Doors manufactured by Appalachian Woodwrights are warranted for a period of 5 years from date of shipment to be of sound workmanship and material considering the inherent limitations of exterior wood products. If you feel that one of our products is defective please call us so we can discuss these conditions. In order to get to the root of the problem quickly, please familiarize yourself with the information below.

 If one of our products is found defective we will at our option:
    1-Make a repair on site
    2-Have the door sent back to our shop for inspection and repair.
    3-Remake another door to the same specifications.
    4-Offer to make a cash settlement

In the event of an off-site repair or complete replacement we cannot pay for the cost of labor involved in reinstallation or on-site finishing. Any other costs associated with the replacement should be discussed and approved in writing.

THE NATURE OF WOOD
The following applies to wood in general; anything made from wood in your home and especially exterior wood products: Wood moves continuously. It expands when it’s warm and humid and shrinks when it’s cold and dry. When joined together, chances are pretty good that one piece will move one way and the other will move the other way.

SO THAT MEANS
A - Wood doors need a bit of attention from time to time. We recommend you look them over each spring and fall. Keeping the weather stripping clean and dust free is important. Light oil for the hinges and locksets is a good prescription. As with any exterior woodwork, occasional touchup, repainting or re-varnishing is called for. A professional finisher will understand the best approach to take based on your local climate and conditions. A careful overall “scuff” sanding is necessary to give the surface the “teeth” necessary for the new coat to adhere. Those beautiful 200-year-old doors you saw last spring in Charleston? They get better every year because they’ve been cared for. You can expect as much from our doors if you do the same. We cannot warrant our doors if they are not maintained properly.

B - If you buy unfinished woodwork of any kind it must be finished immediately to reduce it’s exposure to moisture. That means all exposed surfaces especially the top and bottom edges and newly cut or trimmed surfaces must be finished. Even though we sand our doors vigorously at the shop, once received the door will need a light touching up with fine paper to prepare it for staining and finishing. Be sure to contract a competent local finisher who understands the materials and techniques appropriate for your local climate and site conditions.

C - The joined surfaces of any solid wood door “give” slightly and could cause the finish to “check”. You may notice this happening more in the winter than in the spring. Minor surface checks of under 1/ 32nd of an inch in width and 2 inches in length are to be expected and will re-coat with the next varnishing.

D - Wood by its nature wants to warp and twist. If there is deviation of 1/4” or less along the length or width of the door slab it cannot be considered a defect. A proper fit (hinge shimming and adjusting the strike plate) and quality weather-stripping like we provide, will accommodate any tendency of wood doors to move.

E - Wider boards move more that narrow boards. Raised panels will shrink in the winter and expand in the summer. During installation they are “pinned” in the center to encourage them to float relatively equally side to side and we use a “doubled panel” that helps allow for the wide variation in conditions found inside and outside your home. This “floating panel” method of construction dates back to the days of Cromwell in England and has never been improved upon. However, this movement will cause the finish to check around the edges of the panel. Again, the next varnishing will re-coat this condition. This is not a defect; it is the nature of wood.

F - Color variations in raw wood are not defects. We make every effort to match these natural grain conditions, especially in panels, to take advantage of the authentic beauty of wood. Small (½” to ¾”) tight knots will be found occasionally in “hardwood” species. “Softwoods” like pine, cedar, firs etc. are actually selected for these knots and color variations to give the doors an authentic aged appearance.

G - We cannot be responsible for damage from the elements or the quality of work done by others. This includes, but is not limited to, damage or personal injury caused by misuse, abuse, accident, mishandling or by fire, flood, earthquake, storm, tornado or other acts of nature. We cannot warrant our doors if they are not installed properly.

H - Finally, your specific “site conditions” should be the key factor when selecting a particular door design and finish. If your entrance receives direct exposure to the sun, or has no or a very small overhang, you may want to consider a door with a painted finish outside and a varnished interior. Direct sun and rain will amplify many of the conditions stated above.

I - Not covered - attempts to make repairs on our doors by anyone other than our employees.

J - Not covered - Doors shipped outside the continental United States.

K - Claims of warping can be deferred for a period of up to 12 months from the claim date, as it is not uncommon for a temporary warp condition to occur as the door adjusts to local humidity and temperature conditions. This period will not be counted against the warranty period.

THIS LIMITED WARRANTY EXTENDS ONLY TO THE ORIGINAL PURCHASER OF OUR PRODUCT OR ORIGINAL PURCHASER OF STRUCTURE OUR PRODUCT IS INSTALLED.

INSULATED GLASS
We use ”desiccant” double paned glass inserts in our divided lights when specified. These units are warranted against a failed seal for a period of five years. Please inspect each unit for cracks upon receipt.

LOCKS, HINGES, MECHANICAL & DECORATIVE HARDWARE, THRESHOLDS & WEATHER-STRIPPING
We warrant the function of hardware products that we install for a period of one year against operational defects in the course of normal operation. Replacement of functionally defective hardware will be subject to the provisions of the original manufacturer warranty. We cannot warrant for fading, discoloration, pitting or other finish variations beyond the provisions of the original manufacturers warranty.

DESIGN SERVICES
Please select a design from our library of drawings and photographs or show us something you’ve seen that we can use as a starting point for our design services. We’ve developed a checklist that should cover any specific requirement you may have. Please don’t hesitate to call us with any special requests.

HISTORIC REPRODUCTION SERVICES
We have a great deal of expertise in the area of reproduction woodworking and would like to discuss any project requiring the custom tooling, special wood species or construction techniques necessary for historic preservation or renovation. Please call us for details.

ESTIMATE PRICING
Because of the special nature of our product line we like to encourage our customers to request preliminary pricing to provide a general range of the cost of a particular design. If this is required for the individual or for the budget of a large project we can provide an estimate from the spec sheet provided.

CLIENT APPROVAL PROCESS
Once a design has been settled upon, our designers will submit a detailed shop drawing and quotation for your approval. If approved, please return a copy to verify that the design has been accepted. Finally, a 50% deposit is required upon the acceptance of our design so that we can begin production. The remainder is due upon completion and delivery of the project. The final quote sheet along with the drawing constitutes the principal contract recognized by Appalachian Woodwrights, Inc. Please let us answer any questions for you on any aspect of your project.

DELIVERY TIME
Generally, our lead times range from 3 to 8 weeks from acceptance of your design. This may be modified based on the size and scope of your particular project. We will confirm the original delivery date one week in advance of delivery in order to be sure you are ready to take delivery. Reasonable delays in shipping schedules will be accommodated. A large project may incur storage and handling charges if delayed over 2 weeks. Please request a commitment in writing from us if a guaranteed lead-time is required.

DELIVERY
Typically, blanket wrapped delivery charges are outlined on our quotation sheet. Special considerations, long distance, crating charges etc. must be quoted separately.