Karndean’s design team in Evesham, England, has been making commercial LVT since 1973, and the Korlok line is the brand’s answer to homeowners who want premium British design language in a rigid-core floating format. Karndean Korlok flooring combines a K-Wave rigid core, a 22 mil to 30 mil wear layer, and an integrated acoustic backing into one of the higher-spec residential LVP products on the US market. Expect $5.49 to $8.99 per square foot for product, with full installation landing between $8.49 and $11.99 per square foot.
What Sets Korlok Apart
The K-Wave core is the headline engineering. Unlike standard stone-plastic composite that compresses uniformly under load, K-Wave uses a multi-density core with denser zones along the click edges and slightly lower density in the field. The result is better edge integrity at the locking profile while keeping overall weight slightly below pure SPC at the same thickness.
The integrated K-Core acoustic backing is the second differentiator. Most rigid LVP attaches a 1 mm or 1.5 mm IXPE pad as an afterthought, but Korlok bonds a 2 mm engineered backing during the core lamination, which improves IIC ratings to 71 to 73 and delivers a noticeably softer underfoot feel than competing SPC products.
Korlok Collections in the US Market
Korlok Select is the volume residential range with 22 mil wear layer and 6.5 mm overall thickness. The collection runs about 35 wood and stone visuals across plank and tile formats, priced in the $5.49 to $7.49 range. This is the workhorse spec that fits most US homes.
Korlok Reserve is the premium range with 30 mil wear layer, 9 mm overall thickness, and the most realistic embossing in the Karndean catalog. Priced at $6.99 to $8.99 per square foot, Reserve targets high-traffic homes, light commercial spaces, and homeowners who want the absolute top of the residential LVP category.
Format and Spec Options
- Korlok Select plank 9×60 inch — 22 mil wear layer, 6.5 mm thick, $5.49 to $6.99 per square foot
- Korlok Select tile 18×18 inch — stone-look format with 22 mil wear, $5.99 to $7.49 per square foot
- Korlok Reserve plank 7×48 inch — 30 mil wear, 9 mm thick with premium acoustic backing, $6.99 to $8.99 per square foot
- Korlok Reserve XL plank 9×70 inch — wide-plank premium format, $7.99 to $9.99 per square foot
- Korlok Pro for light commercial — 0.7 mm wear layer with 15-year commercial warranty, $7.49 to $9.49 per square foot
Pros That Justify the Premium
Print and emboss quality leads the LVP category. Karndean’s design team photographs European oak, walnut, and reclaimed barn boards at high resolution, then matches the surface emboss to the print grain in register. Walk across a Korlok floor with bare feet and you can feel the cathedral peaks of oak, the open pores of ash, and the smooth swirls of polished marble — that tactile authenticity is what separates premium LVP from builder-grade product.
Warranty coverage is also among the strongest in the residential LVP segment. Korlok Select carries a lifetime residential structural warranty, 25-year wear warranty, and 15-year light commercial wear coverage. Korlok Reserve extends the commercial coverage to 20 years on the 30 mil wear layer. Karndean honors these warranties through their North American support team rather than punting to dealer-only support.
Cons Worth Knowing
Price is the obvious watchout. Korlok Reserve at $6.99 to $8.99 per square foot is in the same range as good engineered hardwood, and for homes priced above $750,000 some buyers may prefer real wood at that price point. The waterproof advantage matters less in dry above-grade rooms where engineered hardwood works fine.
Distribution can also frustrate buyers outside major metros. Karndean sells through specialty flooring dealers rather than big-box retail, which means small-town buyers may face a 50 to 80 mile drive to a stocking showroom. Online sample ordering through karndean.com works fine, but the full pattern catalog requires in-person review for serious projects.
Cost Per Square Foot in 2026
- Korlok Select plank residential: $5.49 to $6.99
- Korlok Select tile residential: $5.99 to $7.49
- Korlok Reserve plank premium: $6.99 to $8.99
- Korlok Reserve XL wide plank: $7.99 to $9.99
- Floating installation labor: $2.99 to $3.99
- Subfloor leveling and trim: $0.99 to $1.99
Installation Notes
Korlok ships with a 5-G angle-tap click profile that drops in faster than the older Unilin systems. Acclimate cartons flat in the install room for 48 hours at 65°F to 85°F before opening. Sweep the subfloor and check flatness with a 10-foot straightedge — Korlok tolerates 3/16 inch over 10 feet without telegraphing, but anything beyond that needs feathered self-leveler before installation.
The integrated acoustic backing means you skip separate underlayment for most residential installs. For installations over radiant heat, confirm the product line specifically certifies for in-floor heating above 85°F surface temperature — not all Korlok SKUs do, and installing the wrong one voids the structural warranty. Karndean publishes a clear radiant-compatible list on their product spec sheets.
Maintenance Routine
Sweep or dust-mop daily in high-traffic rooms. For deeper cleaning, use Karndean Clean every two to four weeks at the recommended dilution. Avoid wax, polish, or steam cleaners — all three damage the urethane topcoat permanently. Karndean Refresh can be applied annually to restore matte sheen consistency across the floor, especially in rooms with mixed wear from kitchen, dining, and traffic lanes.
Furniture protection matters more on premium LVP than budget product. Use 2-inch felt pads on dining chairs and 3-inch pads on heavy furniture legs. Replace casters on rolling chairs with hard polyurethane wheels — the soft rubber casters that come on most office chairs leave permanent indentations within 6 to 12 months on the matte 30 mil wear layer.
Where to Buy Korlok
Karndean.com lists certified dealers by zip code, typically returning 5 to 15 options within 50 miles of major metros. Specialty flooring chains like Carpet One, Abbey Carpet, and Flooring America carry the major Korlok collections. Online distribution is limited to a few authorized resellers — avoid third-party sellers on Amazon and eBay since gray-market Korlok comes without manufacturer warranty support. Order a 12×12 inch sample tile or a 4-board sample carton through your dealer before committing to a full job, since print tones shift noticeably under different lighting conditions.
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