# Kährs

> Kährs states that it was founded in 1857 in Nybro, in southern Sweden, and today makes engineered wood floors alongside veneer, LVT and resilient flooring. The company's wood range is described in oak, ash and walnut, with oiled and lacquered finishes.

Source page: https://www.misterendgrain.com/manufacturers/kahrs/
Updated: 2026-11-03

| Fact | Value |
|---|---|
| Headquarters | Parent company Kährs BondCo AB, Ångbåtsbron 1, SE-211 20 Malmö, Sweden [5] |
| Founded | 1857, in Nybro, Sweden [1] |
| Product types | Engineered wood flooring, oak, herringbone and veneer flooring, LVT and resilient flooring [2] |
| Species offered | Ash, oak and walnut ("over 100 wood floors of different species") [2] |
| Certifications | ISO 14001 (since 1997), Nordic Swan Ecolabel (since 2014), FSC® and/or PEFC chain of custody (FSC-C019122, PEFC/05-35-153) [1] |
| Website | kahrs.com [2] |

Company: Kährs, Malmö, Sweden, https://www.kahrs.com

Kährs is a Swedish flooring company that has worked in wood since the nineteenth century. This profile reports what the company says about its history, range and certifications, without comparing it with other makers.

## How did Kährs begin?

According to its own history page, Kährs was founded in 1857 in Nybro, where Johan Kähr the elder opened a shop making wooden utility goods [1]. By 1919 the company had moved into doors, toys, furniture and floors, and in 1941 it was awarded a patent for the multilayer floor, which it describes as the origin of the modern engineered hardwood floor [1].

Other milestones the company lists include factory-lacquered floors from 1958, the glueless Woodloc® joint in 1999, a range of 2-layer parquet including herringbone designs in 2013, and luxury vinyl tile in 2019 [1]. The Kährs Group website gives the parent company address as Kährs BondCo AB in Malmö and says it serves customers in nearly 70 countries [5].

## What does Kährs make?

The site lists wood flooring, oak flooring, herringbone flooring, veneer flooring and LVT flooring [2]. On wood floors, it says its focus has been engineered floors rather than solid wood, because solid boards expand and contract with seasonal humidity [2]. For a neutral comparison of the two constructions, see our pages on [engineered wood flooring](https://www.misterendgrain.com/flooring/engineered-wood/) and [solid wood flooring](https://www.misterendgrain.com/flooring/solid-wood/).

The wood flooring page listed 141 products at the time we read it, with designs from large-format boards to herringbone and chevron patterns [2]. Its herringbone page describes the pattern as rectangular boards laid in a zig-zag, and notes that matching plank designs exist for modern herringbone colours [3]. Our own pages on [herringbone](https://www.misterendgrain.com/flooring/herringbone/) and [chevron](https://www.misterendgrain.com/flooring/chevron/) explain the pattern difference.

## Which species and finishes are named?

Kährs describes more than 100 wood floors in different species, naming ash, oak and walnut [2]. It states that lacquered finishes are the most common for homes because they are easy to clean, while oiled finishes bring out the grain and texture of the wood [2].

## What certifications does Kährs state?

The history page records ISO 14001 environmental certification in 1997 and the Nordic Swan Ecolabel from 2014, with more than 200 floors now carrying the label [1]. The sustainability page says the company prioritises wood that meets FSC® (licence FSC-C019122) and/or PEFC (licence PEFC/05-35-153) chain-of-custody schemes [4]. It also reports a Science Based Targets initiative-validated commitment to net zero across Scopes 1, 2 and 3 by 2040 [4].

## Frequently asked questions

### When and where was Kährs founded?

Kährs' history page says it was founded in 1857 in Nybro, where Johan Kähr the elder set up a shop making wooden utility goods [1].

### What did Kährs patent in 1941?

The company says it was awarded a patent in 1941 for the multilayer floor, which it describes as the invention of today's modern engineered hardwood floor [1].

### What is the Woodloc joint?

Kährs says it introduced the world's first parquet floor with the glueless Woodloc joint in 1999 and followed with Woodloc 5S in 2009 [1].

### Does Kährs make solid wood floors?

Its wood flooring page explains that it focuses on engineered floors, and says solid wood floors move more with humidity changes [2].

### Which forest certifications does Kährs state?

It says it prioritises wood meeting FSC® (licence FSC-C019122) and/or PEFC (licence PEFC/05-35-153) chain of custody schemes [4].

## Sources

1. [Our history](https://www.kahrs.com/global/b2b/about-us/our-history), Kährs, accessed 2026-11-03
2. [Wood flooring](https://www.kahrs.com/global/floors/wood-flooring), Kährs, accessed 2026-11-03
3. [Herringbone flooring](https://www.kahrs.com/global/floors/herringbone-flooring), Kährs, accessed 2026-11-03
4. [Sustainability](https://www.kahrs.com/global/sustainability/), Kährs, accessed 2026-11-03
5. [Kährs Group](https://www.kahrsgroup.com), Kährs Group, accessed 2026-11-03