download file as pdf

WARRANTY CERTIFICATE HARMONY ENGINEERED TIMBER FLOORS

Firstly, thank you for purchasing your Harmony engineered timber flooring. We have full confidence that you will enjoy your Harmony engineered timber flooring for many years to come.

IMPORTANT: Engineered timber flooring is a natural product and each piece of engineered timber flooring will vary in colour, grain, presence of knots, size of knots, gum veins, sapwood, tiger strips, insect holes and trails, natural imperfections etc. and these natural characteristics are not covered by this warranty. Some species of timber are more consistent than others in terms of colour, such as European Oak. Australian hardwoods on the other hand exhibit a greater degree of variation in colour and also are more susceptible to surface checking/light surface cracking due to climatic conditions. Before purchasing your engineered timber flooring, research the preferred species to find out more about its characteristics and what you should expect from your engineered timber flooring. European Oak with various colour treatments could start to exhibit the natural yellow undertones of the European Oak as the engineered timber flooring ages. Furthermore, as engineered timber flooring ages it will oxidise and darken over time. This is of particular relevance for Australian species. Excessive exposure to sunlight will cause engineered timber flooring to bleach. It is important that clients read our Care and Maintenance Instructions in order to ensure the necessary steps are taken to care for your engineered timber flooring. These can be found on our website at www.harmonytimberfloors.com.

In order to ensure you have many years of satisfaction from your Harmony engineered timber flooring, it is critical that this WARRANTY CERTIFICATE be read in conjunction with the HARMONY TIMBER FLOORS CARE AND MAINTENANCE INSTRUCTIONS FOR TIMBER FLOORING and the HARMONY TIMBER FLOORS INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS FOR ENGINEERED TIMBER FLOORING (if installation is not carried out by Harmony Timber Floors Pty Ltd), which can be found on our website at www.harmonytimberfloors.com. Failure to follow the instructions laid out in the above documentation could impact on your warranty claim in part or in full. We strongly suggest that you read the above documentation in order to ensure many years of satisfaction from your engineered timber flooring.

This warranty is in lieu of all other warranties being expressed or implied, which includes but not limited to the implied warranties of being fit for a specific purpose, except as covered by Common Law. In writing this warranty, Harmony Timber Floors Pty Ltd have used it reasonable endeavours to ensure accuracy and reliability of the information herein, to the extent permitted by Australian Consumer Law. Harmony Timber Floors Pty Ltd will not be held liable for any inaccuracies, omissions or errors pertaining to the information herein nor any actions taken in reliance of the information given. Harmony Timber Floors Pty Ltd shall not be held liable for damage, loss of use, other incidentals or resulting costs incurred by the original purchaser.

Harmony Timber Floors Pty Ltd will repair or replace the relevant products at its discretion. All costs involved in making a warranty, cost of sending the relevant products back etc. will be borne by the purchaser.

All products supplied by Harmony Timber Floors Pty Ltd come with guarantees that cannot be excluded under the provisions of Australian Consumer Law.

This warranty is in addition to and has no impact on the statutory rights of the consumer in accordance with Australian Consumer Law.

What is the importance of the Installation Instructions?

The Installation Instructions can be found on our website at www.harmonytimberfloors.com. Failure to follow the Installation Instructions could impact on your warranty in part or in full. The Installation Instructions are there in order to ensure that the product is installed correctly, thereby ensuring many years of satisfaction for the original purchaser. If the original purchaser has any questions in relation to the Installation Instructions contact Harmony Timber Floors Pty Ltd on 1300 725 257 or send an email to sales@harmonytimberfloors.com.

What is the importance of Care and Maintenance Instructions?

The Care and Maintenance Instructions can be found on our website at www.harmonytimberfloors.com. Failure to follow the Care and Maintenance Instructions could impact on your warranty in part or in full. The Care and Maintenance Instructions are there in order to ensure that the product is cared for properly, thereby ensuring many years of satisfaction for the original purchaser. If the original purchaser has any questions in relation to the Care and Maintenance Instructions contact Harmony Timber Floors Pty Ltd on 1300 725 257 or send an email to sales@harmonytimberfloors.com

Who is covered?

Only the original purchaser of the product is covered and the warranty period commences from the date of purchase. This warranty is not transferrable and only applies to the original purchaser. This warranty is only effective once full payment for the product has been made. Failure to pay for the product in part or full will result in the product not being covered by this warranty.  In the case where a developer or builder purchases the product, the owner of the property 12 months after the purchase of the product will be entitled to full cover under this warranty, effective from the date of purchase. Warranty claims will only be considered with a copy of the proof of purchase.

How to make a claim?

Contact Harmony Timber Floors Pty Ltd on 1300 725 257 or send an email to sales@harmonytimberfloors.com. Proof of purchase will be required in order to enact a warranty claim. Once a claim has been initiated, a Harmony Timber Floors Pty Ltd representative may ask for photographs to be sent to them to understand the nature of the claim. If necessary we will send a representative to site to carry out an inspection in order to ascertain whether the claim is a warranty issue or not. We will always endeavour to make your claim process as simple as possible.

It is to be noted that prior to attending site to carry out an inspection the purchaser will need to pay a $200 deposit  or a $300 deposit for jobs more than 150km from our Burleigh store, which is fully refundable should the claim be a genuine warranty claim. However, if it turns out that the claim is not covered by our warranty and the issues raised are due to poor handling, incorrect installation or failure to adhere to the proper care and maintenance instructions for the product etc. the deposit will be retained in order to cover the costs for our time taken to carry out the inspection.

If a claim is authorized, the remedy on each claim will be at the discretion of Harmony Timber Floors Pty Ltd. Remedial work could range from repairing individual floorboards, replacing individual floorboards, removal of a section of the flooring, full floor replacement in the event of a major failure or financial compensation to an agreed value. It is to be noted that this warranty is digressive. A digressive warranty is a warranty by which the value is lower according to the length of previous use. The warranty only covers the product and does not include the provision of labour, which is at the discretion of Harmony Timber Floors Pty Ltd. Furthermore, Harmony Timber Floors Pty Ltd is not liable for any other costs incurred in relation to supplying the original purchaser with temporary accommodation whilst carrying out the repairs or any other incidental costs such as re-painting, removal of fixtures and furniture, food, travel etc. For those timber floors installed by Harmony Timber Floors Pty Ltd, they warranty the installation of engineered timber flooring installed via the Floating Method of Installation for a period of 1 year from the date of completion of the works. For engineered timber flooring installed by Harmony Timber Floors Pty Ltd via the Glue-Down Method of Installation, the warranty period for installation is in accordance with those outlined by the QBCC and NSW Building Codes from the date of completion of the works. It is to be noted that the original warranty remains in place from the original installation date not the date of the repair or replacement and does not start again. In the event that a full replacement is required, only products from our current range to the same value of the existing product to be replaced will be used. It is important to note that Harmony Timber Floors Pty Ltd regularly update and change their products to meet the needs of the market. This could involve change of colour, change in finishes, profile changes, dimensional changes or simply the unavailability of raw materials. As a result we strongly advise all purchasers to purchase and additional box or two of the product used, in case future repairs are required or the product is required for any alterations. If Harmony Timber Floors Pty Ltd does not have the exact product to carry out a repair, they will supply the most suitable product that is as close a match in order to fulfil their warranty obligations.

What are the original purchaser’s responsibilities under the warranty?

In order to ensure you have many years of satisfaction from your Harmony engineered timber flooring, it is critical that this WARRANTY CERTIFICATE be read in conjunction with the HARMONY TIMBER FLOORS CARE AND MAINTENANCE INSTRUCTIONS FOR TIMBER FLOORING and the HARMONY TIMBER FLOORS INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS FOR ENGINEERED TIMBER FLOORING (if installation is not carried out by Harmony Timber Floors Pty Ltd), which can be found on our website at www.harmonytimberfloors.com. 

Failure to follow the instructions laid out in the above documentation could impact on your warranty in part or in full. We strongly suggest that you read the above documentation in order to ensure many years of satisfaction from your Harmony engineered timber flooring.

The original purchaser has a duty of care to inform Harmony Timber Floors Pty Ltd of any claim within 14 days of discovery. The original purchaser must then give Harmony Timber Floors Pty Ltd the opportunity to inspect the claim within 60 x days of receiving written notification and if failing to do so, could have an impact on your claim in part or in full. Failure on the part of the original purchaser to inform Harmony Timber Floors Pty Ltd of the claim could affect the warranty claim. Where a claimed defect has clearly been noticeable for a long period of time and degraded to a point that if notified earlier, a solution could have been found to avoid the claimed defect progressing, it will affect the warranty claim.

What is the installer’s responsibility in order to ensure that the warranty is upheld?

The installation is the most important component when it comes to ensuring the product is installed correctly, thereby ensuring that this warranty is upheld.

If the original purchaser is contracting an installer to do the installation, we strongly suggest they check that their installer is accredited and capable of carrying out the installation successfully. 

It is critical that the installer reads through the HARMONY TIMBER FLOORS CARE AND MAINTENANCE INSTRUCTIONS FOR TIMBER FLOORING and the HARMONY TIMBER FLOORS INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS FOR ENGINEERED TIMBER FLOORING, which can be found on our website at www.harmonytimberfloors.com, prior to commencing installation.                                                             

All products vary and the installer must not assume that the Harmony engineered timber flooring is installed in the same manner as other similar products. They could be slight differences between the Harmony engineered timber flooring and other similar products, which are to be noted prior to installation commencing. This could make the difference between a successful or unsuccessful installation.

It is important to remember that the installer should inspect each floorboard prior to installing them for potential defects, damage etc. which could occur through handling, human error, transport or manufacturing error. If any are found, these should be removed and returned to Harmony Timber Floors Pty Ltd to be exchanged or refunded if found to be defective. Alternatively these floorboards can be installed in areas such as underneath the dishwasher or fridge or in cupboards, where often these defects can be cut out. Please note if defect floorboards are installed without informing Harmony Timber Floors Pty Ltd of these defects, it is the installer’s responsibility to remove and replace them. Warranty claims will not be accepted for defective flooring that has been installed. It is critical to check each floorboard prior to installation commencing for any defects.

Where Harmony Timber Floors Pty Ltd has been contracted by the consumer to carry out the installation process, the responsibility for any repairs rests with Harmony Timber Floors Pty Ltd. Please note where a consumer arranges for their own installer or asks Harmony Timber Floors Pty to refer an installer to them, the consumer is to pay that installer directly. Suppose any issues arise in relation to the installation process. In that case, they are to be referred back to the installer and not Harmony Timber Floors Pty Ltd. Harmony Timber Floors Pty Ltd will not be held accountable for an installer’s workmanship unless the installer was contracted to carry out the work on behalf of Harmony Timber Floors Pty Ltd. Please note that when Harmony Timber Floors Pty Ltd refers an installer(s) to a client, it is done in good faith and without malice. If for some reason there is a failure on the installer’s part to perform, Harmony Timber Floors Pty Ltd cannot be held accountable. However, we will always work with the client(s) to the best of our abilities to resolve the matter at hand.

 

What is a Residential Wear Warranty?

A Residential Wear Warranty refers to a dwelling where people live in private residence. Harmony engineered timber flooring from the Heritage Collection, Nordic Collection, Hamptons Collection and Australian Collection comes with a 25 year surface wear warranty for residential purposes. Harmony engineered timber flooring from the Par-ky Collection, Trevo Collection, Eco Collection, Enviro Collection, Australian Forest Collection and Australian Forest Plus Collection comes with a 10 year surface wear warranty for residential purposes as these products have a top wear layer of less than 2mm. Wear Warranty covers the coating not separating or being worn through.  However, if it is apparent that the Installation Instructions or Care and Maintenance Instructions have not been followed, then wear through the top wear layer will not be covered by the warranty.

What is a Light Commercial Wear Warranty?

A Light Commercial Wear Warranty refers to restaurants, office spaces, hotels, public spaces such as galleries and retail spaces. Harmony engineered timber flooring from the Heritage Collection, Nordic Collection, Hamptons Collection and Australian Collection comes with a 5 year surface wear warranty for light commercial purposes. Harmony engineered timber flooring from the Par-ky Collection, Trevo Collection, Eco Collection, Enviro Collection, Australian Forest Collection and Australian Forest Plus Collection comes with a 2 year surface wear warranty for light commercial purposes as these products have a top wear layer of less than 2mm. However, if it is apparent that the Installation Instructions or Care and Maintenance Instructions have not been followed, then the wear through the top wear layer will not be covered by the warranty.

What does the Wear Warranty cover?

The Wear Warranty covers the coating not separating or being worn through. The Wear Warranty also covers wear through the top wear layer to the core of the product greater than 10% of the total surface area installed in order for the Wear Warranty to apply. However, if it is apparent that the Installation Instructions or Care and Maintenance Instructions have not been followed, then the wear through the top wear layer will not be covered by the warranty.

What does the Lifetime Structural Warranty cover?

The Lifetime Structural Warranty refers to the structural integrity of the product and warrants that the product will not de-laminate. However, if it is apparent that the Installation Instructions or Care and Maintenance Instructions have not been followed, thereby compromising the structural integrity of the flooring then the product will not be covered by the warranty.

What is not covered by the Warranty?

  •  The flooring is to be installed in accordance with Harmony Timber Floors Pty Ltd Installation Instructions. Failure to do so could impact on your warranty in part or in full.
  • The flooring has not been maintained in accordance with Harmony Timber Floors Pty Ltd Care and Maintenance Instructions. Failure to do so could impact on your warranty in part or in full.
  • Damage whether accidental or negligent caused by abuse, misuse, dents, scratches, dropping items, vacuum cleaner wheels that have worn and scratched the flooring, dragging items, high heels, stiletto heels, spiked shoes, fixing items directly to the flooring, heavy items of furniture, poorly protected feet on items of furniture, castor wheels, sand and stone caught in foot wear, flooding, water ingress, insects, pets, urine, vomit and high traffic areas are not be covered by this warranty.
  • The use of a steam mop is strictly prohibited and will result in the flooring not being covered by this warranty. When cleaning the floors, always vacuum first with the brushes out. Then with a microfibre mop and a lightly dampened mop head, mop the flooring with a neutral PH detergent. Run fans if possible to assist in drying the flooring more quickly. If it is clearly apparent that either a steam mop or excessive amounts of water have been used to clean the flooring, the flooring will not be covered by this warranty.
  • Water damage to the flooring due to the failure of electronic appliances, incorrect installation, irregular maintenance or water damage caused as a result of direct flooding or inundation of water are not be covered by this warranty.
  • Damage to the flooring and its finish caused by its exposure to chemicals, acids, rubber and adhesives are not be covered by this warranty.
  • If the flooring between the time of purchase and installation is not stored correctly on site in accordance with the Harmony Timber Floors Pty Ltd Installation Instructions and resultant damage to the product occurs, it will not be covered by this warranty.
  • The flooring is used internally only and is to be installed in accordance with Harmony Timber Floors Pty Ltd Installation Instructions. If any of our products are used externally or installed in wet areas, they will not be covered by this warranty. Note that residential kitchens are not considered to be wet areas.
  • The physical manipulation of the original product will not be covered by this warranty.
  • Failure to maintain Relative Humidity at 40-65% at all times, failure to implement proper temperature control by circulating the air with fans, opening windows and doors, running air conditioners etc., leaving spaces locked up for long periods of time, insufficient ventilation, excessive exposure to heat, sunlight, and failure to install window furnishings and awnings, which could have an adverse effects on the flooring that has been installed, will not be covered by this warranty.
  • Change in colour, gloss reduction or appearance as well as damage to the coating of the flooring due to periods of long exposure to sunlight, will not be covered by this warranty.
  • Engineered timber flooring is a natural product and is subject to oxidation. Oxidation is a process that causes the engineered timber flooring to darken once exposed to oxygen. This is something that can be clearly noticeable if a rug, mat or furniture has been placed over the engineered timber flooring for a period of time. The engineered timber flooring under the rug, mat or furniture will appear lighter, but will darken up over time to a similar colour as the rest of the engineered timber flooring once moved. It is advisable to leave all rugs and mats of the engineered timber flooring for a period of 3-4 weeks after installation in order to allow for more even oxidation to occur. It is also advisable to rotate rugs, mats and furniture regularly to allow for even oxidation. Any form of oxidation is not considered to be defective and will not be covered by this warranty.
  • Damage caused by other tradesmen to the flooring will not be covered by this warranty.
  • The warranty only covers the product and does not include the provision of labour, which is at the discretion of Harmony Timber Floors Pty Ltd. Furthermore, Harmony Timber Floors Pty Ltd is not liable for any other costs incurred in relation to supplying the original purchaser with temporary accommodation whilst carrying out the repairs or any other incidental costs such as re-painting, removal of fixtures and furniture, food, travel, temporary accommodation etc.
  • Where there are structural changes to the subfloor as a result of settling of the building or where the subfloor has not been levelled as per the Installation Instructions, which in turn has an impact on the flooring, will not be covered by this warranty.
  • Wear to the flooring that is associated with improper installation or inappropriate care and maintenance, will not be covered by this warranty.
  • Damaged caused to the flooring from mobility devices and wheelchairs will not be covered by this warranty.
  • The engineered timber flooring may appear lighter on installation than the samples on display, as the samples on display have oxidised and darkened as a result of their exposure to oxygen and the light. This is not classified as a defect in the engineered timber flooring but rather part of the characteristic of timber flooring. Variations of colour within engineered timber flooring are normal therefore, photographs, samples and display floors can only be indicative of the colour range and once installed these floorboards are deemed to be acceptable.
  • Where a defective floorboard has been installed by a builder, homeowner or independent installer, the onus and cost of removing the floorboard in question will rest with the installer and will not be covered by this warranty.
  • Should any Body Corporation approval be required, especially in the case of multi-storey developments, it is up to the original purchaser to obtain the necessary consent in writing prior to the installation process commencing. Should the Body Corporation once having been given consent in writing, find that the products specified and used does not meet their requirements, Harmony Timber Floors Pty Ltd will not be held accountable for rectification costs incurred.
  • Termite and pest damage to the flooring will not be covered by this warranty.
  • Wine or other highly acidic drinks or foods if not cleaned up in a timely fashion could impact on the floors coatings which would not be covered by this warranty.
  • Timber is a natural product and as a result is subject to expansion and contraction, variations in colour and natural imperfections. These are not to be classified as defects in the engineered timber flooring, but rather part of the characteristic of engineered timber flooring. This includes gap between boards, checking, gum veins, knots, filling of knots, colour variation between floorboards etc. Furthermore, squeaky floor boards particularly in the case but not limited to clip-lock engineered timber flooring, are not unusual and are not classified as a defect in the engineered timber flooring. If a timber floorboard has not been reported to be squeaking within 72 hours of the installation process being completed it will not be deemed to be a defect and will not be covered by this warranty.
  • Floorboards with a wirebrushed finish applied to them have a more rustic and irregular appearance. The tolerance of floorboards manufactured in such a manner on the edges is greater. Larger or irregular gaps on the edges are to be expected and tolerable. Once installed, these floorboards are deemed to be acceptable.
  • Where an installer has fitted tape to the flooring in order to secure a trim, it is up to the original purchaser, manager, developer or builder to remove the tape within 24 hours of installation. Failure to do this could cause damage to coating on the floor and this will not be covered by this warranty.
  • Vertical movement of the floorboards. All timber flooring installations whether via the Floating Method of Installation or the Glue Down Method of Installation may experience some minor movement when walked on. Other factors such as climatic conditions, structural settling, or existing subfloor level issues may result in the floorboards creaking or squeaking and are not covered by this warranty.
  • In relation to man-made events such as faulty workmanship, broken pipes, gas or electrical fires, damage caused by illegal squatters, damaged caused by mining activities, water damage and leaks or biblical catastrophes/acts of God such as earthquakes, droughts, flooding, fires etc. will not be covered by this warranty.
  • With engineered timber flooring, there could be some variation in the heights of the floorboards and as a result some slight lipping. This is not considered a defect unless it falls outside the parameters of Australian Standards which permits lipping of 0.2mm for a square edge engineered timber floor and 0.5mm for a micro bevelled edge engineered timber floor.
  • It is important to maintain the Relative Humidity in the area where the engineered timber flooring has been installed at between 40-65% at all times. This will assist in ensuring that your engineered timber flooring retains its stability. By installing a hygrometer in your home, you can keep a track of your Relative Humidity. Methods to assist in controlling the Relative Humidity in your home include circulating the air with fans and opening windows and doors, running air conditioners etc. Do not leave your home closed up for long periods of time as this could have an adverse affect on your engineered timber flooring. When extreme cold or heat is present, steps need to be taken to control the Relative Humidity at between 40-65% at all times in order to ensure that your engineered timber flooring retains its stability. It is normal for engineered timber flooring to expand and contract seasonally. During the summer gaps between the floorboards may close up and in winter gaps between the floorboards may appear. This is perfectly normal and not a defect. Failure to control the Relative Humidity It is critical to maintain the Relative Humidity at 40-65% at all times, as the Australian climate is extreme and when there is high humidity or excessive moisture in the air, issues such as telegraphing, peaking joints and checking/light surface cracking could arise and they would not be covered by this warranty as these are purely climate related. It is also important to consider how electronic items are installed and stored, as the heat they generate can damage the flooring.
  • As this warranty only covers the product supplied and not installation unless installation is carried out by Harmony Timber Floors Pty Ltd, all issues pertaining to installation error must be referred back to the original installer and will not be covered by this warranty.