Kährs Wooden Floors

Kährs is one of the oldest makers of wood floors in the world. We are also one of the most innovative. This combination of tradition and high tech is unique in the wood flooring industry.

We have worked with wood, and only wood, for 150 years. We have learnt from both our successes and our mistakes. The result is invaluable competence and know-how in the company – and a firm base for continuing to lead the development of wood floors.

• Kährs invented the world’s first engineered parquet.
• Kährs was the first to offer a factory-applied pre-finish.
• Kährs was the first to gain the demanding quality and environmental certifications.
• Kährs introduced the first parquet fl oor with Woodloc®.
• Kährs introduced the activity floor.
• Kährs is now introducing a 20 mm self-supporting floor for floating installation.

During our constant efforts to perfect the wood floor, we discovered the Woodloc® joint. We were the first floor manufacturer on the market to use this revolutionary method of joining boards. Woodloc® not only makes installation easier, it also makes the floor more resistant to subsequent damage and gaps.

Wood is a natural material that is affected by humidity changes during the year. This subjects the joints to great stress. The Woodloc® joint has proved superior to traditional joints in withstanding this type of stress.

We have installed over 25 000 000 m2 all over the world. The entire joint construction is made of wood, and is completely integrated with the board – without the addition of any foreign material.

The Strongest Joint – Why?

Wood strives to achieve a moisture balance with its surroundings. When there is a lot of moisture in the air, a wood floor expands. When the humidity level drops, the floor contracts. Even though the expansion/contraction of a floor is small when expressed in millimetres, the force exerted in the process is great. If there are heavy pieces of furniture in the room, such as bookshelves or a piano, the stress on the joints is enormous. However, the Woodloc® joint is strong enough to withstand this type of stress.

Not Convinced? We Tested It.

Today, there are many types of glueless joints. The tensile strengths of a number of joints from different manufacturers were recently tested. The test is performed by attaching two boards, joined together with a glueless joint, to a machine that then pulls the boards apart. The machine measures the force needed to separate the boards.

Below, you will find the results from the test. The figure also shows the materials used in the various joints. The test included 12 competitors such as Tarkett, Haro, Magnum, Forbo, Karelia, Parador, Maister and Eko Wood.

Less work and improved functionality. Installing a Kährs floor means less work. Much of the explanation lies in the ingenious Woodloc® joint, which allows glue-free installation. The boards lock together mechanically with virtually invisible joints. In addition to producing perfect results, it also makes installation quick and simple.

The fit is also important for the durability of the floor. A good fit means less dirt and grime in the gaps between the boards, which leads to improved hygiene.

Easiest Installation

When you install a floor with the Woodloc® joint, you push in each new board at an angle against the board in front. There is no need for glue or for hard pressure. The rows of boards are self-aligning. Thanks to the glue-free installation, the boards can be subsequently lifted and installed elsewhere.

Stand Up to Wear and Tear

Most floors are exposed to daily wear and tear. In public environments or in family homes with small children the wear can be especially tough. The Woodloc® joint dramatically prolongs the lifespan of the floor by ensuring an even surface. If the floor is damaged accidentally, it is easy to change a plank.

Fastest Installation

How fast is fast? In just one night Volkswagen successfully installed a brand-new 2,000 sq.m. Kährs floor in a showroom in Germany, ahead of the launch of the new Volkswagen Golf.

The Strongest Surface

The surface of the floor is what meets the eye. The surface treatment should, therefore, be strong enough to withstand daily wear and tear, yet thin enough not to disguise the wood’s lustre. One way to minimise scratches is to apply lots of lacquer, but unfortunately this gives a plastic feel to the floor because the grain of the wood is filled.

For Kährs, both looks and durability are important. That is why we have developed an extra strong lacquer. To obtain a strong, durable surface with the minimum amount of lacquer. A surface that will last for generations. .

The Importance of Lacquering First

At Kährs we always start by lacquering the boards, then we go on to profile them – in contrast to many of our competitors, who do it the other way round. The advantage of the Kährs method is that we achieve a straight edge. This makes for an even surface and eliminates the risk of dirt getting caught in the gaps between the boards.

Strongest – And Cleanest

Kährs unique lacquer eliminates the occurrence of almost all micro scratches, for instance from dragging furniture without protective pads across the floor. An added bonus is that the lacquer’s UV system has the lowest emission of VOC (Volatile Organic Compounds) of any lacquer system available on the market.

Best Guarantee

We know that we manufacture top quality floors with a factory finish and a top layer that can be re-sanded several times. Combined with a complete care and maintenance programme, this allows us to offer a wear warranty of 30 years for the 15mm flooring range and of 12 years for the 7 mm range.

Let’s Test It

The surfaces of a number of floors available on the market were tested in Switzerland. The test is performed by rotating a sample of each floor at a specified pressure against a nylon cloth a specific number of times. The result is measured.

The diagram below shows the results of the test.

The more damage to the surface, the deeper the graph.

Because wood is a living material that is affected by climatic changes, a wood floor moves with;the seasons. To minimise this movement, it is important to have the right balance between the various layers in each board – wear, core and backing – and also the right dimension for each layer.

Interlocked Construction

For maximum stability and minimum movement, the wood fibres in each of the separate layers in the board lie in perpendicular directions.

Wood Expands and Contracts

Movement across the grain is 20–40 times greater than along it. Because we glue the separate layers of the board together, the movement is reduced to 25% compared with solid board.

Dry Season

During the drier part of the year, the wear layer shrinks more than the lamellae. This can result in concave boards. The right balance between the layers improves performance and reduces movement.

Wet Season

During the more humid part of the year, the whole board construction swells. The wear layer attempts to expand 20–40 times more than the core lamellae. This can result in convex boards and an increase in the width of the floor.

What Does The Test Say?

We performed a climate test. The test was carried out to measure the change in cupping from dry season to wet on Kährs floors and those of a number of competitors. All floors were exposed to moisture as well as drying out. The graph below shows the total change in cupping when moving from a wet to a dry climate.