By Daragh Giannasi | 29 April 2026
Two of Karndean's most popular luxury vinyl tile collections — Da Vinci and Knight Tile — are regularly fitted in homes across Peterborough, Huntingdon, Ely, and the wider Cambridgeshire area. Both deliver the premium quality Karndean is famous for, but they serve different aesthetic purposes and price points. Understanding the difference could save you time, money, and a flooring decision you'll regret.
At Cambridgeshire Carpets, we fit both collections regularly — in kitchens and hallways across PE1 to PE7, in new builds throughout Huntingdon (PE29), in period properties in Ely (CB6 and CB7), and across the Fenland district (PE13–PE16). This guide gives you an expert fitter's honest comparison of both collections, so you can make the right choice for your home.
What Is Karndean Flooring?
Karndean is a British luxury vinyl tile (LVT) brand, established in 1973, widely considered the gold standard in premium domestic LVT in the UK. It uses a multi-layer construction with a highly detailed photographic layer and a robust wear layer that makes it waterproof, durable, and exceptionally realistic-looking. You can view Karndean's full range on our Karndean supplier page.
Karndean's product line is split into several named collections, with Da Vinci and Knight Tile being the two most frequently asked about by Peterborough homeowners. Both are glue-down LVT products installed by professional fitters. Both carry Karndean's lifetime residential warranty — the strongest in the industry. But they have distinct visual identities and practical differences that matter when you're choosing flooring for a specific room or design brief.
Karndean Da Vinci: The Design-Led Collection
Da Vinci is Karndean's flagship premium collection. The name reflects its positioning: this is Karndean's most design-focused product, with the widest range of decorative options, the most varied tile and plank formats, and the greatest scope for creative floor layouts.
Design Options in Da Vinci
Da Vinci offers over 120 designs across wood, stone, and abstract categories. It includes some of Karndean's widest planks (up to 915mm x 152mm), large stone tile formats, herringbone and chevron patterns, and a broad palette of colourways including warm oak tones, cool greys, deep walnut effects, and pale Nordic limes. If you want a floor to be a design statement — particularly in a hallway, open-plan kitchen-diner, or a large living room — Da Vinci gives you the widest creative vocabulary.
Da Vinci is particularly popular for:
- Hallways in period Peterborough properties (PE1 and PE2), where a wide-plank oak or a geometric stone tile creates strong visual impact
- Open-plan kitchen-diners in Hampton new builds (PE7) and Stanground (PE2), where a single expansive floor needs to look aspirational
- Executive homes in Castor, Ailsworth, Marholm (PE5–PE6), where premium specification is expected throughout
Wear Layer and Construction
Da Vinci uses a 0.55mm wear layer, which is rated for heavy domestic and light commercial use. This is the same wear layer found on Amtico Signature and other premium-tier LVT products. In practical terms, a 0.55mm wear layer in a domestic setting will comfortably last 25–30+ years with normal care and maintenance.
Price
Karndean Da Vinci supply and fit in Peterborough and Cambridgeshire typically ranges from £60–£85 per m², depending on the specific design, room complexity, and subfloor preparation required.
Karndean Knight Tile: Versatile, Realistic, Outstanding Value
Knight Tile is Karndean's mid-range flagship, and in many ways its most commercially successful product. While Da Vinci leads on design range and format variety, Knight Tile offers an exceptional balance of quality and value that makes it our most commonly fitted Karndean product across Peterborough (PE1–PE7) and the wider Cambridgeshire area.
Design Options in Knight Tile
Knight Tile offers around 80 designs, focused on the most popular wood and stone effects in the most commercially successful colourways. The core range covers a comprehensive selection of oak planks (pale, mid, and dark tones), stone tiles (limestone, slate, travertine effects), and herringbone options. If you want a realistic and attractive premium LVT floor without needing the very widest choice, Knight Tile has what you're looking for.
Wear Layer and Construction
Knight Tile uses a 0.55mm wear layer — the same as Da Vinci. This is one of the most important things to understand about Karndean: across its premium range, the durability is consistent. You are not getting a lesser product when you choose Knight Tile over Da Vinci. The difference is primarily in design range and visual presentation, not in floor performance or longevity.
Price
Karndean Knight Tile supply and fit in Peterborough and Cambridgeshire typically ranges from £45–£65 per m², making it meaningfully more accessible than Da Vinci for larger rooms or whole-house projects.
Da Vinci vs Knight Tile: Key Differences at a Glance
Here is a side-by-side comparison of the key attributes:
Design count: Da Vinci — 120+; Knight Tile — 80
Wear layer: Both 0.55mm
Format variety: Da Vinci — very wide (wide planks, large stone tiles, herringbone); Knight Tile — standard range
Warranty: Both lifetime residential
Typical supply & fit: Da Vinci — £60–£85/m²; Knight Tile — £45–£65/m²
Best for: Da Vinci — design-led spaces, wide planks, premium aesthetic; Knight Tile — most residential applications, excellent value
Which Rooms Suit Da Vinci?
Hallways and Reception Areas
A hallway is the first impression your home makes. Da Vinci's wider plank options and larger stone tile formats create a more aspirational look in period properties and larger homes across Peterborough city centre (PE1), Stamford (PE9), and larger detached homes in Yaxley and Sawtry (PE7, PE28).
Open-Plan Kitchen-Diners in New Builds
For the large kitchen-diner layouts typical in Hampton Vale (PE7), Stanground South (PE2), and Cardea (PE7), Da Vinci in a wide-plank pale oak or a contemporary stone effect gives the space the visual scale it deserves. See our new build flooring guide for Cardea and Stanground for more on this.
High-Specification Living Rooms
Where a homeowner has invested significantly in the rest of the room — bespoke cabinetry, quality furniture, premium lighting — Da Vinci's design depth delivers a floor that belongs in the same conversation.
Which Rooms Suit Knight Tile?
Kitchens and Utility Rooms
Knight Tile's durability and waterproof construction make it excellent for kitchens and utility rooms across all property types in Peterborough. For busy family kitchens in Orton Goldhay (PE2), Bretton (PE3), and Werrington (PE4), the mid-range pricing also makes whole-kitchen installation more accessible.
Bathrooms and Wet Rooms
Knight Tile is one of our most-fitted LVT products in Peterborough bathroom and wet room installations. For specialist wet room fitting, we also offer a separate vinyl flooring service in Peterborough covering sheet vinyl and LVT wet room systems.
Whole-House New Build Projects
For customers fitting LVT throughout a new-build property — covering the hallway, kitchen, and bathrooms in one project — Knight Tile offers premium Karndean quality at a price point that makes sense over 80–120+ m². Our Hampton carpet and flooring page gives more on new-build flooring across PE7.
How Karndean Compares to Other LVT Brands
Karndean sits at the premium end of the LVT market alongside Amtico. Compared to Amtico:
- Karndean offers a lifetime residential warranty vs Amtico's 15-year residential warranty
- Amtico Signature's unique inlay system gives it a design versatility advantage for very bespoke projects
- Karndean tends to be very slightly more price-accessible at the premium end
- Both brands are 0.55mm wear layer on their top products
For a full comparison of LVT brands, see our Karndean vs Amtico comparison guide. We also supply and fit Moduleo LVT, which offers premium visual quality at a more competitive price point than either Da Vinci or Amtico Signature.
Compare all the brands we work with at our flooring brands page.
The Cost of Karndean in Peterborough and Cambridgeshire: Full Breakdown
Here is an honest breakdown of Karndean supply and fit costs for typical residential projects across Peterborough and Cambridgeshire:
Karndean Knight Tile: £45–£65/m² (supply and fit, standard subfloor prep)
Karndean Da Vinci: £60–£85/m² (supply and fit, standard subfloor prep)
Additional subfloor levelling (if required): £5–£15/m²
Adhesive: included in supply and fit price
For a standard single room (e.g. a kitchen at 14m² in a PE3 semi), Knight Tile supply and fit would typically cost £630–£910. Da Vinci for the same room would typically be £840–£1,190.
For full house LVT across hallway, kitchen and bathrooms (typically 30–50m²), Knight Tile runs approximately £1,350–£3,250; Da Vinci approximately £1,800–£4,250.
Subfloor condition is the primary variable. Older properties in central Peterborough (PE1, PE2), and in March (PE15) and Wisbech (PE13), often require levelling compound or adhesive removal before LVT can be installed. Our how we work page explains this in detail. All subfloor issues are identified at the free home visit and quoted upfront.
Call Cambridgeshire Carpets on 01733 924009 for a free, accurate quote for Karndean supply and fit anywhere in Peterborough or across Cambridgeshire.
Related Reading from Our Peterborough Flooring Team
If this guide was useful, here are other guides from the Cambridgeshire Carpets team that might help you next:
- Is Karndean Worth the Money?
- Karndean vs Amtico — Which LVT Brand?
- Amtico Signature vs Spacia — Choosing the Right LVT
- LVT Flooring in Peterborough — Buyer's Guide
- Best Flooring for Kitchens — LVT vs Vinyl vs Tiles
- LVT Flooring in Peterborough — see our dedicated service page.
- Book a free home visit with carpet and flooring samples — call 01733 924009.
Frequently Asked Questions: Karndean Da Vinci vs Knight Tile
Is Karndean Da Vinci better than Knight Tile?
Da Vinci is Karndean's premium design-led collection, with a wider range of designs, larger format options, and more variety in plank widths and tile sizes. Knight Tile is Karndean's mid-range flagship — still an outstanding LVT product with the same 0.55mm wear layer and lifetime warranty, but with a more focused design range. Which is 'better' depends entirely on your needs: Da Vinci for design ambition and format variety; Knight Tile for excellent quality across most practical residential applications at a more accessible price.
What is the price difference between Da Vinci and Knight Tile?
In Peterborough and Cambridgeshire, Karndean Da Vinci supply and fit typically runs £60–£85/m², while Knight Tile runs £45–£65/m². For a typical kitchen installation of 14m², the difference is approximately £210–£350. For a whole-house project across 40–50m², the saving with Knight Tile versus Da Vinci can be significant — often £600–£1,000 or more.
Which Karndean range is best for kitchens in Peterborough?
Both Da Vinci and Knight Tile perform excellently in kitchens — both are 100% waterproof and carry the same wear layer. For most Peterborough kitchens, Knight Tile represents outstanding value and provides the realistic wood and stone effects most homeowners are looking for. For larger, open-plan kitchen-diners where floor design is a significant part of the room's character, Da Vinci's wider format options and broader design range give you more creative options.
Does Karndean come with a warranty in Peterborough?
Yes — both Karndean Da Vinci and Knight Tile carry Karndean's lifetime residential warranty, the strongest in the LVT industry. The warranty is valid when the floor is professionally installed (which our team always provides) and maintained according to Karndean's care guidelines. It covers manufacturing defects and wear layer performance throughout the product's residential lifetime.
Can Karndean be fitted on underfloor heating in Peterborough homes?
Yes — both Da Vinci and Knight Tile are compatible with underfloor heating systems, including wet UFH and electric mat systems. The maximum continuous floor temperature must not exceed 27°C. Our fitters are experienced in UFH Karndean installations across new-build developments in Hampton (PE7) and Stanground (PE2).
How long does Karndean last in a Peterborough home?
With professional installation and normal domestic maintenance, both Da Vinci and Knight Tile regularly achieve 25–30 years of service life — which is why Karndean backs them with a lifetime residential warranty. Key factors in longevity are correct subfloor preparation, proper adhesive application, and using Karndean's recommended cleaning products. Our team briefs every customer on aftercare at completion.
Get a Free Karndean Quote in Peterborough or Cambridgeshire
Whether you're drawn to Da Vinci's design range or Knight Tile's outstanding value, Cambridgeshire Carpets can supply and fit both collections across Peterborough (PE1–PE7) and throughout Cambridgeshire. We bring physical samples to your home, assess your subfloor, and provide a fixed-price written quote.
📞 Call: 01733 924009
Or get in touch online — we'd love to help you find the perfect Karndean floor for your Peterborough or Cambridgeshire home.