Buying Guides · 6 min read
GF SPC vs Karndean Rigid Core: An Honest Comparison
Reviewed by our team, led by Adam Williams, Managing Director
Karndean makes two click floors, Knight Tile Rigid Core and Van Gogh Rigid Core. Our own GF SPC Flooring is the rigid-core floor we put up against them. We are a Karndean Retail Partner and GF is our own brand, so we sell all three. This page sets out where each one is stronger, including the points where Karndean comes out ahead.
In this article
Key takeaways
The three floors in brief
Knight Tile Rigid Core is Karndean’s entry click range. It is 4.5mm thick with a 0.3mm wear layer and comes in 13 designs: wood planks at 914 x 150mm and stone tiles at 305 x 457mm. It carries a lifetime residential warranty and 10 years for commercial use.
Van Gogh Rigid Core is the click version of Karndean’s Van Gogh. It is 6.5mm thick with a 0.55mm wear layer. Its 25 designs include long 1420 x 225mm planks, shorter 708 x 177mm planks and 457 x 600mm tiles. The warranty is lifetime residential (35 years) and 15 years commercial.
GF SPC has one wear layer (0.5mm) in two thicknesses: 5mm across 12 designs and 6.5mm across 13. Both thicknesses come in plank and herringbone. IXPE underlay is built in and the guarantee is 25 years. If you prefer a stuck-down floor, GF Glue-Down LVT is the glue-down member of the GF LVT range.
Side by side
| Feature | GF SPC | Knight Tile Rigid Core | Van Gogh Rigid Core |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wear layer | 0.5mm | 0.3mm | 0.55mm |
| Thickness | 5mm or 6.5mm | 4.5mm | 6.5mm |
| Formats | Plank and herringbone | Plank and tile | Plank and tile |
| Designs | 25 | 13 | 25 |
| Underlay | Built-in IXPE | Attached | Attached |
| Waterproof | Yes | 100% waterproof | 100% waterproof |
| Residential guarantee | 25 years | Lifetime | Lifetime (35 years) |
| Samples | Free by post, up to five | Free to collect from the showroom | Free to collect from the showroom |
| How to buy | Online, price shown | Online, price shown | Online, price shown |
What the wear layer difference means
Against Knight Tile Rigid Core, GF SPC has two-thirds more wear layer: 0.5mm against 0.3mm. That is a real difference in a hallway or a kitchen that sees a lot of feet, grit and dog claws. Against Van Gogh Rigid Core the gap runs the other way and is tiny, 0.05mm, which you will not see in a home. The bigger jump is inside Karndean’s own click family, from 0.3mm to 0.55mm.
Reasons to choose Karndean Rigid Core
The guarantee is the clearest one. Both Karndean click ranges are covered for life in a home, where GF SPC has 25 years. If a lifetime warranty is what gives you peace of mind, Karndean wins that point outright.
Then there is the name. Karndean is one of the best-known vinyl brands in the UK, which counts when a landlord, a client or a future buyer will recognise it. Van Gogh Rigid Core also shares its look with glue-down Van Gogh, so a house can have glue-down Van Gogh in one area and click in another without the floors clashing. And if you want stone, both Karndean click ranges include tile formats, which GF SPC does not.
Reasons to choose GF SPC
Cost first. GF SPC is priced below both Karndean click ranges and still gives you a thicker wear layer than Knight Tile Rigid Core. Next to Van Gogh Rigid Core it gives up only 0.05mm of wear layer for a noticeably lower price.
Herringbone is the second reason. Neither Karndean Rigid Core range is made in a herringbone size, while GF SPC offers herringbone in both its 5mm and 6.5mm versions. If you want a click herringbone, GF is the one of the three that does it.
The choice of thickness helps too. The 5mm boards are a good fit in bedrooms and wherever door clearance or a neighbouring floor height is tight. The 6.5mm boards feel more solid and quieter underfoot, which suits kitchens and hallways. You can mix the two by room within the same design family.
Fitting and underfloor heating
All three click together and float, so there is no adhesive and no curing time. A capable DIYer can lay a simple room in a day. If a board is ever damaged, it can be unclipped and replaced. Each has its underlay attached, so there is nothing extra to buy.
All three work over underfloor heating as long as the surface stays at or below 27C. Run the heating through its start-up routine before fitting and follow the acclimatisation advice for the floor you choose.
Looks and feel
Each uses a printed design under a clear wear layer with an embossed surface. Van Gogh Rigid Core has the long, wide planks that suit a big open-plan room. Knight Tile Rigid Core keeps to a shorter plank and a practical stone tile. GF SPC has 25 designs named after Cotswold villages, covering the oaks people ask for most, in plank and herringbone. Underfoot the three feel alike because they are all rigid boards with underlay. The quickest way to tell them apart is to stand on them.
Which one to pick
Pick Van Gogh Rigid Core if you want the Karndean name, a lifetime warranty or a look that matches glue-down Van Gogh elsewhere in the house. It is a well-made floor and we fit plenty of it.
Pick Knight Tile Rigid Core for a lifetime-warranted click floor in quieter rooms, or when you want a Karndean stone tile.
Pick GF SPC if you want a click herringbone, a choice of thickness or a 0.5mm wear layer at a lower price and are happy with a 25-year guarantee.
See them in Altrincham
GF and Karndean are both on display at our Altrincham showroom. The showroom is unmanned and open 24/7: request a code through the Smart Showroom access form and come when it suits you. Karndean samples are free to collect while you are there.
Can’t get to Altrincham? Order up to five free GF SPC samples by post to try at home.
Who leads our guides
Managing Director, Grosvenor Flooring
Adam Williams is Managing Director of Grosvenor Flooring in Altrincham. He sets the standards our guides are written to and guides the team that reviews them, so the advice matches the floors we supply, the manufacturers' specifications and the way the fitters we work with install them.
More about Adam →Floor Finder
Not sure which floor to choose?
Answer a few quick questions about your room, who uses it and the look you like. Floor Finder picks the designs that suit you best, with prices per m² and a rough cost for your room.
Start Floor FinderFrequently asked questions
Is GF SPC better than Karndean Knight Tile Rigid Core?
On wear layer and price, yes: 0.5mm against 0.3mm, at a lower cost. Knight Tile Rigid Core has the longer warranty (lifetime against 25 years) and offers stone tiles.
How close is GF SPC to Karndean Van Gogh Rigid Core?
Close on wear layer (0.5mm against 0.55mm) and the same 6.5mm thickness on GF’s thicker boards. Van Gogh Rigid Core has the lifetime warranty. GF SPC is cheaper and comes in herringbone.
Which Karndean click range is the fair comparison?
Van Gogh Rigid Core, because its wear layer is almost the same as GF SPC’s. Knight Tile Rigid Core has a thinner 0.3mm layer, so it sits a level below.
Do Karndean Rigid Core floors come in herringbone?
No. Both come in plank and tile sizes only. GF SPC offers herringbone in both of its thicknesses.
Can all three go over underfloor heating?
Yes, up to a surface temperature of 27C.
Further reading
Looking for a Karndean Alternative?
These pages pair individual Karndean designs with their nearest GF floor:
GF by Associated Weavers
Premium-spec glue-down, fairly priced
0.55mm wear layerPlank & parquet25-year warranty
Shop the range →