Limited Warranty - 35 years

Limited Warranty

Appalachian Flooring are made by a seasoned team where a passion for quality is combined with high-level technical craftsmanship. Thanks to the use of cutting-edge technology in hardwood floor manufacturing and production, Appalachian Flooring’s floor coverings are built to last. They give you the peace of mind that comes with purchasing a high-end product in which you can have complete confidence.

Therefore, Appalachian Flooring Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as “Appalachian” or “Appalachian Flooring “) is proud to offer you the following warranty. This Warranty covers our range of prefinished products: solid and engineered Flooring, installed in accordance with the guidelines of the Appalachian Flooring Installation Guide and the NWFA, maintained according to the recommended floor protection and maintenance guidelines (respectively in the installation guides for solid and engineered flooring, in the Floor Protection and Maintenance Guide and according to applicable NWFA guidelines) and kept within the normal humidity range (solid: 35-55%, engineered: 35-65%).

Appalachian Flooring guarantees that all its products comply with industry standards (established separately for each type of product) and its own high standards and are therefore free from manufacturing defects. This Warranty is valid only for the original purchaser of the floor, it is not transferable and applies only if the floor is subjected to normal residential or commercial use (excluding heavy commercial use). Wood Flooring with a hardness lower than red oak (according to the Janka hardness test) are not recommended for commercial use.

The Warranty is valid for all prefinished hardwood Flooring with a polyurethane varnish produced after December 31, 2005, and sold under the Appalachian Flooring brand.

In the event of discrepancies between other Appalachian Flooring warranty documents and this document, this one prevails.

The Era Design Collection has its own warranty documents, if you have purchased a floor from this collection please refer to them.

Warranty on prefinished Appalachian Flooring, Appalachian Flooring guarantees, to the original purchaser, that the UV-treated polyurethane varnish, factory applied to a hardwood floor, will not wear excessively or separate for a period of:

• Thirty-five (35) years, from the date of purchase, under normal residential traffic conditions; or
  • Five (5) years, from the date of purchase, under commercial use conditions (excluding heavy commercial use) for products from the Signature collections.
  • Three (3) years, from the date of purchase, under commercial use conditions (excluding heavy commercial use) for all products from the Alta Moda and Verita collections. The Warranty applies provided regular and preventive maintenance has been performed as recommended in the Installation Guide, this document, and the Floor Protection and Maintenance Guide.

The Warranty does not cover indentations, scratches, or surface damage caused by: misuse, negligence, accident, pet, lack of proper maintenance, high heels, water, water-soaked mop, erosion, rocks, sand, other abrasives, insufficient protection and/or prevention. For a product to be deemed defective, surface wear of the floor must be easily visible (at the height of a standing person) and cover at least 10% of the floor surface. Surface wear does not include loss of gloss.

This Warranty does not cover damage caused by inadequate transportation, mishandling, installation, or any other cause. In accordance with industry standards, Appalachian Flooring reserves the right to 5% of allowed defects that are not covered by this warranty.

Color

All wood Flooring will undergo natural color change caused by the sun and/or ultraviolet rays. These changes are not covered by the Warranty as they are considered a natural occurrence of wood. Rugs and furniture should be moved occasionally to mitigate this problem, especially for photosensitive species such as cherry, American walnut, and exotic species. Color change is not a product defect. Additionally, your floor will differ from samples and photos as the color of wood varies naturally. Wood Flooring produced at different times of the year or in different years will also have color differences.

Floor Maintenance

The use of floor maintenance products other than those specifically recommended by Appalachian Flooring is prohibited as they could damage your floor or leave a residue or haze and will void the Warranty. You can consult our Floor Protection and Maintenance Guide for a list of approved products.

Radiant Heating

Solid Flooring of any species as well as hickory and exotic engineered Flooring should never be installed over a radiant heating system and will not be covered by the Warranty if they are. All other engineered wood flooring can be installed over a radiant heating system in accordance with the installation procedures approved by the Appalachian Flooring Installation Guide and the NWFA guidelines.

Grades

The prestige grade may contain boards with mineral streaks and pin knots. All other grades allow for: checks, mineral streaks, open knots, closed or filled knots with putty, crack, wormholes, holes, open splits, variation in thickness in places, sagging in character marks, fading or separation in characters, color variations and other associated characteristics as well as movement within these natural features and deterioration of the finish near them.

Noise and Squeaking

Any type of noise resulting from the movement of the fastening, poor maintenance of the flooring or its support, the use of staples for hardwood floor installation, installation of flooring over OSB panel, or under conditions outside the scope of this warranty or the Installation Guide, will not be considered a defect and no claim will be admitted in this regard.

Installation and Acceptance

The installation of any flooring constitutes acceptance of its grade, milling, finish, and color. The owner should approve the product before installation. If the owner opts to have the product installed in their absence, it is automatically considered that the owner has accepted the product. Appalachian Flooring cannot control the quality of the installation and therefore cannot cover claims related to it. Furthermore, if a third party determines that a defect was present before installation and was installed subsequently, it is not the responsibility of Appalachian Flooring to pay for the replacement or repair.

Colonial Grade

There is no warranty on the wood of the Colonial grade from Appalachian Flooring, nor on its structure and finish.

Lifetime Structural Integrity Warranty

Our high production standards and passion for quality enable us to offer a Lifetime Warranty on the structural integrity of our finished and unfinished hardwood flooring. Our products comply with our high standards and are of superior quality and consistency.

Appalachian Flooring thus guarantees that its hardwood flooring is free from manufacturing, classification, and varnish application defects. Furthermore, Appalachian Flooring guarantees that its products will remain free from defects in size, classification, lamination, assembly, and structural integrity for the natural life of the original purchaser.

To Make a Claim

If you wish to make a claim under this Warranty, you must first contact the authorized Appalachian Flooring retailer where the product was purchased. A written claim notice must be filled out during the validity period of the warranty, and no later than six (6) months after the first appearance of the problem leading to your claim. Information confirming the date of purchase and the original purchaser, as well as the original invoice as proof of purchase, must be provided to Appalachian Flooring or its representatives upon request. The flooring in question must have been purchased directly from an authorized Appalachian Flooring retailer and paid for in full before a claim can be submitted. Purchasing Appalachian Flooring from an unauthorized retailer and/or via the internet automatically voids this Warranty and any other implied or expressed warranty by these unauthorized retailers.

Warning! We strongly recommend keeping your original invoice, Warranty, and Appalachian Flooring Installation and Maintenance Guide in a safe place as they may be required when submitting a claim.

If your authorized Appalachian Flooring retailer is unable to meet your request, please contact us by Registered Mail at the following address:

Appalachian Flooring, Technical Service Department 454 rue de la Rivière, Cowansville, Québec, Canada J2K 3G6

Tel.: (450) 266-3999 – Toll-free: 1-866-213-1110 – Fax: (450) 266-5343

Or by email: claims@appalachianflooring.com

Revision October 2020 In this case, we will gladly send you a form to fill out and return to us for further processing.

In all cases, Appalachian Flooring reserves the right to inspect the floor and have samples removed by a representative of Appalachian Flooring or a third party for analysis purposes within thirty (30) days of receiving the written request. If Appalachian Flooring’ analysis proves that the floor or part of the floor is indeed defective, Appalachian Flooring, at its sole discretion, will repair the part in question or provide material to replace it in the form of an identical or equivalent product. In the event of a legal dispute, it must take place under the legal auspices of Bedford County, Québec, Canada.

Warranty Limitations

The Warranty does not cover indentations, scratches, or damage caused by negligence, water, water-soaked mop, erosion, rocks, sand, other abrasives, high heels, insects, pets, misuse, abuse, accidents, natural discoloration of wood and its surface, extreme natural conditions, non-compliance with all specific installation instructions of the retailer, poor execution by the installer, lack of proper maintenance, insufficient protection and/or prevention in the kitchen and under furniture, improper use or non-compliant modification of the manufacturer’s products, damages caused by a movement of the building or by a defect in the base on which the floor is installed.

The preceding provisions stipulate the sole obligation and liability of Appalachian Flooring under the Warranty. This Warranty is exclusive and supersedes all warranties, implied or expressed, parallel agreements, warranties, or terms of any kind, expressed or implied, including, but not limited to, any condition or warranty concerning commercial value, suitability for a particular use, durability, appropriateness, quality, or condition, or any condition or warranty under any law or equity, or arising from the course of a transaction or trade practices. Under no circumstances shall Appalachian Flooring or its suppliers be liable, directly, indirectly, punitively, economically, commercially, consequentially, incidentally, secondarily, or specially for any damage, loss, and/or claim by a third party that may arise from the use or loss of use, performance or non-performance of the prefinished Flooring and products of Appalachian Flooring. The foregoing provisions also apply to any claim, requirement, or legal action of any nature, including, but not limited to, the nature of contract breach, breach of ancillary warranty, tort (even in cases of negligence or misrepresentation). Certain conditions, exclusions, and limitations set forth in this Warranty may not apply or are not permitted in certain states and provinces. Therefore, some of these conditions, exclusions, and limitations may not apply to you. This Warranty grants you specific legal rights, and you may also have other rights that vary from state to state or province to province. It is the consumer’s responsibility to be informed of the legal rights that apply to their particular situation. The exclusive remedy under this Warranty is strictly limited to the repair, refinishing, or replacement, at the discretion of Appalachian Flooring, of the defective product. In the unlikely event that Appalachian Flooring is unable to correct the defect after a reasonable number of attempts, Appalachian Flooring will refund, if required, the purchase price of the defective part of the floor on a pro-rata basis. Any attempt to repair, replace, or refinish the floor before the inspection and authorized repair by Appalachian Flooring voids this Warranty. No supplier, retailer, installer, agent, seller, or representative of Appalachian Flooring is authorized to modify or expand the terms or coverage of this Warranty.