If you’ve been researching the world of luxury vinyl tile (LVT) for your new kitchen you may have come across Amtico flooring. But what exactly is it and how is it any different from other LVT options?

In this post, I’ll explain what Amtico flooring is, its pros and cons as well as answer some popular questions about the topic.

Let’s get into it!

What Is Amtico Flooring?

Amtico Flooring is a manufacturer of luxury vinyl tile that is based in the UK. It often competes directly against Karndean flooring and on some websites is listed as a type of floor but it is in fact a brand name. It is one of the more expensive brands of LVT but backs up the cost with a sterling reputation.

Amtico consists of resin and plasticisers compressed under high temperatures and pressures to produce a thin, highly durable product.

Luxury vinyl tile is a thick tile sold in traditional sizes such as 120 X 120 cm, hexagon, and planks that mimic the look of hardwood or stone flooring (as well as abstract designs). While the tile itself is generally waterproof, the installation determines whether your Amtico floor is fully protected from water damage.

Luxury vinyl floors offer increased durability over less pricey vinyl and laminate floors. The printed patterns used to mimic wood and stone feature a more detailed design and texture that appears more natural. It is soft underfoot and works well with underfloor heating systems.

Collections of Amtico Flooring

Amtico currently sells four distinct collections of residential flooring. They do offer products for the commercial market as well, but we focused on the styles that are sold to homeowners.

Amtico Click Smart

The Click Smart luxury vinyl tiles require no adhesive and only a flat, even existing floor to install. Their interlocking edges ensure a fast installation. They are 100% waterproof, which makes them a great choice for your kitchen or bathroom.

They have a .55 mm wear layer, which is the thinnest wear layer available at Amtico. Available as square stone tile or planks with a wood appearance, they are trendy and the most affordable choice from the manufacturer. They offer a 20-year wear warranty when installed by a qualified Amtico contractor.

Amtico Spacia

The next most affordable choice is the Spacia line. This requires an adhesive for installation, so it is not a floating floor. It features the same thickness of wear layer as the Click Smart but comes in nearly 100 different options.

Available in a variety of widths, it’s a great choice when adding a parquet wood look. They also feature stone-look tiles that mimic marble, local stones, and Terrazzo tiles.

Amtico Form

When searching for a more bespoke finish for your kitchen floors, the Form range brings elegance and durability to bear. Its wear layer is .70 mm thick and comes with a 30-year warranty. The surface is treated with an antimicrobial material, which helps you maintain a clean and safe kitchen.

They use three different printed grains for all of their wood LVT tiles, so you get a more natural appearance. The stone options are offered in square, hex, and paver stone sizes which enables you to get more creative with your design.

Amtico Signature

When you have an ample budget and demand a custom look for your floors, the Signature collection offers more than 200 distinct products. Mix and match colour, woodgrain, and stones for a unique mosaic.

Add borders and motifs in repeating shapes for extra interest. The wear layer is a full 1.0 mm thick and comes with a lifetime warranty (35 Years).

Installation

Amtico only sells its flooring through authorised retailers and installers. If you purchase Amtico tile from a third party, you will void the warranty.

The Signature, Form, and Spacia collection installation requires that the underfloor be levelled before applying the new tiles. This may mean pouring a self-levelling mixture which will require a few days to cure.

The tiles should be opened and laid out to air at least a day before being installed. This ensures that the moisture level on the tile matches the existing subfloor, and it will not buckle or shrink.

The tile is laid using a permanent adhesive. It is fairly easy to cut LVT with a utility knife for a perfect fit every time. When working with multiple colours, you can create mosaics, parquet, herringbone, and garden paver designs.

A professional installer will stagger the length of cuts on woodgrain LVT to create a floor that looks more like a traditional hardwood design.

After the floor is down, it requires a full day to dry before foot traffic can resume.

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Cost

You will pay between £20 and £90 per square meter for just the Amtico tiles. Most Amtico floors go down in about two to three days. Expect to spend £150 to £250 per person per day on labour.

Most flooring installers send two to three people, depending on the complexity of the job.

Advantages of Amtico Flooring

• Beautiful Stone and Wood Look-a-like Floors: If you walk into a home and have to think whether the floors are real solid wood or vinyl tiles, it could well be Amtico flooring. The designs, colour and texture do a great job at mimicking the real thing.
  
  
• Durable: Even the most affordable collections include a 20-year wear warranty. The top Signature line offers lifetime (35 Years) protection.
  
  
• Water-resistant: The vinyl tiles are waterproof. You only need to protect the subfloor from potential water damage. Making it a great product for any busy family kitchen.
  
  
• Professional Installation Guarantees Professional Finish: Amtico requires factory training for their authorised retailers and installers. You will never get a cut-rate crew when you purchase this brand of flooring.
  
  

Disadvantages of Amtico Flooring

• Expensive: You will pay about twice as much for an Amtico floor compared to a bargain vinyl tile floor.
  
  
• No Bargain Basement Options: If you purchase Amtico from a third-party website, your floors will not be protected by its warranty.
  
  
• Can Get Scratched: While vinyl is very tough, it can be dinged and scratched by your dog’s nails or your work boots.
  
  

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Is Amtico Flooring suitable for kitchens?

Yes, it is a premium flooring product with superior durability that can handle heavy foot traffic in your home.

Its water-resistant surface can handle spills and puddles as long as you wipe them up when they happen. Vinyl is also softer than stone, so glasses are less likely to break when dropped.

Does Amtico Flooring scratch?

Yes, it can get scratched by a dropped knife or your dog’s overgrown nails.

But those are surface scratches. When your Amtico floor starts to show scratches, it can be stripped and resealed, which will eliminate the scratch. Deep scratches may require the replacement of a tile.

How do you clean Amtico flooring?

You only need a broom or vacuum and a damp mop with a mild cleaner to keep an Amtico floor looking its best.

Amtico recommends using their FloorCare Maintainer concentrate solution. Steam mops are not recommended as they can damage the adhesive.

If the tiles start to look scuffed, they can be stripped and resurfaced using the Amtico Stripper and Amtico Dressing products sold through their retailers (or Amazon).

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Can Amtico flooring be repaired?

If your luxury vinyl Amtico tiles ever are dented or torn, you can repair them by replacing only the damaged tile.

Call your original installer to send out a technician to do the job to protect the warranty. Surface scratches can be minimised by using the Stripper and Dressing method.

Can You Have Amtico herringbone flooring?

Yes! There are lots of options to have your Amtico flooring laid in a herringbone or parquet style.

They even offer flooring in a basket weave pattern. There are many different natural wood-looking options to create a herringbone floor, with various oak, pine, maple, teak and walnut stains and colours to choose from.

You can see many of the different laying patterns here.

is amtico worth it?

Amtico is a great choice for any kitchen design project. Durable, water-resistant and cost-effective. Amtico flooring is often less expensive than the real material (stone or wood) it intends to mimic.

It is quick to install and easy to clean and maintain as well as offering up to a lifetime (35 years) guarantee on certain ranges. (20 – 35 Years depending on the range)

If you’re looking for a high-quality luxury vinyl tile to install in your kitchen, Amtico is a very popular choice.

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Final Thoughts…

There you have it! Everything you need to know if you are considering Amtico flooring in your kitchen.

Amtico is a fantastic luxury vinyl tile flooring option to consider. They have a huge range of great-looking stone and real wood designs. They are durable, easy to maintain and with proper care can last decades.
You will, however, pay a slight premium for the name and superior quality of Amtico when compared with other LVT options on the market.

As the saying goes though, you get what you pay for!

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