Warranty 5 min read

Warranty, Returns and How a Claim Works

What the structural warranty covers and what it does not, the conditions that keep it valid, the proof worth keeping, how a claim works, and the return and damage windows that apply to every order.

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On this page

What this page is, and what it is not
What the structural warranty covers
What it does not cover
The conditions that keep cover valid
The proof worth keeping
How to raise a problem
Delivery, returns and cancellations
Questions about the warranty

What this page is, and what it is not

Our floors carry a 25 year structural warranty. This page explains what that cover means, how it is kept valid and how to raise a problem, in plain language. Each product page also states the manufacturer's own warranty for that range: 15, 20 or 25 years depending on the product, and a lifetime warranty on the Berry Alloc wall panels.

It is not the legal document. The binding text is our terms and conditions, and where a range comes with its own manufacturer documentation, that documentation applies to that product. If anything here reads differently from either of those, they take precedence.

In one line: Fit it as the instructions say, look after it as the care guide says, keep your paperwork, and tell us quickly if something is wrong.

What the structural warranty covers

It covers delamination and structural failure of the board under normal domestic use, where the floor has been correctly installed and correctly maintained. Structural means the board itself coming apart: the wear layer separating from the core, or the board failing through its construction. It is a warranty on how the product is made.

The short version: If the board fails as a board, that is covered. If the surface has been worn, soaked or fitted badly, that is not.

What it does not cover

These exclusions are not unusual, and every one of them is preventable.

Surface wear

Scratching and dulling from grit walked in on shoes. Mats and regular sweeping prevent almost all of it.

Water damage

Standing water, leaks, and steam cleaning where the manufacturer does not allow it.

Fitting errors

No expansion gap, an out of tolerance subfloor, or a floor laid over a failed moisture test.

Unsuitable use

Solid wood over underfloor heating, or a surface temperature above what the heating manufacturer specifies.

The conditions that keep cover valid

A structural warranty assumes the floor was given a fair chance, which comes down to four things. They are the same four that make a floor last regardless of any guarantee.

Fitted to the product instructions

Where they state a tolerance, a moisture figure or a method, those govern. They come with the product and they are written against the guarantee.

A subfloor that passed

Dry, flat, sound and clean. Fitting over a failed moisture test is the most common reason a floor has to be replaced.

Suitable for the room

Solid wood is not listed for underfloor heating. Engineered wood, laminate, rigid vinyl and porcelain in our range are.

Maintained as specified

Damp mop only, the right product for your finish, felt under furniture and mats at external doors.

The proof worth keeping

None of this takes long at the time and all of it is difficult to reconstruct later. Keep it somewhere you will find it in ten years.

Your order confirmation

It identifies the product, the quantity and the date.

Batch information from the packs

Photograph a label before the packaging goes out. This is what identifies a production run.

Photographs of the subfloor

Taken before the floor went down, including any moisture readings. This is the single most useful record in a dispute.

Who fitted it, and when

A name and a date. If a fitter was used, their invoice.

Why this matters: A structural claim turns on whether the board failed or the conditions did. Records of the conditions are what let that question be answered in your favour.

How to raise a problem

The same route whether it is a delivery issue or something that appears later.

Check the pallet before you sign

Your signature is treated as acceptance of the goods as delivered, so look before you sign rather than after.

Report damage within seven days

With photographs. This window is short and it starts on the day of delivery.

Open a pack and check in daylight

Colour and grade concerns are straightforward before fitting and much harder afterwards, because an installed floor is treated as accepted.

Order number, photographs, what you are seeing and where. The more of the record above you can send, the faster it moves.

Stop fitting if you are unsure

Laying the rest of a floor you have a concern about narrows the options for everyone. Ask first.

Important: Do not sand, abrade or refinish an area you intend to raise with us. It changes the evidence and can turn a straightforward question into an unanswerable one.

Delivery, returns and cancellations

Separate from the warranty, and worth knowing before you order. These windows apply to every order and they are short.

Checking on arrival

Inspect the pallet before you sign. Your signature is treated as acceptance of the goods as delivered.

Reporting damage

Within 7 days of delivery, with photographs.

Returning unopened stock

Full unopened packs: notified by email within 14 days, back at the specified warehouse within 28 days of delivery, in resalable condition.

Restocking

For returns of goods that are not faulty, the courier costs and a restocking fee (where they may apply) are the responsibility of the customer.

Made to order

Bespoke items are produced for you and cannot be returned.

Delivery cost

Depends on the postcode and is shown at checkout.

Order once: Order the whole job including the waste allowance in one go. Boards are produced in batches and a later top up may not match, which is a problem no return policy solves.

Questions about the warranty

Is the 25 year warranty the same as the manufacturer's warranty on the product page?

No. The structural warranty covers the construction of the board. The manufacturer's warranty stated on each product page is the maker's own cover for that range, 15, 20 or 25 years depending on the product, with its own conditions on cleaning and installation. Where the two differ, the manufacturer's documentation applies to that product.

Does the warranty cover scratches?

No. Surface wear from grit, water damage and fitting errors are excluded, which is why the care guide and the fitting instructions matter: they prevent exactly the three things the warranty does not pay for.

What happens if the floor arrives damaged?

Check the pallet before you sign, then report any damage within seven days with photographs. After that window the goods are treated as accepted. Open a pack and check the boards in daylight before the fitter starts, because an installed floor is also treated as accepted.

Can I return flooring I have ordered too much of?

Full unopened packs can be returned if you tell us by email within 14 days and they reach the specified warehouse within 28 days of delivery in resalable condition; because the goods are not faulty, the courier costs and a restocking fee (where they may apply) are yours. Made to order items cannot be returned. The delivery and returns page and our terms carry the binding wording.

Can I fit the floor myself without losing the warranty?

Yes, provided it is fitted to the product instructions: the subfloor tested and within tolerance, the expansion gap kept, the acclimatisation observed. Keep photographs of the subfloor and the readings; a claim turns on whether the board failed or the conditions did.

Your next step

Something wrong with your order?

Tell us early. Damage has to be reported within seven days of delivery, with photographs, and most problems are far easier to put right at that stage.

Ask our team Delivery and returns

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Advice before you order

Warranty BML Fitting and Warranty Buying guide Hardwood Flooring Grades Explained Fitting guide Engineered Wood Installation Guide

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