FINFloor FINoak Warranty

Thank you for purchasing FinOak Flooring. You can be assured that this product has been manufactured according to international standards and has been subjected to strict quality control procedures before it reaches you. However, in the unlikely event that you discover any defects on the flooring panels upon opening the carton, please D0 NOT INSTALL THEM. Kindly return them to your authorised distributor for a replacement or refund. It is very important to note that this warranty will not cover any defective material that has been installed without prior checking.

Warranty for:

FINOak 25 year structural warranty covers all authentic FINOak products in the original FINOak packaging, in their manufactured condition, and states that all FINOak product will be free from defect in material and workmanship including milling, assembly, dimension and grading. It will be limited to products used only in dry site applications. It shall apply to all FINOak products with manufacturing defects present and existing on the date of delivery and duly noted prior to installation in that the floor cannot be used for its intended purpose.

Product warranty duration:

• FINOak HDF Core - 25 year structural warranty, that warrants under normal residential conditions with proper care and maintenance our products will be free of structural defects such as delamination, twisting and deformation. This warranty does not cover surface wear.
• FINOak 3-ply Core - 25 year structural warranty, that warrants under normal residential conditions with proper care and maintenance our products will be free of structural defects such as delamination, twisting and deformation. This warranty does not cover surface wear.
• Timeless 3-ply Core - 25 year structural warranty, that warrants under normal residential conditions with proper care and maintenance our products will be free of structural defects such as delamination, twisting and deformation. This warranty does not cover surface wear.

Warranty Exclusions:

• Wood has natural occurring characteristics such as mineral streaks, variations in knots, grains, colours and shades. These are not considered as defects and neither is the colour difference between any pictures and the real product.
• Indentation, scratches or damage caused by spiked shoes, high heels, water, moisture egress, insects, animals or negligence.
• Defects that arise due to circumstances occurring after the date of delivery.
• The Warranty does not include normal wear and tear, lack of or inappropriate maintenance, lack of care in use, failure to follow laying, maintenance and care instructions as stated in the FINOak laying & maintenance leaflet, other lack of care, damage or other special circumstance relating to the purchaser.
• Due care not undertaken and laying in areas with high dampness. Relative humidity in the area must also be followed as advised by our maintenance care leaflet.
• Defects due to natural disasters or external violence, bad and rough handling, transportation and storage beyond the control of FINfloor (SA) (Pty)LTD.
• Failure due to structural changes in the sub floor, settling of the building or uneven subfloor not adequately levelled.
• Visual and aesthetic changes including colour changes, variations in colour, gaps between floorboards and changes in shape due to seasonal variations or partial or full sunlight.
• If an expansion joint profile is not used on doorways between rooms or in an area greater than 10m (FINOak 10mm) or 12m (FINOak 14mm) in the direction of length of the individual flooring planks and 10m (FINOak 10mm & 14mm) on width direction or offset rooms.
• No under carpet or tile heaters are acceptable for use under the flooring panels. Please refer to your installer for detailed operational/usage specifications.
• The correct underlay and/or vapour barriers have not been used as required for the subfloor in question.
• Flooding caused by plumbing failures or natural causes.
• Floor is installed in saunas or bathrooms and any area prone to excessive water exposure.
• lf installed on top/over stuck down/glued to existing Parquet block or solid wood flooring or on top of old or existing carpet underlay.
• Trapped water underneath the flooring panels or underlay caused by air conditioning leakage etc.
• Office chairs must be fitted with soft wheels/castors or if nylon castors are being used, use protective mats/rubber pads underneath the chair.
• Flooring panels damaged during renovation work by others.

In order to provide any remedies for a defective product, you agree to cooperate in providing information as required by us regarding the product, including detailing how the product is defective and any other information as we reasonably may require. In the event that the Consumer Protection Act, 2008 (“the CPA”) applies to the transaction in respect of which the warranty is being invoked (i.e. a transaction not excluded from the CPA by operation of Chapter 1, Part B thereof) then an alleged defect must be reported to us or our authorised distributor within 180 (one hundred and eighty) days from the date of purchase of the product and the remedies in the event of a product being found to be defective shall be one of the following, at your election:

• refund; or
• repair; or
• replacement

The provisions of the CPA shall have no application after the expiry of the above mentioned 180 (one hundred and eighty) day period and thereafter our warranty commitments as defined in this warranty card shall be the sole conditions applicable to a defective product.Please note that in all cases of claims for defective products only the quantity of the product found to be defective shall be the subject of the appropriate warranty action. In the event that we find that a product which is the subject of any warranty claim (whether under the CPA or not) has been abused, or misused, or neglected, or subjected to inadequate or improper handling or installation, or has been modiÿed in any way, or is the subject of normal ‘wear and tear’, We may in our sole discretion elect not to refund, repair or replace the product. In the event of any claim falling outside the CPA, then the defect must be reported in writing to our authorised distributor or us within no more than 14 (fourteen) days of the discovery of the defect. After the expiry of the above mentioned 14 (fourteen) day period, no further complaints will be accepted, A duly dated and stamped invoice and a copy of the warranty card must be submitted at that time. In the event of any warranty claim, our authorised personnel must be accorded every opportunity, where applicable, to inspect the claimed product in situ and the product must be kept in its current condition for the purposes of such inspection.

NOTE THAT IF THE PRODUCT HAS BEEN INSTALLED AND A DEFECT IS COMPLAINED OF SUBSEQUENTLY, WE WILL ALWAYS CARRY OUT THE IN SITU INSPECTION REFERRED TO ABOVE AND SHOULD WE, IN OUR SOLE DISCRETION, FIND THE INSTALLATION TO HAVE BEEN IMPROPERLY CARRIED OUT, REGARDLESS OF ANY OTHER CIRCUMSTANCES, THIS WARRANTY WILL BE NULL AND VOID. IN THIS REGARD, WE CANNOT UNDERSCORE ENOUGH THE IMPORTANCE OF CORRECT INSTALLATION BY APPROPRIATELY QUALIFIED INDIVIDUALS. IF YOU HAVE ANY DOUBTS AS TO CORRECT INSTALLATION, YOU ARE URGED TO CONTACT YOUR AUTHORISED DISTRIBUTOR OR US, PRIOR TO INSTALLING THE PRODUCT.

In the case where a claim is accepted and the CPA is not applicable, it will be at the sole discretion of the supplier and/or us to either repair the product or offer replacement product of the same or similar quantity, quality and design or colour, insofar as the same is possible. The product warranty does not cover any labour cost or accessories associated with replacement of damaged material covered by the warranty. Consequential losses and any other costs whatsoever are not covered by the warranty.

NOTE:The services provided as part of this warranty do not extend the original warranty period. The warranty is of diminishing value in the sense that it takes account of loss of value resulting from use: 1/25 annum. It is not transferable and will apply to the first buyer only.

• If floor heating system is used, please consult your distributor on specification and procedures. There must be at least 80% floor coverage of the elements when using electrical underfloor heating systems, which MUST NOT exceed 60w/m².
• Remove dust and dirt with a broom, vacuum cleaner or an absorbent cloth eg. microfibre cloth.
• For a slightly dirty floor use the appropriate recommended FINfloor cleaner for either oiled, waxed or PU surface finish. N.B. Please follow the instructions as listed on the various containers.
• Stubborn stains like grease, tar, mud, shoe/nail polish etc can be spot cleaned with FINfloor special cleaning agents. Liquid/water spilled accidentally on the floor should be removed as soon as possible.
• Frequently accessed areas/entrances SHOULD BE PROTECTED WITH A SUITABLE DOORMAT to keep away coarse dirt, grit and stones.
• Furniture legs should be protected by felt pads or plastic caps.
• When moving heavy furniture, lift it and do not drag it across the floor.
• Put UV filter/sheer/curtain/blinds on windows in areas where there is direct exposure to sunlight.