickness by range:

Knight Tile gluedown — 0.3 mm wear layer.
Van Gogh gluedown — 0.55 mm wear layer.
Art Select gluedown — 0.7 mm wear layer.

Heavier furniture, office chair castors and gritty shoes can mark the surface. The fix is practical rather than technical: good mats at entrances, frequent sweeping, felt pads under every leg, and soft castors. These simple steps do more for day-to-day appearance than anything else.

4) Sunlight: Call It What It Is — Fading or Yellowing

Experts do not say “it might change appearance.” They say fading or yellowing under strong UV, especially next to south-facing glazing. In bright open-plan rooms, plan for shading or films. Move rugs now and then so the floor ages evenly. karndean.com

5) Slip Risk: How To Think About It at Home

Any smooth hard floor can be slippery wet. In the UK, the proven way to judge real-world slip risk is the pendulum test. Results of PTV 36+ are generally considered low slip potential in wet conditions. If you run a home gym or have a wet back door, simple mats and good cleaning keep risk low. HSE

6) Repairs: Swapping Planks Helps, But It Is Not Wood

One advantage of gluedown LVT is the ability to lift and replace a single damaged piece. It works best when you have spare boxes from the same batch. What you cannot do is sand and refinish the whole floor like engineered wood. If that reset button matters to you every decade, timber still wins on repair flexibility. karndean.com

7) Environment: Be Realistic, Then Improve the Outcome

Karndean is a PVC product, which raises end-of-life questions. On the plus side, Karndean publishes indoor air quality credentials such as FloorScore and low-VOC adhesives, which address in-home emissions. On recycling, Recofloor operates a UK-wide take-back scheme that accepts LVT offcuts and uplifted LVT for recycling in many commercial scenarios. Recofloor

When Karndean’s Drawbacks Matter Most

New builds and refurbs on tight timelines — concrete often is not dry enough yet. Moisture testing and, if needed, a DPM are vital. contractflooringjournal.co.uk
Bright, south-facing kitchens — plan shading or films to reduce fading or yellowing. karndean.com
Heavy home offices — specify a thicker wear layer, use chair mats and soft castors. karndean.com

FAQs

Is Karndean waterproof? The material is waterproof, but seams and subfloors are not a waterproof barrier by themselves. Good prep, the right adhesive and edge detailing matter, especially in utility rooms.

Can I DIY Karndean? Click-lock rigid core is more DIY-friendly. Gluedown is less forgiving — it relies on a very flat, very dry subfloor and correct adhesive work to BS 8203. If in doubt, use a qualified fitter - London Flooring Fitters

Does Karndean work with underfloor heating? Yes, within limits. Karndean’s product pages state compatibility up to 27°C surface temperature, which is standard for LVT and UFH. Always confirm the exact product data. karndean.com

What wear layer should I pick? Busier spaces benefit from thicker wear layers. For example, Van Gogh uses 0.55 mm and Art Select 0.7 mm, which offer more headroom than 0.3 mm entry ranges.

How long will it last? Karndean’s UK residential “lifetime” warranty is defined as 35 years, subject to correct installation and use. Warranty terms are in the official PDF.

Sources Cited In-Line (High-Authority, UK-Relevant)

BS 8203 overview and preview — British Standards page for resilient floor coverings. Document Center
HSE GEIS2 — the official UK guidance on slip testing and PTV 36+ as low slip potential. HSE
Karndean warranty PDF — lifetime defined as 35 years in the UK. karndean.com
Karndean wear layer specs — Knight Tile 0.3 mm, Van Gogh 0.55 mm, Art Select 0.7 mm.
Recofloor — UK take-back scheme for vinyl and LVT. Recofloor
Typical UK costs — independent guides for LVT and Karndean. MyJobQuote Checkatrade

My Honest Conclusion

Karndean delivers realistic looks and easy care, but it rewards careful preparation and smart protection. If you budget for proper subfloor testing, pick the right wear layer, and control strong sunlight, you will avoid the typical pitfalls. My view, based on the sources and comparisons above, is that Karndean is best for busy homes that value low maintenance and are willing to invest in correct prep to protect that investment. Recent blog posts

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