Solid Wood Flooring Warranty & Installation Guide

1. Easy Step Flooring Solid Wood Guarantee

Easy Step Flooring warrants that its solid wood flooring products are free from manufacturing defects at the time of purchase.

We provide:

25-Year Residential Structural Warranty

This warranty applies only when the flooring has been:

• Installed in accordance with industry best practice

• Installed in a suitable environment

• Maintained within recommended humidity levels

• Used for normal internal residential use

Solid wood is a natural material and will expand and contract in response to environmental conditions. Seasonal movement is expected and does not constitute a defect.

2. What This Warranty Covers

This warranty covers genuine manufacturing defects including:

• Milling faults affecting board profile

• Structural splitting caused by production defect

• Tongue and groove machining defects

• Abnormal warping directly attributable to manufacturing error

Where a verified manufacturing defect is confirmed, Easy Step Flooring will supply replacement material of equal specification.

3. Natural Characteristics (Not Defects)

Solid wood flooring may naturally contain:

• Knots

• Grain variation

• Colour variation

• Sapwood

• Mineral streaks

These are inherent features of timber and are not faults.

Variation between boards and between batches is normal and cannot be used as grounds for claim.

4. Exclusions – What Is Not Covered

The warranty does not cover:

• Surface wear, scratching or dents

• Impact damage

• Damage caused by pets, furniture, high heels or grit

• Water damage, flooding or leaks

• Excess humidity or dryness

• Cupping, crowning, gapping or movement due to climate

• UV colour change

• Subfloor movement or failure

• Improper installation

• Failure to allow adequate expansion space

Solid wood reacts significantly to environmental change. Minor gapping in winter or slight cupping in humid periods is normal.

5. Underfloor Heating

Solid wood flooring supplied by Easy Step Flooring is:

NOT suitable for use with underfloor heating systems.

Installation over any underfloor heating system will void this warranty.

6. Installer Responsibilities

The installer must:

• Inspect every board prior to installation

• Reject boards with visible defects

• Conduct and record moisture readings

• Confirm subfloor suitability

• Leave appropriate expansion gaps

• Ensure environmental conditions are stable

Once a board is installed, it is deemed accepted.

Easy Step Flooring accepts no responsibility for boards fitted with visible defects.

7. Manufacturing Tolerances

Solid timber is manufactured within industry tolerances.

Permitted dimensional tolerance: ±0.5mm to 1mm

Up to 5% variation within a pack is considered acceptable.

Boards outside tolerance should be set aside prior to installation.

8. Site Preparation Requirements

Before installation:

• Property must be weather-tight

• Wet trades completed

• Heating system operational

• Subfloor dry and stable

• Room temperature: 18°C–27°C

• Relative humidity: 35%–65%

These conditions must be stable for:

• 7 days prior (timber subfloors)

• 14 days prior (concrete subfloors)

Solid wood flooring must acclimatise on site for a minimum of 5 days.

9. Subfloor Requirements

Subfloors must be:

• Clean

• Dry

• Structurally sound

• Level (max 3mm deviation over 3m straight edge)

Moisture limits:

Timber subfloor: 12%–14% moisture content

Concrete or cement screed: Less than or equal 3.5% CM OR 35–40% RH slab test

Anhydrite screed: Less than or equal 0.5% CM

Failure to record moisture readings invalidates warranty.

10. Expansion Gaps

A minimum 10–12mm expansion gap must be left:

• Around all walls

• Around pipes and columns

• At thresholds

• Around fixed objects

Large areas (over 12m x 8m) may require additional expansion allowances.

Expansion gaps must not be restricted by skirting, trims or heavy fixed furniture.

Kitchen units and islands must not be installed on top of floating timber floors.

11. Installation Methods

Solid wood flooring should generally be:

• Secret nailed to timber subfloor  OR

• Fully adhered using suitable wood flooring adhesive

Floating installation is not recommended unless explicitly approved.

Improper installation methods void warranty.

12. Claims Procedure

If a defect is suspected:

1. Notify Easy Step Flooring in writing within 14 days of discovery

2. Provide proof of purchase

3. Provide moisture readings

4. Provide installation details

5. Provide clear photographic evidence

We reserve the right to inspect the floor before authorising any claim.

If valid, replacement material only will be supplied.

The warranty does not cover:

• Labour costs

• Removal costs

• Reinstallation costs

• Consequential losses

13. Limitation of Liability

This warranty applies only to the original purchaser.

Replacement boards may vary in shade due to natural timber variation.

If a product is discontinued, an equivalent specification product will be offered.