Choosing a floor is one of the few decisions in a house that affects every room, every day, for years. It is also a category where the terminology is genuinely confusing, because half a dozen very different products all get described as wood.
This guide explains the categories honestly, tells you exactly what we stock and what it costs, and is equally clear about what we do not stock. Doors2Floors has supplied doors and flooring to homes and businesses across the UK, and our flooring collection currently holds 12 lines.
What We Actually Stock
Starting here rather than with a general survey, because it is the part you can check.
Luxury vinyl tile
Our entire current flooring range is Karndean luxury vinyl. Our Karndean collection holds the same 12 lines as our main flooring collection.
What that costs
Prices start at £14.00 for the Karndean T82 Serpentine, then £33.40 for Knight Tile Dolomite and Rona, £40.08 for Knight Tile Midnight Black, Onyx, Andecite and Soapstone, £50.06 to £50.10 across the Da Vinci Rustic, Sepia, Azure and English Pewter, and £55.00 for Da Vinci Alabaster.
The two ranges
Knight Tile is the more affordable of the two ranges we carry. Da Vinci sits above it. Both are luxury vinyl rather than timber.
What we do not currently stock
We do not currently carry laminate, solid timber, engineered timber, carpet or underlay as live stock lines. If you see those categories discussed below, it is because you asked a general question, not because we are quietly selling them.
Why we are saying so
A buying guide that quietly implies a supplier stocks everything is not a buying guide, it is an advertisement. You should know what you can actually order here.
Where to read more
Our dedicated guide to Karndean flooring covers the product in detail.
The Main Flooring Categories Explained
Luxury vinyl tile
A multi layer vinyl product with a printed design layer and a clear wear layer on top. It is warm underfoot, quiet, waterproof and dimensionally stable, which is why it suits kitchens, bathrooms and underfloor heating.
Solid timber
Planks of one species all the way through. Beautiful, sandable many times, and the most sensitive to humidity and underfloor heating.
Engineered timber
A real timber wear layer over a plywood or composite core. More stable than solid, still real wood on top, and sandable a limited number of times. Our guide to engineered oak flooring covers it in detail.
Laminate
A photographic decor layer over a fibreboard core with a wear layer on top. No real timber in the wear surface. Our notes on laminate laying mistakes cover the common errors.
Parquet and block patterns
A laying pattern rather than a material. It can be done in solid, engineered or vinyl. Our guides to herringbone layouts and parquet care cover the look and the upkeep.
Tile and stone
Hard, cold, durable and the natural partner to underfloor heating. Also the least forgiving to drop a glass on.
Carpet
Warm, quiet and soft, and the best performer of all of these for how a room sounds.
Why the categories matter
Because the word wood covers solid, engineered, laminate and vinyl that looks like wood. Four very different products, four very different behaviours.
Choosing by Room
Kitchen
Spills, heat, dropped pans and heavy traffic. Waterproof and hard wearing wins, which is why vinyl and tile dominate.
Bathroom and en suite
Standing water and humidity. Timber is a poor choice here. Vinyl and tile are the sensible answers.
Hallway
The busiest floor in the house and the one that meets outdoor grit first. Durability and cleanability matter more than softness.
Living room
Comfort and looks. Hard floors here need rugs and soft furnishings, or the room will sound harsh. Our rug ideas guide covers the options, and our acoustic wall panels from £63.00 address the same problem on the walls.
Bedrooms
Warmth underfoot in the morning is the main criterion for most people.
Dining room
Chair legs scraping is the enemy. Hard wearing surfaces with felt pads on furniture.
Home office
Chair castors chew soft finishes. Choose the wear layer accordingly and use a mat.
Conservatory
Extreme temperature swings and strong sunlight. Stability matters more than anywhere else in the house. Our guide to conservatory flooring covers it.
Utility and boot room
Water, mud and appliances. Waterproof and easy to clean.
Stairs
Safety first. Hard, smooth flooring on stairs needs careful thought and proper nosings, and never place a loose rug at the foot of a staircase.
The Subfloor Decides More Than the Floor Does
Almost every flooring failure we hear about traces back to what was underneath rather than what was laid on top.
Level matters more than you think
Small undulations that are invisible to the eye cause clicking, flexing and premature wear in a floating floor.
Dry matters even more
Moisture in a subfloor will find its way into anything laid on it. If you have any doubt, get it tested before you buy flooring.
Damp is a specialist question
If you find damp, that is a job for a qualified surveyor or damp specialist before any flooring goes down. Covering it does not solve it.
Timber subfloors
Check for movement, loose boards and squeaks first. Fixing them afterwards means lifting the new floor.
Concrete subfloors
New concrete needs time to dry. Manufacturer guidance on moisture content is not a suggestion.
Underfloor airbricks
Never block airbricks that ventilate a suspended timber floor. They are there for a reason.
Underfloor heating
Product compatibility varies. Check the manufacturer guidance for maximum surface temperature and suitability before ordering anything.
Preparation is not optional
Sweeping and hoping is the most expensive shortcut in flooring. If subfloor work is needed, a qualified flooring specialist is worth the money.
Measuring and Buying
Measure room by room
Length by width for each area, added together, rather than one guess for the whole floor.
Add for waste
Cuts, pattern matching and mistakes all consume material. Diagonal and herringbone layouts consume noticeably more than straight ones.
Order it all at once
Batch variation is real in every flooring category. One order avoids a visible join between two shades.
Order a spare box
For repairs later. Ranges change and matching a discontinued line is close to impossible.
Acclimatise before laying
Most flooring needs to sit in the room it will be laid in for a period before installation. Follow the manufacturer instructions rather than a rule of thumb.
Check the wear layer
On vinyl and engineered products, the wear layer determines how the floor ages. It matters more than the price.
Check the warranty conditions
Many warranties depend on correct subfloor preparation and correct fitting. Read them before, not after.
Plan the doors at the same time
A new floor raises the finished level and reduces the gap under every door in the room.
Flooring and Doors: The Sequence Nobody Plans
This is the single most common coordination failure in a renovation, and it is entirely avoidable.
Lay the floor first where you can
Then the doors can be hung to the finished level and undercut correctly first time.
If the doors are already hung
Somebody has to come back and adjust them. Agree who, and agree it before the floor arrives.
Never plane a fire door to clear a new floor
Exceeding the certified trimming allowance on a fire rated leaf compromises the assembly. Our over 240 fire doors from £87.39 all have stated allowances, and our FD30 versus FD60 guide explains why the assembly matters.
Threshold strips
Where two floor finishes meet, usually under a door. Plan the transition rather than discovering it.
Undercutting architrave
Cutting the bottom of the architrave so the flooring slides underneath gives a far cleaner finish than scribing around it. Our architraves guide covers the detail.
Expansion gaps
Floating floors need a gap at every perimeter, including around door casings. Filling it solid is how floors buckle.
Bifolds and sliders are less forgiving
Folding and sliding systems need a consistent floor level across the whole run. Our 15 bi fold doors from £131.35 and 16 sliding kits both depend on it.
Trimming allowances on ordinary doors
Even a non fire door has a limit. Our guide on planing a door covers how much and how.
Sizing new doors to a new floor
Our measuring guide and door sizes guide both cover allowing for the floor covering.
Colour and Style
Light floors
Open up small and dark rooms and show less dust. They show scratches more on a dark toned wear layer.
Mid tones
The safest choice and the easiest to live with. Our Knight Tile range covers most of this ground.
Dark floors
Dramatic and demanding. They show every footprint and every speck of dust. Our Knight Tile Midnight Black and Onyx sit here at £40.08.
Grey floors
Still one of the most requested finishes in UK homes. Our guide to styling grey wood floors covers what pairs with them, and our over 60 internal grey doors from £75.00 coordinate.
Warm neutrals
The Da Vinci Sepia and Alabaster sit here, and they pair naturally with our over 290 internal oak doors from £87.75.
Stone and tile effects
The Dolomite, Soapstone and Andecite finishes give a stone look with the warmth and quiet of vinyl underfoot.
Plank direction
Running planks along the longest dimension of a room usually makes it feel longer. Running them towards the main light source usually looks best.
Pattern layouts
Herringbone and chevron transform a hallway and consume more material and more labour. Our herringbone inspiration guide covers the options.
Matching floors to doors
Exact matching between a floor and a door is difficult and often unnecessary. Complementing usually looks better. Our white versus oak doors guide covers the pairing question.
Continuity between rooms
One floor running through a ground floor makes a house feel bigger. Different floors per room make each space feel more defined. Both are valid.
Living With Your Floor
Grit is the real enemy
Almost all wear on a floor comes from grit walked in from outside. Doormats do more for a floor than any polish.
Felt pads on furniture
Cheap, quick and the single most effective protective measure indoors.
Cleaning
Follow the manufacturer guidance. Over wetting is the most common mistake across every flooring category.
Pets
Claws mark soft wear layers. Keep nails trimmed and choose the wear layer with pets in mind.
Sunlight
Strong sunlight changes the tone of most floor finishes over years. A rug left in one place will leave a visible outline.
Spills
Deal with them quickly regardless of how waterproof the product claims to be, because the joints and the perimeter are the vulnerable parts.
Repairs
Individual vinyl planks and tiles can often be replaced. This is much easier if you kept a spare box.
Refinishing
Timber can be sanded and refinished. Vinyl and laminate cannot. That is a genuine long term difference between the categories.
Frequently Asked Questions
What flooring do you actually sell?
Karndean luxury vinyl. Our flooring collection holds 12 lines from £14.00 to £55.00.
Do you sell laminate or engineered wood?
Not as live stock lines at present. We would rather tell you that than have you order and find out.
What is the difference between laminate and vinyl?
Laminate has a fibreboard core and a photographic decor layer. Vinyl is a multi layer plastic product. Vinyl handles water far better.
What is the difference between solid and engineered timber?
Solid is one species all the way through. Engineered has a real timber wear layer over a stable core. Engineered copes better with humidity and heating.
Which flooring is best for a kitchen?
Something waterproof and hard wearing. Vinyl and tile are the usual answers.
Which is best for a bathroom?
The same, and definitely not solid timber.
Which is best with underfloor heating?
Check the specific product guidance rather than the category. Compatibility and maximum surface temperature vary.
How much flooring do I need?
Room area plus a margin for waste. Diagonal and herringbone layouts need noticeably more.
Do I need underlay?
It depends entirely on the product and the subfloor. Follow the manufacturer instructions.
Does the subfloor really matter?
More than the flooring you choose. Level, dry and sound, in that order.
Should I lay the floor before or after the doors?
Before, wherever possible, so the doors can be undercut to the finished level first time.
Can I trim my doors to clear a new floor?
Ordinary doors, within the stated allowance. Fire doors, only within the certified allowance and never beyond it.
What is the cheapest flooring you sell?
The Karndean T82 Serpentine at £14.00.
What is the difference between Knight Tile and Da Vinci?
Two Karndean ranges at different price points. Knight Tile sits from £33.40 and Da Vinci from £50.06 in our current stock.
Will my floor scratch?
Every floor scratches. Doormats, felt pads and trimmed pet claws do more to prevent it than the product choice.
Can I lay it myself?
Many products are designed for competent DIY, provided the subfloor is right. Subfloor work is where a qualified flooring specialist earns their fee.
How do I clean it?
Following the manufacturer guidance, and without over wetting.
What about the stairs?
Hard flooring on stairs needs proper nosings and careful thought about slip resistance.
Where should I start?
With the subfloor and the room, not the sample. The room decides the category and the subfloor decides whether it will work.
Buying Flooring From Doors2Floors
We have supplied doors and flooring to homes and businesses across the UK. Our flooring collection currently holds 12 Karndean luxury vinyl lines from £14.00 to £55.00, spanning the Knight Tile and Da Vinci ranges in timber, stone and neutral finishes.
Because floors and doors are almost always bought together, our over 700 internal doors from £30.84, over 30 linings and frames from £29.25 and over 350 hinges can travel in the same order. Our full advice centre covers the sequencing, and our guides to Karndean flooring, internal door fitting costs and choosing the right door cover the rest.
Prices, product counts and stock availability are correct at the time of writing and are subject to change. Manufacturer installation, subfloor preparation and maintenance instructions always take precedence over general guidance. If you suspect damp or a structural problem with a subfloor, consult a qualified surveyor, damp specialist or flooring professional before laying anything.