Carol, I only install it, but my customers seem to still be enjoying it. It's a good, high quality product imo. Consumer Reports is good for choosing appliances ,cars or elecronics...they are not real helpful on flooring products.

I have had a Kahrs wood floor down for about 10 years. It has seen plenty of abuse what with 4 little dogs running in and out. And they sometimes lift their leg.

It has a few scratches and dents but still looks very good. Mine has lots of little knots in it and looks like a pine floor bt it's not.

I'm not sorry I installed it.

I'll know more soon, we just ordered 1400 sq ft of Kahrs woodloc engineered walnut. It should be arriving within the next week and we hope to begin installation by Christmas. I am quite anxious to get it and see what it looks like in my home. After extensive research I concluded that Kahrs was the way to go for us even though purchasing it will have us eating beans and weinies for months. LOL

Here is a link that might be useful: {{gwi:1567671}}

I put Kahrs Brazilian Cherry in my family room about 3 years ago, and have been very pleased with it. It has held up very well with no visible scuff marks or other problems. There are a few scratches under a chair that has been slid around, but I think that would happen to any real wood floor. Good luck!

I'm not happy with ours, professionally installed, after 8 months separation and flaking on certain boards. would not buy a floating floor.

I do NOT recommend Kahrs hardwood flooring --- We got the Kahrs engineered hardwood in Oak Chalk installed on our first floor in May 2018. Not even a month later, we noticed splintering in many areas of the flooring. The top layer of wood is literally peeling off and cracking in many sections. Any time I dry clean the floors (which was the recommended method of cleaning), the dry cloth pads catch on new areas of the wood flooring. Even my socks catch and pull up areas of the wood flooring. I am extremely disappointed and feel that I wasted a significant amount of money on these floors.

@Amanda L, did you contact Kahrs (or the dealer who supplied the flooring) and if so what was the outcome?

Buyer beware - Kährs does NOT guarantee customer satisfaction. I purchased 4,000 sq. ft. of Oak Blanche from a Kährs distributor. My installer installed 2-1/2 rows of flooring in one small room and I asked him to stop. I did not like the look or feel of the floor. I called the distributor and asked to setup a return of the remaining unopened, untouched boxes of flooring (we only opened 1 box out of 5 pallets of the product). I was told the distributor would not accept the return because Kährs would not accept the return back from them meaning the distributor would have to eat the cost. I have never heard of a company refusing return of unused/unopened product. I was even willing to pay to ship it back and cover restocking fees. Kährs absolutely refuses to take back the flooring. Terrible company with even worse customer service.

Yikes to the last few comments! Is there a Kahrs rep on Houzz who might want to weigh in? I need to make my flooring decision VERY soon and would love to hear from some of the flooring experts on reliable floating engineered hardwood alternatives!

@Mittens Cat I’m in a similar situation, need to make decision very soon and I was considering Kahrs. Did you end up going with Kahrs? And so, are you happy with the product?

@kaha, funny you should ask. After seesawing for months, I decided literally 10 minutes ago to go ahead and order the Kahrs. But then seeing the notification for this thread, I reread the scary other comments. And now...eeek. Hoping to hear some updates from some of you?

@Mittens Cat the reviews were the reason why I’m second guessing. However, I spoke to 3 different floor installers and all 3 had great things to say about the brand and product.

@TK Scharf, @Amanda L, what were the reasons Kahrs provided for not making repairs or replacement? I live in fear of not following those warranty rules to the "T" on big ticket items such as this, as I assume most manufacturers will send out their own inspector to uncover what terrible sin we homeowners have committed against their product! Then poof, warranty nulled.

Kahrs, if you're out there...some potential customers would love to know your thoughts!

p.s. @TK Scharf, I also find it very unsettling that the distributor wouldn't back you up. Wondering if this is the case with most distributors? I have been pondering buying from a couple different suppliers and would hope they'd support their customers if there were a problem like this. Thoughts from other flooring pros out there?

Kahrs sent someone to measure our humidity levels back in January which they claimed to be 20%. However, I bought a hygrometer immediately after they left and have been measuring our humidity levels since January. Our levels were 32-40% in the winter and 50-55% in the summer. When I pushed this with them, the response I got was that because they measured low humidity levels, there was nothing they would do for me. Now we are stuck with brand new hardwood floors that continue to splinter and crack all over.

In my case, we were not told about Kahrs’ “click” system, which meant that I could only run the floors in the same direction, no turning corners. I also wanted a herringbone pattern in my foyer, but you can’t do it with a Kährs floor. Because Kahrs’ system was difficult to work with and would not yield the look I wanted my husband and I decided to return the flooring and use a brand that utilizes the normal tongue and groove install. We simply tried to return all the unopened, untouched boxes and they would not take them back, we offered to cover restocking and shipping fees. The distributor told us that they do not stock Kährs floors, they special order them AND because Kährs will not accept flooring back from its distributors the distributor could not accept the return. If the distributor accepted the return they would have had to eat the cost of the flooring (we bought 5,000 sq. ft.). The distributor apologized and said that the issue was with Kährs. They went on to explain further that not only would Kährs not accept back their own product, they were difficult to work with when issues occur with the flooring and generally do not stand behind their warranty. “Kährs routinely finds a way to blame the customer or the installer for issues with the product and therefore will not stand behind their warranty.” Awful company. Also, I explained to the distributor that the click system, and Kährs company issues should have been explained upfront, so part of this does lie on the distributor. They should have warned us about the issues with Kährs. I ended up eating the cost of the flooring and went with something else. I did not want to have to deal with the company down the road if any issues arose.

Thanks @Amanda L and @TK Scharf for sharing your frustrating experience.

As far as not accepting unused product, this is surprising and disheartening. So far, we've been able to return many building materials we did not end up using. Last week we had a lot of drywall leftover and Home Depot was happy to take it back and refund our money. It's unsettling to think a company would not accept a return of its own product that was still in an unopened box (unless it was on sale with a no return policy, obviously).

@Amanda L, which part of the world are you in? I can't imagine having to step over the cracks and splinters every day, ugh.

We are in NY about an hour from NYC. Certainly not in extreme weather by any means. Yes it is extremely frustrating.

Interesting but sad to see how this thread changed from mostly positive reviews to negative over the dozen years since the OP posted. But looking at Kahrs corporate history, perhaps it's not surprising. The company was sold to a large investment firm, Triton, in 2011.

https://www.euwid-wood-products.com/news/companies/single/Artikel/triton-takes-over-majority-in-parquet-producer-kaehrs.html

Update from 2016:

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-03-29/swedish-flooring-maker-kaehrs-said-to-weigh-ipo-after-turnaround

So maybe the company is like so many others these days--quality and customer service goes downhill fast once the company's bought out by a large investment firm? I hope not!

FWIW I’ve used many of Kahrs floors with great result. Kahrs is very known for their click system which allows for easy installation, even DIY. If you’re looking for a different installation you have to read the product description carefully as most their products are click installation. Mittens Cat, you could call Kahrs with your questions and concerns as raised on this post as you’re in a hurry to make a decision instead of waiting for them to reply on this forum. I called them several times a year or so ago for information and samples. Best of luck with your project!

@Jennifer Svensson thanks for that input and yes I will give them a call! It's so nerve wracking trying to decide which way to go. Remodeling feels like jumping off a high cliff into the ocean, and hoping you won't hit the rocks!

I will say to consider that most companies are very accommodating and will try to ease your fears about their company when it comes to selling you their product, however they do not want to be liable for anything when it’s on the end of resolving a dispute. Hate to be a Debbie downer, however if you read enough forums and reviews it seems to be an epidemic with these flooring companies. Really a lot of things these days are like this with all sorts of products. It’s sad but with all the outsourcing and lack of quality, there is no integrity with the companies or their products. I’m in the same boat and totally understand the frustration. It makes me want to just buy a cheap product and know it will have to probably be replaced in 5 yrs.

@tarasmom, I so hear you. I was on the phone with representatives of two flooring companies the past week, and I felt like banging my head against the wall as they hit all the predictable points of their sales pitch. I politely raised the question about how much I could rely on their warranty if things went badly, and that's when the corporate gobbledygook reached a fever pitch.

We recently remodeled our house and used Kahrs Prime Collection Oak Dove. Within 3 months we had to bring the rep in to show him the damage. I contacted the headquarters, and always cc's the Rep to leave a paper trail. We have never had wood flooring and I thought I did my homework. I also called the Rep before we bought the product to see if it would be a good fit with sand and a Dog. With his approval we bought and had it installed.

Now we are having to have it all torn up, replaced at the cost of tens of thousands of dollars. We are negotiating with them on what they will compensate us with. Anyone with flooring problems take lots of photos and leave an email paper trail. When I sent them photos of when the Rep was here, and what the floor looked like 2 months later they were willing to work with us. They knew their flooring didn't hold up to the 25 year warranty, not even several months. The top paint coating came off exposing the brown wood.

I went with their reputation and a company that has done flooring in 1856.

@mmmason51, so very sorry to hear this--I feel your pain! Thank you for sharing so others might be forewarned.

In case you're looking for a new brand, we are very happy with our new PanTim Genuine French Oak floors so far (they've been in for a couple months, so fingers tightly crossed!). I'm obsessed with keeping my eye on them, as if protecting a newborn baby! Kind of ridiculous, but after reading so many horror stories here, I can't help but be on guard. There are definitely days I just wish to be a renter again so I can relax and not fuss about so many things. Good luck!

We have Kahrs Oak Shore - design is beautiful but literally anything what falls on the floor makes a certain mark. The surface is very soft so e.g. AAA battery weighing 10 grams failing from 1 meter will make a visible dent on the floor :-) I don know if this is normal for all wood floorings but you need to face that scratches and dents will be everywhere soon after the instalation.

Think twice. I had used Kahrs flooring years ago and was happy with it. A year ago I put in their wide plank engineered flooring throughout my condo as part of a renovation due to a flood. The finish is coming off only a year later and now I am left trying to resolve this. The customer service response has been slow. They cannot tell me why the problem is occurring. They are willing to replace the damaged planks (up to 10??) which leaves me wondering how much more damage will happen in the future. The other thing they are offering me is a credit for current or future refinishing of my entire condo. They state this means I would need to move out and they wouldn’t pay for any of those expenses. Not happy.

@mmmason51 Interesting I am having the exact same problem with the exact same product. Oak dove

We are also having major issues with our grey oak chevron flooring... I would not recommend this floor to my worst enemy. the stress it has caused us has been awful and both Kahrs and the distributor are accepting absolutely no responsibility.

I recently bought Oak Concrete wide planks from Kährs and immediately noticed that it gave splinters. Now I see it is all over and it gives my kids splinters and the top wood layer breaks off easily with all the splinters sticking out. I have been in contact with the retailer but have the gut feeling this floor is very very low quality and needs replacing :(

Horrible. You look at them wrong and they scratch. Don’t get this if you have pets or kids because they do not hold up at all. And then you can’t refinish them. And a year later they stopped making the kind we have so can’t replace individual planks. Don’t recommend. I can’t wait to replace these floors with something higher quality that can be refinished.

All of this is helpful. Thanks! We are in the process of choosing an engineered hardwood flooring. We used this product 10 years ago and it has held up beautifully considering foot traffic. I was going use again but now reconsidering brands. Any suggestions on other brands would be helpful and much appreciated.

I’ve had Kährs Oak Reiter for about a year and a half now. I have pets, cat and a dog. However, I don’t have too much (human) foot traffic, thanks to Covid. Thus far it’s held up pretty well. My cat loves to “figure skate” on my floors with her claws out as she chases her toys. I love the color and the look of my floors. Maybe it hasn’t been long enough for me to notice any issues. Time will tell

@Ivo Senkyrik would you be able to share any photos of your Oak Shore floors? I’m contemplating using them but can’t find any real life photos of the floors installed in homes. thanks so much in advance!

@kaha Would you be willing to give an update on your Oak Reiter floors? I was going to choose this floor and just read all these Kahrs reviews. Yikes! Wold love to know how you feel about them now. Also, what installation method did you use?.. float, glue, nail?

Thank you so much!

@kaha Thank you so much for responding! This is very helpful! i wanted to use floating method as well to avoid glues due to multiple chemical sensitivity and i really want to use Greenguard Gold flooring. Glad to hear that the Reiter is holding up well. Does it feel like a greige kind of color... with some brown and so gray tones? I am trying to choose a floor that isn’t too dark and won’t show too much dust or oils.

Again, i am very grateful you replied and shared this wisdom!

@Tracy yes color is kinda Grieige. Initially I was thinking of going with Oak Muse, but after seeing the samples Oak Muze was too whitish for me. Here’s the photo, my fur babies are a bonus 😊

@Tracy more photos..

@kaha The fur babies are a bonus! Super adorable! :) We so love our fur babies too.

Your floors look great. Thank you for showing me how they look in the space. I thought the same about Oak Muse. So I think I am going to just go with it. Your feedback has made me feel so much more confident. Thank you, thank you!

I am looking at their LVT flooring, I have a quote for the distributor to do herringbone downstairs and same colour in planks upstairs. I think most of the people writing on here are talking of their expereince with hardwood floors, does anyone have experience with their LVT flooring? Albeit the attitude that Kaurs have displayed is off putting. i am now ering towards Kardean

@HU-551044582

I used Green Building Supply to facilitate my purchase from Kahrs and to answer all my questions. the good thing is that Kahrs sells green and non voc flooring options

Hi @Tracy Pilger, how was your experience with Green Building Supply? Were you happy? -- I am a little worried about purchasing flooring online, since returning defective products will be very difficult. but if Kahrs makes it nearly impossible to use their warranty, maybe it doesn't matter anyway.

Hi @Zadie O!

my experience working with them has been great! They helped me choose the right products (including 3000 sq ft of wood flooring) and got them to me on time or within the dates promised. they ordered transition strips from a third party and that company sent me the wrong ones and Green Building Supply quickly took care of it. i also ordered the green underlayment and wood caulking and adhesive. All the products have been of high quality and the company has been responsive to my needs

Karhs are terrible, I had one of their oak flaoting floors put in and it creaks everywhere. Their rep came out and looked at it and made all the excuses in the world, not big enough gaps at the edges, the floor must be uneven (which it isn't). Their installer said they've never had the problem all over before. They came and trimmed all the edges but it still creaks. Karhs wiped their hands of it and refused to believe it was in any way a manufacturing fault. Avoid

@kaha

Do your floors creak?

@Simon Buck, my floors are creaking too but only in certain spots like the hallway where i think the subfloor is uneven.. Some areas are quiet but yes some areas do creak. We did not use any glue or nailing which i wonder if nailing down some areas would be helpful. i left my floors floating, what about you? Had no idea about the creaking issue with Kahrs prior. So you think its the manufacturing of the floor...?

Thank you, Tracy

@Tracy, sorry for very late reply, I just saw your comment.

I did notice creaking at some areas while it was still being installed and I pointed out to my installer. Apparently, although I had the floors leveled right before installation, it wasn’t leveled enough. So I asked him to remove the floors, re-level the concrete and reinstall. That fixed the issue for me. Now my floors don’t creak at all. Not even slightly. It’ll be 3 years in couple of months since installation and thankfully still no issues. 🤞

I’ve had good luck over 3 years with my Oak Pima floors on our basement slab (with a layer). We have two large dogs, so we cover the large room they use. i bought the flooring from a Chicago-area wholesaler, who shipped it to our house (for us to easily unload), and it saved alot! Recently, I showed the flooring to an installer and he heartily endorsed them…but said I needed a dehumidifier for the areas.

@Mittens Cat, did you end up installing Kahrs? If so, are you happy with it? If not, what did you go with?

We had Kahrs Oak Olof in our prior home and loved it--toddler slamming/spilling things in it, goldendoodle running like crazy and no issues.

In our new home, we wanted something with less pink undertones, so we went with Kahrs Classic Nouveau in White. It has been a huge headache. We have had it now 1.5 years and there are dental and scratches all over the place, most concentrated in the areas where we have chair footings eventhough we have pads on the feet. It is such a disappointment because we loved Kahrs greener footprint. I wouldn't use again.