Avoid damp cleaning unless necessary, as excessive moisture can damage the floor.
Protect the floor from water spills by using rugs near sinks and other high-risk areas.
Use furniture pads under chairs and tables to prevent scratches, and remember to replace them regularly.
Use quality maintenance products to refresh and protect the surface.
What is the difference between engineered, laminate, and wooden flooring? 
Wooden flooring is a broad term that includes everything from solid wood floors and engineered floors to wood veneer floors. An engineered floor is constructed in multiple layers, with the top wear layer made of materials such as oak, and the other layers typically made of spruce or pine.
This multi-layer design offers several advantages, such as minimizing wood's natural movement through seasonal changes and enabling more efficient use of raw materials.
Also using spruce/pine as a middle layer makes it stable for use over underfloor heating and is more stable than plywood
A laminate floor is not a wooden floor. Laminate flooring features a surface with a printed pattern, often on paper, which is impregnated with resin and applied on a base layer, usually a wood fiberboard (HDF).
Where are the different types of flooring best suited?
Wooden floors, crafted from natural materials, bring warmth and character to a space—both visually and underfoot—enhancing the ambiance of any room. Laminate floors are not as warm to the touch as a real wood floor.
It is also accepted that a real wooden compared to a laminate can add value to the re-sale price of a home.
What is the difference between 1-strip, 2-strip, and 3-strip flooring?
Engineered wood floors come in different designs, with a wear layer made from either a single wood piece (1-strip) or multiple strips across its width (2-strip or 3-strip). The number of strips influences the floor’s overall look and feel.
As a general guideline, 1-strip and 2-strip designs work well in spacious rooms, creating an elegant, seamless appearance, while 3-strip flooring can add texture and depth to smaller spaces. Ultimately, the choice is all about personal style and preference.
Lastly, all Kahrs 3-strip floors have the same design features as our premium planks but at a fraction of the price point.
What does the wear layer mean?
An engineered floor is made up of multiple layers. The top layer is called the wear layer and is typically made from hardwood, such as Oak, Walnut, Ash etc. The wear layer is treated with either lacquer, oil, or wax.
The underlying layers are usually made from pine.
Which surface treatment is the most durable and resistant to spilled liquids?
Where you plan to install the floor—and how much wear and tear it will face—determines the best surface treatment. A lacquered finish is the most common choice for residential spaces as it makes the floor easy to clean and maintain.
An oiled finish, on the other hand, enhances the wood's texture and grain while enriching its natural color. When choosing a finish, also consider the wood's hardness and whether the floor may need to be sanded and refinished in the future.
For floors in high-traffic areas, such as public spaces, we recommend oil-treated floors without added pigments, as they can better withstand wear.
All wooden floors, whether lacquered or oiled, should be protected from water and other liquids. Any spills should be wiped up immediately to prevent damage.
Can I prevent my wooden floor from changing color over time?
Wood is a natural material that gradually matures into its natural color—it cannot be completely prevented. The color change occurs most rapidly in the beginning.
To achieve a uniform appearance, avoid placing rugs on the floor during the first few months after installation.
How should I maintain my wooden floor to make it last as long as possible?
To keep your Kährs wood floor looking beautiful for years, follow a simple care routine. Regular vacuuming or dry mopping prevents scratches, while occasional damp cleaning with a well-wrung mop and a pH-neutral cleaner removes dirt without damaging the surface. Avoid excessive water, as moisture can affect the wood.
For extra protection, use Kährs Lacquer Refresher or Satin Oil to maintain the floor’s finish and enhance durability. If needed, re-lacquering or light sanding can refresh the surface. Place furniture pads and entrance mats to reduce wear and clean up spills immediately to prevent stains. With proper care, your Kährs floor will stay timeless and elegant for decades.
Which type of wooden floor lasts the longest?
The durability of a wooden floor depends on the level of wear and how well it is maintained.
Tips for Longevity:
Lifespan by Floor Type:
Engineered floors: With proper care, they can last decades. Depending on the thickness of the wear layer, they can be sanded up to four times, extending their lifespan significantly.
Oiled floors: In public spaces, non-pigmented oiled floors perform best when regularly cleaned and maintained with oil, as they are easier to restore and handle heavy traffic effectively.
By following these care guidelines, wooden floors can remain beautiful and durable for many years.
How much weight can a wooden floor handle?
Kährs wooden floors are designed to withstand normal daily use and foot traffic, making them durable for most household activities. While a wooden floor installed as a floating floor can support moderately heavy furniture, large fixtures like kitchen islands or wardrobes should be secured to the subfloor rather than attached directly to the wood to allow for natural movement.
There would no issue on fixed loads such as kitchen islands if the floor is fully bonded to the subfloor; one of the advantages of bonding down our floors and the Woodloc 5S joint has been developed to make it easy to bond our floors down to the subfloor or to float the floor.
Should I glue/bond or float my wooden floor?
There are advantages to both:
Bonding: If you bond down your wooden floor it means you require no underlay, and there will be little expansion so no need for breaks at doorways, and you can place heavy direct loads on the floor. By bonding, it also offers the lowest Thermal resistance value if working with an under-floor heating system.
Bonding tends to take longer to install than a floating floor, can be slightly more expensive on overall installation cost due to additional adhesive and installation time and would not as easy as easy to uplift the floor compared to a floating floor.
Floating: By floating your wooden floor, it will be a quicker installation time compared to bonding & will make it easier to uplift the floor in future years, also it typically works out less expensive overall to install a floating floor compared to a bonded floor.
Floating floors will require an underlay, they require expansion at doorways and around the permitter of the room by a minimum of 10 mm and note must be given to heavy point loads such as kitchen islands where expansion must be left around these heavy point loads.
Restoring worn floors:
Over time, wooden floors may show signs of wear, but they can be refreshed through re-lacquering or oil treatments. Depending on the finish—satin or matt lacquer, or oiled—the floor should be thoroughly cleaned before applying a fresh coat of lacquer or oil to restore its durability and shine. For deeper restoration, a total renovation involves machine sanding to bare wood before applying a new surface treatment. This process revives even heavily worn floors, bringing them back to their original beauty.
Does Kährs have its own maintenance products?
Yes, Kährs offers its own range of maintenance products, including:
Cleaning products
Microfiber mop heads
Lacquer refresher
Easy to sue Touch-up kits
Maintenance oils
Links:
How can Kährs offer such strong warranties on its floors?
We take great pride in our products, which feature high-quality factory-applied surface treatments and a wear layer that can withstand multiple refinishing processes.
This, combined with a comprehensive care and maintenance program, allows Kährs to provide an extended wear warranty, ensuring long-lasting performance and customer satisfaction.
How do I install Kährs wooden flooring with the Woodloc® joint?
On the Kährs website, you’ll find detailed instructions along with video tutorials that demonstrate the installation process step-by-step for different situations.
Before you start:
Read the instructions carefully before beginning.
Watch the instructional videos to understand the process.
Make sure the subfloor is clean, dry, and level.
Prepare the necessary tools, including spacers, a tapping block, and the Kährs locking tool if using Woodloc® 5S.
By following the instructions provided, you’ll achieve a smooth and professional result.
Can I install my wooden floor on any type of subfloor?
Kährs wooden floors can be installed on most subfloors as long as they are dry, level, clean, and firm. Carpets should be removed, and concrete subfloors must be free of sawdust or organic residues to prevent moisture-related issues. In cases where the subfloor is concrete, over a humid space, or includes underfloor heating, a vapor barrier is required to protect the wood. Adding an underlay enhances comfort and reduces sound. Proper preparation ensures a stable, long-lasting wood floor.
The subfloor must always be firm, level, clean, and dry.
General Guidelines:
Mineral-based subfloors (e.g., concrete) require a vapor barrier between the subfloor and the wooden floor.
Many underlay materials come with a built-in vapor barrier
Alternatively, you can use age-resistant plastic sheeting placed under foam or grey felt paper.
Wood-based subfloors typically do not require a vapor barrier unless you are installing underfloor heating—in which case a vapor barrier is always necessary.
Always read and follow the manufacturer’s instructions carefully to ensure proper installation and long-lasting results, but using the correct underlay is the first step.
What tools do I need to install flooring?
Modern flooring requires only a few tools for installation.
Essential Tools:
Saw – For cutting boards to fit.
Measuring tape – To measure lengths accurately.
Pencil – For marking cuts.
Carpenter’s square – To ensure straight cuts and angles.
Tapping block – To gently tap boards into place without damaging edges.
Spacers – To maintain the correct distance between the floor and walls for expansion gaps.
Kährs locking tool (if installing a floor with Kährs Woodloc 5S joint)
With these basic tools, you’ll be prepared for a smooth and professional installation!
Is there any difference in installing 1-strip, 2-strip, or 3-strip flooring?
The installation process is generally the same for 1-strip, 2-strip, and 3-strip flooring. However, there are a few important considerations:
Mix boards from different packages before starting to ensure a natural and harmonious color variation across the floor.
This step is especially important for 1-strip flooring, as it has larger, more noticeable planks that highlight color and grain patterns.
Inspect each board before installation. Boards with visible defects that could have been identified beforehand should not be installed.
Acclimatize flooring for 24 hours in the room it will be installed into and leave in packaging and store flat.
Following these steps will help achieve a balanced and professional result.
Can I install my floor without thresholds or moldings?
The general rule is one room, one floor.
This means that in areas such as doorways, you should include an expansion joint (movement joint) to allow the floor to expand and contract naturally.
Why is this important?
Wooden floors react to temperature and humidity changes by expanding or contracting.
Without an expansion joint, the floor may buckle or warp over time.
Thresholds or transition moldings are commonly used to cover these joints while maintaining a seamless look.
Are there different installation techniques for solid wood floors and Engineered floors?
Yes, the installation techniques differ between Engineered floors and solid wood floors:
Engineered floors
Most Engineered floors use a click-joint system (glue-free), making installation easier and faster.
They can be installed as a floating floor, meaning they are not fixed to the subfloor.
Solid floors
Solid floors are often glued in the joints or nailed down.
It’s also common to glue solid floors directly to the subfloor for added stability.
Always follow the manufacturer’s specific installation instructions to ensure the best results for your chosen flooring type.
Does a professional installer need to lay my floor for the warranty to be valid?
No, it is not required to hire a professional installer.
The warranty remains valid even if you install the floor yourself, as long as you follow Kährs installation instructions carefully during installation. But it is important to note that a professional can give advice on sub-floor leveling, humidity, expansion, and take care of the details that make a difference such as under cutting door ways etc.
How much waste, or extra flooring, should I account for?
You should plan for approximately 5% waste when calculating the amount of flooring needed.
This extra material accounts for:
Cutting and trimming during installation.
Pattern matching for aesthetic consistency.
Future repairs or replacements.
For more complex layouts, such as herringbone or chevron patterns, stairs you may need to account for around 7%-10%.
Won't the floor lift without gluing?
No, you do not need to glue a standard Kährs floor, either at the joints or to the subfloor.
Kährs floors are installed as floating floors due to their stable multi-layer construction and the Woodloc® joint system, which ensures a secure and durable fit.
Key installation tips to prevent lifting:
Stagger the joints – Maintain a minimum 500 mm end-joint offset between rows to enhance stability.
Lay in the lengthwise direction – In narrow spaces, always install the flooring parallel to the room’s length to prevent buckling.
Following these guidelines ensures the floor remains level and stable, even with climate variations.
Does the floor need to be stored indoors before installation?
Yes, the floor must never be stored outdoors.
Pre-installation storage guidelines:
Acclimate the floor indoors for at least 24 hours before installation.
Keep the flooring in its original packaging and do not open the packages until installation begins.
Ensure the relative humidity (RH) in the room is between 30–60%.
Both the room temperature and the floorboards should be at least 15°C.
Following these steps ensures the flooring adapts to the environment, minimizing the risk of warping or gaps after installation.
What should I consider if I want to protect the floor after installation before other work is completed?
If additional work is planned in the room where the floor has been installed, follow these steps to protect it:
Cover the floor with a moisture-permeable material, such as paper.
Do not tape directly onto the wooden floor. Tape should only be applied to the protective covering to avoid damaging the surface.
Many tapes adhere so strongly to the floor that the lacquer may peel off when the tape is removed.
The longer the tape remains, the greater the risk of it bonding more firmly to the lacquer, increasing the chance of damage.
Proper protection ensures the floor remains in pristine condition during additional construction or renovation work.
Can I install a wooden floor in my sunroom?
Yes, but care must be given to providing consistent humidity control in any sun-rooms.
Can I install a wooden floor in my Kitchen?
Yes. where we advise any spillages to be cleaned away as soon as possible.
When installing an oiled floor into a Kitchen we advise 2-3 coats of additional oil to be applied after installation to provide even more durability in kitchen areas.
Can I have underfloor heating under any type of flooring?
Most wooden floors are suitable for underfloor heating bot wet systems and electric systems, but there are exceptions:
Beech and Canadian maple are not recommended as they expand and contract more than other wood types with temperature changes.
Important Guidelines:
Always follow the installation instructions provided by both Kährs and the underfloor heating supplier.
The surface temperature of the wooden floor must never exceed 27°C to prevent damage.
By adhering to these recommendations, you can safely enjoy the warmth and comfort of underfloor heating beneath your wooden floor.
Do I need a special underlay for installing underfloor heating?
Yes, there are two key considerations for the underlay when installing underfloor heating:
Vapor Barrier – Install a vapor barrier between the subfloor and the wooden floor to protect against moisture.
Low Thermal Resistance – Use an underlay material with low heat resistance to minimize heat loss and ensure efficient heat transfer.
Why is my floor lifting and what can I do about it—both to prevent it and if it happens?
Seasonal climate variations naturally cause some movement—expansion and contraction—in wooden floors. That’s why floors must never be installed directly against fixed structures such as walls or tiles.
Prevention:
Leave an expansion gap (movement joint) around the edges of the floor to allow for natural movement.
In narrow spaces, such as hallways, install the boards lengthwise to reduce stress.
Always stagger the joints by at least 500 mm in each row to enhance stability.
Moisture Issues:
Floors can also lift due to moisture, either:
Cleaning with too much water, or
Moisture rising from below if a vapor barrier is missing.
To prevent this, use minimal water when cleaning and ensure a vapor barrier is in place for mineral-based subfloors.
A lifted wooden floor is often caused by moisture imbalances or improper installation. First, identify the source—excess humidity, lack of expansion gaps, or water damage. If moisture is the issue, improve ventilation or use a dehumidifier to stabilize conditions. If the floor lacks proper expansion space, carefully trim the edges near the walls to allow for natural movement. In severe cases, affected boards may need to be removed and reinstalled. For the best results, consult a flooring professional to assess and resolve the issue effectively.
Can I get the color code for my stained floor, for example, to match my staircase?
No, unfortunately, we cannot provide the exact color code for your floor.
This is because the final shade of your floor is a result of a combination of factors:
The raw material (wood type and grain).
The staining process used in production.
Differences in post-treatment methods, paint types, and application techniques.
As a result, after-treatment on-site may differ from the factory finish, making it difficult to achieve an exact match.
What we do advice is to take a sample of your floor to a professional paint matching company and they can provide a 99% good colour stain for you to test before applying.
Where are Kährs floors manufactured?
Over 85% of our primary production takes place at our own factory in Nybro, located in Småland, Sweden, where it has been located since 1857.
Kährs also has factories and partners in the EU and China to support production and meet global demand.
Are Kährs floors environmentally friendly?
Yes, Kährs floors are highly environmentally friendly.
Engineered floors are one of the most sustainable flooring options, as they:
Optimize raw material usage.
Are made from renewable materials.
Are recyclable.
At our Nybro factory, nothing goes to waste—unused parts of the logs are turned into biofuel.
Environmental Certifications:
Over 150 floors in Kährs’ range carry the Nordic Swan Ecolabel (Svanen), a mark of environmental excellence.
Kährs has been certified for environmental and quality management since the 1990s, demonstrating a long-standing commitment to sustainability.
Lotta: Yes, Kährs wooden floors are a sustainable choice, designed with both your home and the planet in mind. Engineered wood floors are among the most eco-friendly flooring options, as they optimize raw material usage, are made from renewable resources, and are fully recyclable. At our primary production facility located in Sweden, nothing goes to waste—unused wood is repurposed into biofuel for energy.
Kährs also holds over 180 floors certified with the Nordic Swan Ecolabel, a mark of environmental excellence. We've been committed to sustainable production and quality management since the 1990s, ensuring our floors are both beautiful and responsible.
What should private homeowners and public spaces do with their old wooden floors when replacing them?
Kährs floors are known for their high quality and often have many years of life left, even if they are replaced.
Reuse Options:
Many Kährs floors feature click joints that allow them to be disassembled without damage, making it possible to reinstall the floor in another location.
Recycling Options:
If reuse is not an option, the old floor can be taken to your local recycling center.
Wooden floors are either crushed or chipped and used in the production of particleboards.
Materials that cannot be recycled are sent to energy recovery plants, where they are converted into energy for heating and electricity.
This ensures that Kährs floors remain sustainable, even at the end of their lifecycle.
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