Karndean annual treatment?

elsien

(And yes I have looked up previous threads, but I'm still not sure.)

Mum is thinking of having Karndean flooring in her sitting room. Just her and the dog, so it's not going to get massive amounts of wear.

When she went to the shop, they said something about it needing treating every year, and my sister in law said her floor was a real pain - needed stripping and re-treating annually which involves taking the furniture out, cleaning off the top layer, leaving it overnight then putting on a new sealant layer (or something.) She said if she's realised what was involved she wouldn't have bothered.

As mum is over 70, the thought of having to do this every year is very unappealing.
So is it necessary, and is it as much hassle as my SIL has made out?

We're going to Evesham to look at the showroom, but they're not likely to give unbiased advice!

Thank you.

pookienoodle

according to their online guide it should be done every six months.
http://www.karndean.co.uk/site/floorcare_guide.cfm

elsien

That's even worse!
Thanks for the link though, I'll get mum to have a look.

[Deleted User]

I have karndean knight and have never done anything with it except to clean it with water and a microfibre mop. 3 years later it is good as new. We are about to do a revamp throughout the kitchen and hall and have chosen karndean da vinci. The warranty doesn`t bother me because there are only two of us and no pets. I have no intention of using anything other than the microfibre mop and water. It is lovely flooring

olias

I personally believe the 'use our products and re seal regularly (again with our products)' is just a ruse to get cash out of you. I too have a karndean floor and soap and water cleans it up just fine.

Olias

underlay_guru

Hi,

The top layer of Karndean is clear plastic: there is nothing to strip off or reseal. In my opinion, the stripping/resealing is a load of old flannel! All it needs is a clean with a damp mop and a non abrasive detergent!

Karndean used to sneakily void your warranty if they found proof you didnt use their branded products: To my knowledge, the special "Karndean adhesive" was just a standard flooring glue, and their was nothing special about their branded cleaning products. Nowadays, I'm pretty sure that their installation instructions recommend their own products or an equal equivalent.

I don't blame anyone for using alternative cleaning methods...their branded products are very expensive!!

Meepster

olias wrote: »

I personally believe the 'use our products and re seal regularly (again with our products)' is just a ruse to get cash out of you. I too have a karndean floor and soap and water cleans it up just fine.

Olias

It is a complete and utter ruse. Even the Karndean rep and fitters I had visit me a couple of weeks ago said so.

underlay_guru

The Karndean Stripper is meant to remove dried-on adhesive from the surface, as well as remove scuff marks. I bought some a few years ago (In the trade, so got it at trade price...), and it did not shift ANY dried-on adhesive.

As for the Karndean Dimglow Floor Protector - i've never used the stuff, but it is meant to protect against light scuffs, if applied periodically. IMO, unless you're tramping around on it all day with golf shoes on, there shouldn't be a problem. If the product does scuff easily in a domestic environment, then IMO the product itself should be deemed substandard!

loracan1

I have a very similar product to karndean in my bathroom. It always looks good, especially when freshly mopped...I've stripped & resealed twice in the last 6 years. After which it hasn't just looked 'good', it's looked brand new. (But I imagine in a living area it would be a pain to do)