Quick Answer
Karndean Designflooring is a British company founded in 1973 by Mike Walker, who started the business from his family home while working as a flooring installer. The head office and design studio are in Evesham, Worcestershire, England, and the company is still family-owned. Karndean International Limited is registered at UK Companies House under company number 01612506.
Product manufacturing itself is contracted to specialist LVT plants in Asia, primarily in South Korea, China and Taiwan, to Karndean's own designs and quality specifications. Design, R&D, colour matching and warranty administration all happen out of Evesham.
Karndean's Global Footprint
- UK head office: Evesham, Worcestershire.
- North American HQ: Export, Pennsylvania (Karndean Designflooring, Inc.).
- Australia/NZ HQ: Somersby, New South Wales.
- Distribution: more than 40 countries via specialist independent retailers.
Where the Name Comes From
"Karndean" is a portmanteau of two family surnames from the founding partners. It is not a place name, which is why the brand has no geographic sound: it is a coined trademark, deliberately distinctive so retailers cannot confuse it with generic vinyl.
Product Ranges in 2026
- Palio: entry-level LVT click and glue-down, roughly 30 to 40 GBP per square metre RRP.
- Korlok: mid-range rigid-core click, 45 to 55 GBP per square metre.
- Art Select and Da Vinci: premium glue-down wood and stone, 60 to 95 GBP per square metre.
- Michelangelo: heritage stone-look glue-down, top of the range.
Is Karndean the Same as Amtico?
No. Amtico is a separate British LVT brand, headquartered in Coventry (part of Mannington Mills, US-owned since 2012). Both are premium British-designed LVT competitors, both manufacture overseas, and both offer similar product tiers. Karndean is still independent and family-owned; Amtico is part of a global group.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do these rules apply to DIY installs?
Yes, and more strictly. Manufacturers routinely deny warranty claims when the install failed to follow their spec sheet, even by a fraction of an inch.
Where do I check the manufacturer's exact spec?
The installation PDF on the manufacturer's website, usually filed under "Downloads" or "Trade" for the exact product line. Do not trust generic YouTube guides.
Does the same rule apply in humid climates?
Mostly yes, but expansion gaps and stagger lengths get more conservative. Add 20 percent to the recommended gap in coastal or subtropical homes.
Will an inspector care?
On a resale inspection, obvious install faults (bad staggering, no expansion gap, missing underlay) will land in the report and can knock the offer down.
Pro Tips
- Dry-lay three rows first. Cut, stagger and check the pattern before locking a single plank. It costs nothing and saves a full rip-up.
- Save offcuts. The last plank of one row is often the first plank of the next; this is how pros stay under 8 percent waste.
- Photograph before covering. If a warranty dispute happens, dated photos of the subfloor, underlay and stagger pattern are the strongest evidence you can hand a manufacturer.
- Keep two full planks unused. They are your future repair stock. Nothing frustrates a homeowner more than a discontinued colour.
Bottom Line
Small install details protect the floor for its entire life. Follow the manufacturer spec, do not improvise, and the floor will outlast the average 12 to 20 year warranty.
Timeline of Karndean's Growth
- 1973: Mike Walker founds the business from his family home in the West Midlands, England.
- 1980s: First branded ranges launched under the Karndean name across UK independent flooring retailers.
- 1997: North American subsidiary established, later based in Export, Pennsylvania.
- 2004: Australian and New Zealand operation launched from Somersby, NSW.
- 2020s: Family ownership retained despite repeated acquisition offers; production expanded to include rigid-core SPC and hybrid ranges.
Why UK Origin Matters to Buyers
UK design origin means Karndean products are engineered around British and European standards (EN 649 dimensional stability, EN 685 wear ratings, REACH chemical compliance) even for the North American market. That translates into lower VOCs than many imported LVT brands and a longer warranty on the domestic ranges (many at "Lifetime Residential").
Buying Direct or Through Retailers
Karndean does not sell through big-box stores. Every product must be bought through an authorised specialist flooring retailer, which the company argues is why installation quality and warranty enforcement are stronger than mass-market LVT. The trade-off is you cannot walk into a Home Depot or B&Q and take a box home.
Where the Product Is Physically Made
Karndean's LVT is manufactured under contract at specialist LVT plants primarily in South Korea and China. This is standard across the premium LVT category: Amtico, Moduleo and Polyflor all use similar Asian manufacturing partners because that region hosts the largest and most modern LVT lines in the world. The design, colour matching, wear-layer specification and QA all still happen at Karndean's Evesham facility.
How to Verify a Karndean Product Is Genuine
Every genuine Karndean plank or tile carries a batch number laser-etched on the back. Retailers can validate this against the Karndean Trade portal. Counterfeit "Karndean-style" LVT does exist, particularly on marketplace sites, and voids any warranty claim.
