So far in our deep dive series, we’ve explored the hidden layers that bring comfort, strength, and durability to every Karta floor. Now, we turn to the part you see every day: the surface layer that brings Karta to life. This is where technology meets artistry, and where Karta sets itself apart from anything else on the market.

At the heart of this layer lies high-definition digital print technology, a breakthrough that allows us to deliver authentic wood effect floors without compromise or repetition.

Not Just Surface Level Stuff

The surface of a floor must capture the essence of great design while holding up under the scrutiny of daily life. Unlike a wall covering or piece of furniture, flooring is exposed to constant use and light. We notice its details up close, and it becomes part of the overall character of a space.

For many manufacturers of “wood-look” floors, shortcuts are taken. Graphics are recycled, planks repeat every few boards, and the final product feels predictable, even artificial. At Karta, we don’t believe imitation should mean compromise.

That’s why we innovate in cutting-edge print technology that doesn’t just suggest woodgrain, but captures the full richness of real timber, down to the smallest knot, sap line, or medullary ray.

A Legacy of Expertise

Karta is part of a wider family with deep roots in wood. For over three decades, Ted Todd and Woodworks have been crafting extraordinary timber floors, including rare, antique, and reclaimed materials that carry unique stories. This heritage informs everything we do.

Instead of generic stock patterns, every Karta design is based on real wood sourced from the Ted Todd and Woodworks archives. These archives include floors with incredible provenance, from planks salvaged from Winston Churchill’s War Office to timbers reclaimed from the Horwich Locomotive Works. By digitising these originals, we’re able to preserve their story and reimagine them in a way that’s both scalable and sustainable.

Each Karta plank is a digital echo of these one-of-a-kind surfaces.

High-Definition Detail

The process begins by scanning real boards in ultra-high resolution. These scans capture not only the visible grain, but also the subtle tonal variations and structural features of the wood. Every detail is then printed directly onto the design layer using biodegradable inks, chosen for both their durability and environmental integrity.

Features like medullary rays, knots, and heartwood variations are faithfully reproduced, ensuring the look of real timber is preserved without the need to cut into fresh trees and having a profound impact on both design quality and environmental performance.

Real Floors Reimagined

Each of the 18 designs in our Recycled Leather Series is inspired by a unique timber original, with no recolours, no re-skins, and no generic patterns. Instead, the visual layer of every plank is drawn from the authentic characteristics of real wood.

This level of detail ensures that when you lay a Karta floor, you see the same variation you’d expect from natural timber. Tonal shifts, streaks, and imperfections are not airbrushed out, they’re celebrated as part of the design.

It’s this authenticity that makes Karta so compelling for architects, designers, and homeowners who want the true look of wood in an efficient flooring solution.

Breaking the Cycle of Repetition

If you’ve ever looked closely at a laminate or vinyl floor, you may have noticed the problem: the same plank pattern appears again and again across the room. Even with larger print cycles, repeats are almost inevitable, creating a surface that feels artificial, uniform, and disconnected from the essence of real wood.

Karta takes a different approach. Our technology ensures that you won’t find a single duplicate across 20 boards. That means even in large-format or open-plan spaces, the natural variation of real wood is preserved.

This approach isn’t just technical. We build this into our floors as a creative choice that honours the way wood should look. By rejecting the shortcut of repetition, we keep Karta’s designs dynamic, engaging, and true to their source material.

A Design Edge for Every Space

For design-led interiors, detail is everything. A floor sets the tone of a room, and even small imperfections or obvious repeats can undermine an otherwise considered scheme.

Karta’s attention to visual variety gives it a noticeable edge in these environments. Designing a minimalist loft apartment, a retail showroom, or a hospitality space? Karta delivers the character and variation of natural timber with the performance advantages of engineered flooring.

Because the design layer is digitally created, we can also offer boards at larger scales without the constraints of natural wood supply. This flexibility opens new design possibilities, allowing specifiers to use wide planks or panels in ways that would be difficult or out-of-budget with real timber.

The Future of Flooring

The use of high-definition digital print represents a new way of thinking about flooring: one where aesthetic integrity and environmental responsibility work together.

With Karta, we can capture and reproduce the world’s most extraordinary timbers without depleting them. We can design surfaces with greater variety, more authenticity, and lower waste. And we can do it at a scale that makes these designs accessible for everyday projects as well as landmark developments.

In short, high-definition print allows us to create wood-effect flooring not just as a material surface, but a sustainable canvas for design.

More Than Meets the Eye

The printed surface of a Karta floor is just one chapter in a bigger story. Every layer plays a role in creating a product that performs on every level.

We’re nearly at the end of our journey through Karta’s construction, revealing the innovations that make our floors different, from protective coatings that guard against wear to the hidden technologies that ensure longevity.

If you’ve missed our earlier insights, you can catch up on the story so far in our blog. Or, for a detailed overview, download our Karta construction quick sheet for a closer look at the materials that set us apart.

Karta floors prove that you don’t have to choose between design and sustainability. With high-definition print, we capture the character of real timber without cutting corners – or cutting down more trees. It’s a future-facing approach to flooring that honours the past and supports the present.

You may have missed: What’s in a Floor? Karta’s Construction Layer by Layer: Wood Fibre and What’s in a Floor? Karta’s Construction Layer by Layer: Recycled Leather