Kahrs

KÄHRS MAIDENHEAD

Kährs Maidenhead is one of the oldest manufacturers of wood floors in the world and also one of the most innovative.

Based on a patent from 1941 their engineered wood boards helped inspire the wood floor industry and helped shape the modern market in engineered wood floors, Our Kahrs London Showroom is always on hand for help and friendly advice on all aspects of your flooring. Kahrs Ruislip and Kahrs Maidenhead are always happy to price match against ant genuine competitor either in London or Maidenhead, Berkshire.

QUALITY IN FLOORING

Kährs was founded in 1857 in the deep forests of southern Sweden. Today, it’s one of the oldest flooring companies in the world. We have also developed into a global market leader with sales in 70 countries, offering a wide range of flooring products. Our key to success is our deep passion for creating beautiful floors, reflected in high degree of craftsmanship and a constant focus on quality.

Here are some points for choosing a wood flooring from Kährs Maidenhead. Wood is the most environmentally friendly, most beautiful and versatile flooring material available. Wood gives warmth to the most minimalist interior, while enhancing the impression in a more traditional interior. And while trends come and go, quality and style are never out of fashion. That’s why a Kährs Maidenhead Wood Flooring will always feel just right. Kährs stands for quality, design, innovation, environment and sustainability

A DESIGNER’S GUIDE TO CHOOSING A WOOD FLOOR

Listening to your heart is the best advice when it comes to choosing a wood floor. But there are certain important things you should also consider before you decide. Below, interior designer Maria Kingsley explains a few of the most important aspects of choosing the right wood floor for the right context. But the best thing is always to visit one of our showrooms either Kahrs London, Kahrs Ruislip or Kahrs Maidenhead – as nothing compares to seeing the floors in real life and touching the surface to get a real grasp of what characterises each specific floor.

OILED OR LACQUERED?

”Many people ask whether they should choose a lacquered or an oiled wood floor. This is natural, as the surface treatment plays an important part for the overall impression of the floor. Generally speaking, a lacquered surface reflects more light than an oiled one. An exception to this rule is floors treated with Kährs new ultra matt lacquer, which gives the impression that the floor has been made out of untreated, newly sawn timber, while it still has a strong protection against daily wear and tear.” “Regardless of surface treatment, and a strong reason why I often choose Kährs floors for interiors I design, is that they will keep their beauty for many years to come. But you have to maintain them correctly. An oiled floor demands more maintenance than a lacquered floor – but is, on the other hand, easier to repair.” Our Kahrs London Showroom has good displays of both lacquered and oiled floors for you to make a comparison.

LIGHT, DARK OR NEUTRAL?

“People tend to know before they start looking for a wood floor whether they want a light, dark or neutral floor. But there are certain things you should consider as the colour of the floor has a strong impact on the overall impression of the room. It’s also a good thing to have a long-term perspective before you decide, as wood floors last for a long time.” “A general rule is that dark floor “swallows” a lot of light, while it also creates a warm and cosy atmosphere. A light wood floor, on the other hand, reflects the light and adds space to a room, while a neutral floor will create a classical and naturally beautiful backdrop for other design elements in the interior.” Visit our London Showroom to truly appreciate the vast choices available.

CLEAN OR RUSTIC?

”The impression of a floor is made up by what your eyes see and your feet feel. The choice of wood raw material for the floor, and how this is treated, is decisive for the final look and feel of the floor. Knots, cracks and colour variations in the wood give the floor a rustic look, while clean planks with few knots will give it a calm and elegant expression.” “These natural variations of the wood can be further enhanced through many types of treatments, including brushing and hand scraping, which accentuate the graining of the wood and give the floor structure. Saw marks and bevelled edges on the planks enhance this further.”

HOW MANY STRIPS – AND IN WHICH DIRECTION?

“The number of strips on each plank affects the overall impression of the room. A good way to create harmony in a home is to choose wood floors that match, but are optimal for each room. For example, you can choose a single-strip floor for the living room and its 3-strip counterpart for the bedroom. If you go for matching skirtings and moulding, the impression will be further enhanced.” “It is also important to consider which direction the planks are installed. The general rule is to install a floor lengthwise towards the light. But to widen a narrow space you could consider installing it side-to-side.”

The resurgence of ‘Greys’

One of the latest trends in wood flooring is grey – from shades of driftwood to charcoal. Grey coloured oak floors are made to look like they have aged over the years, creating a unique and warm patina. The Kahrs Maidenhead range includes many different designs and surface treatments.

There are vast ranges of greys and charcoal on display in our Kahrs London Showroom in Ruislip.

FACTS ABOUT WOOD FLOORS

One of the factors that make nature so beautiful is the constant variation. You can’t find two trees that are the same. Therefore, the appearance

of the boards we use in our wood floors also varies.

DESIGN GUIDE

Brushed, bevelled, distressed, matt or gloss. Our long experience in producing wood floors means that we can manufacture flooring with a variety of looks, expressions and styles. At our Kahrs London Showroom we are happy to see you and show you how the various options can work best for you.

CONSTRUCTIONS

Kährs engineered wood floors come in three different constructions: 3-layer, 2-layer and veneer. What to choose depends on whether you want to be able to re-sand the floor – and whether the best option is to install the floor floating or glued-down.

 JOINT SYSTEMS

Kährs engineered wood floors come with three different joint systems: Woodloc® 5S , Woodloc® and tongue & grove.

 WOOD FACTS

Kährs wood floors come in a variety of species. Apart from looks, wood species also vary in durability, hardness and how they react when they are exposed to normal sunlight.

FACTS ABOUT WOOD SPECIES

NATURAL COLOUR CHANGES

Kährs Maidenhead wood floors come in a variety of species, ranging from silky, light birch to dramatically dark jarrah. Apart from looks, wood species also vary in versatility, hardness and how they react when they are exposed to normal sunlight.

Wood exposed to normal sunlight is subject to colour changes. As with all natural products made from wood, these changes are expected and add to the beauty and distinctiveness of wood floors.

If you move or rearrange rugs and furniture periodically, you avoid distinct lines between the exposed and unexposed areas of the floor. No matter which species you choose, you can rest assured that it has been sustainably forested.

ASH

The sapwood is almost white and the heartwood ranges from grey through light brown to light yellow with brown streaks. Ash undergoes a medium degree of change over time from a lighter freshly sanded tone to a straw/tan colour.

Hardness (Brinell) Spread4.0 2.8 – 6.2

BEECH

Beech ranges in colour from light cream to medium tan/brown with pink-orange overtones. It undergoes a medium degree of colour change with a slight muting of the orange colours and ambering over time. Beech is not suitable for installation over underfloor heating.

Hardness (Brinell) Spread 3.8 2.0 – 5.9

CHERRY

The sapwood is creamy white, while the heartwood can vary from deep red to reddish brown, which together forms a fine figured, straight grain. Cherry undergoes an extreme degree of colour change with pronounced darkening to a dark reddish colour when fully aged. This process occurs within a few weeks in direct sunlight.

Hardness (Brinell) Spread 3.6 1.7 – 6.2

EUROPEAN MAPLE

Compared with Hard Maple, European Maple has a lustre all of its own that gives the room a clean airy feel. It takes coloured stains easily, and is popular because of its wide area of application in interior design and furniture. Light in colour, European Maple turns golden over time.

Hardness (Brinell) Spread 3.0 2.3 – 4.5

HARD MAPLE

The sapwood is cream-coloured, with a tendency to reddish brown, and the heartwood varies from light to dark brown with red highlights. It undergoes a medium degree of colour change, from a creamy white to golden over time.

Hardness (Brinell) Spread 4.8 3.2 – 6.9

JARRAH

Jarrah has a smooth surface and straight graining. The sapwood and heartwood vary from salmon-pink to deep red. Finished floors often have a dark brown to reddish purple colour, which also deepens over the years.

Hardness (Brinell) Spread 4.7 2.9 – 9.0

OAK

The light brown to darker tones of White Oak undergoes a medium degree of colour change with slight ambering over time.

Hardness (Brinell) Spread 3.7 2.2 – 5.9

WALNUT

The sapwood is creamy white – but the heartwood is a light brown to dark chocolate brown, sometimes with a tendency to purple. The wood gains a special lustre over the years and undergoes a medium to high degree of colour change with the dark brown heartwood lightening over time to a more golden brown.

Hardness (Brinell) Spread 3.4 2.0 – 5.1

For a Competitive Quote or Any Advice on Kährs Wood Flooring Simply Call our Kahrs London Ruislip showroom on 01895 283145 or Kahrs Maidenhead 01628 624546