Woodloc® 5S –
fast & easy to install
In 2010, Kährs launched Woodloc® 5S – the evolution of the market-leading Woodloc® system, with which Kährs revolutionised the flooring industry in 2000. Woodloc® 5S makes installing a Kährs floor even faster and simpler.
Download Kährs Installation Guide - Woodloc® 5S (pdf)
The simplest installation
Woodloc® 5S features a special locking tongue, which is made from an eco-friendly composite material crafted from residual wood products. Woodloc® 5S allows floors to be installed even more quickly and provides a joint that is around 25% stronger than its predecessor. The new joint also allows up to a 75% larger area to be installed without an expansion joint.
Another advantage, and improvement, is that the boards are only locked into place once the next row is laid, thereby allowing you to remove a plank from a row without having to unlock the entire row. The unlocking method has also been simplified by means of a new locking tool. It’s also easier to lock the last row, even if you need to saw it to reduce its width. With Woodloc® 5S, the boards are perfectly aligned after laying. The end result: another durable, extremely strong, top-quality wood floor from Kährs.
Below you can find our instruction films for tips and advice when installing floors with Woodloc® 5S joint:
Introduction
Normal installation
Normal installation, reversed direction
Backward installation
Backward installation, reversed direction
Installing last row
Installation tips
Kährs quality: tried and tested
Woodloc® 5S has been tested in a climate chamber and showed no changes in shape, despite variations in ambient humidity/ indoor climate.
All Kährs floors produced in our factory in Nybro, Sweden, will feature the new Woodloc® 5S joint.
Installing Kährs flooring
Installing a Kährs floor is easy. The boards are joined together mechanically, using practically invisible joints. Kährs flooring is usually installed ‘floating’ - this means that the floor isn’t glued to the subfloor; it is left ‘floating’ above it. Kährs Woodloc® 5S flooring can also be glued, if you need to install a very large or complicated area, or have very stringent demands in terms of noise insulation.
Complete installation instructions are provided in every other package of flooring. Please read these carefully before you start.
Always ensure that the subfloor is dry, sound and level, and remove any old fitted carpets or other materials. Remember to lay a vapour barrier if the structure requires. Calculate the number of boards needed for your area. If the last row is narrower than 30 mm, you will need to saw the first row of boards too. If you are installing a Kährs floor with Woodloc® joints, it’s easier to start on the long side of the room with most doors. If the doors are on the short side of the room, you should start each row of boards next to these. Boards may be installed from both the left and the right.
Preparation – wood is a ‘living’ material
Wood is a hygroscopic material, which means that it adapts to the ambient humidity and contracts or expands according to variations in the indoor climate. This is why it’s important to have an expansion gap between the floor and the wall and other fixed objects. To ensure that the floor doesn’t absorb moisture before installation, it is important not to open the packaging until it’s time to start laying the floor.
To prevent damage to the floor, it is important to ensure that the relative humidity during and after laying the floor remains below 60%. The room temperature and material temperature must be at least
18°C. Multi-layer flooring should, therefore, be laid after all other work has been completed, e.g. when painting and tiling are finished and the relative humidity (RH) on site is correct.
Important things to bear in mind
When you choose a wood floor from Kährs, you’re choosing something created by nature. At Kährs, we use photos and floor samples to help us to describe the boards as best we can. But, by their very nature, the appearance of the boards may vary from that shown on the photos or samples. If your flooring packs contain a board that you don’t like, you may decide not to use it. Or, you may use it to start off or finish up. For this reason, always check boards before installing them, as once laid - regardless of whether you’re carrying out the installation, or a contractor is – you’ll be deemed to have accepted them in your capacity as the purchaser.