Warranty, Shipping, and Claims

The Cabinet Authority adheres to the warranty policies of Conestoga Wood Specialties, as documented below. The Cabinet Authority offers no further warranty coverage than what is listed herein. Warranty decisions are made by Conestoga Wood Specialties staff only.

Warranty Information

• Conestoga Wood Specialties Corporation warrants that, for a period of one year from date of shipment, our products will be reasonably free of defects in materials and workmanship. When properly handled, our products will conform, within acceptable tolerances, to applicable manufacturing specifications. This limited warranty applies only to Conestoga products which are stored, handled and installed properly. Conestoga will not be responsible or liable for any indirect, consequential or incidental damages or costs sustained by the user.
• Conestoga’s warranty is limited solely to the value of the original materials purchased from Conestoga and is further limited in amount to the purchase price paid for such materials. Conestoga will not be liable for the cost of extraneous materials, labor, travel costs, installation expenses or other related expenditures.
• Conestoga will not be liable for damages to products caused by improper handling, storage, assembling, finishing or installation by the customer. Our products are not warranted against expansion occurring as a result of high moisture or humidity conditions.
• Natural characteristics in the wood (burls, grain patterns, pin knots, mineral deposits, sap, etc.) that fall within Conestoga’s specifications will not be considered defects.
• Most wood species, particularly Cherry, will darken naturally with age. Conestoga is not liable for the change in appearance of any product, finished or unfinished, due to this aging process. Results of aging will be more obvious when using light colored or natural finishes.
• Mitered doors allow a .010" joint gap on the interior corners of the door for up to 1/3" of the framing width.
• Mitered doors are not warranted against joint separations that occur as a result of high humidity or moisture conditions.
• Veneered panel doors are not guaranteed to match solid wood framing on the same door in either the raw or finished state.
• Solid wood moulding color may differ from doors of the same specie.
• Because the individual staves of the panel continue to contract and expand, lines may appear on solid wood panels and offsets may develop from one stave to another. These will not be considered defective. To eliminate the chance of stave offsets, Conestoga recommends utilizing an MDF panel option when using painted finishes.
• Vertical grain panels that exceed 22" wide by 43-15/16" high or horizontal grain panels that exceed 43-15/16" wide by 22" high in either single or multi-panel products are not warranted against expansion, warpage, cracking or open framing joints.
• Conestoga will warrant 1-piece products against expansion, warpage or cracking if they are within the following parameters:
  • Product up to 12" wide and 21-15/16" high will be warranted if the expansion or warpage is greater than 1/8".
  • If the product measures between 12-1/16" to 22" in width, or 22" to 43-15/16" in height, it will be warranted if the expansion or warpage is greater than 1/4".
  • Any 1-piece product exceeding 22" in width or 43-15/16" in height will not be warranted.
• All solid wood 3-piece drawer fronts over 44" wide or 14" high are not warranted against expansion, warpage, cracking of panels or cracked joints.
• Conestoga expressly disclaims any and all other warranties, whether expressed or implied, including all warranties of merchantability and warranties of fitness for a particular purpose with respect to its products.
• Allowable tolerances of bow, warp or twist for single panel, multi-panel, frame only and mullion doors are as follows:
  • Single panel up to 26" wide and 48" high = 1/8".
  • Multi-panel up to 26" wide and 48-1/16" to 64-15/16" high = 1/4".
  • Multi-panel up to 26" wide and 65" to 83-15/16" high = 5/16".
  • Single panel, single opening frame only and mullion doors over 26" wide and 48" high will not be warranted (mullion lites not to be included in opening count).
  • Any door exceeding 26" wide or 83-15/16" high will not be warranted.

Finishing Warranty Information

• Conestoga’s finishes carry a one year limited warranty against peeling, blistering or cracking, but no warranty against discoloration. Conestoga assumes no responsibility for damages or poor color match when finish is applied by the customer.
• Most wood species will naturally darken with age. Conestoga will not be held liable for the change in appearance of any product, finished or unfinished, due to this aging process.
• Conestoga recommends that a finished sample door be ordered prior to ordering any finished job. We do not suggest ordering large or complex finished product based on small sample swatches.
• Conestoga has established an acceptable range of color for finished products. Orders placed over an extended period of time may vary in color due to the natural aging of the finished substrate and slight variations from batch to batch in finish materials. These variations will not be considered defective and will not be warranted by Conestoga.
• Conestoga's finish materials are interior grade only and not intended for exterior use. Exposure to outdoor conditions will cause failure and will not be warranted.
• Due to the many variables involved in any finishing process, Conestoga assumes no responsibility if products stained by the customer using the DuraGuard System do not produce an exact match to prefinished products purchased from Conestoga.
• Painted or opaque finishes are not recommended on mitered designs. To reduce the chance of joint separation, Conestoga recommends using an MDF panel option with painted finishes.
• Veneers will absorb stain differently than solid wood. The mismatch of solid wood and veneers is not considered defective.

Damaged and Defective Product Policies

• Freight Damage
  Rules for freight damage are set by the freight company. Failure to follow these rules will result in your damage claim being rejected:
  • In the case of a delivery where signature is required, inspect the packaging with the delivery person. If there is any obvious damage or potential damage, you AND the delivery person must sign the freight bill as "DAMAGED" or "SUBJECT TO INSPECTION".
  • For all deliveries, photograph the packaging before unwrapping or opening -- even if you see no obvious damage.
  • Notify your Cabinet Authority Account Manager within 12 business days after receipt of shipment if you receive products that are damaged, defective, or in error, or if any products are missing.
• Manufacturing Errors
  Before submitting a claim:
  • Photograph the product in full.
  • Photograph the defect in close-up.
  • If the defect relates to the size of the product, or if the size of the defect is relevant, include a tape measure or ruler in the photos.
  • If the product is labeled, photograph the label.
• Missing Pieces
  Before submitting a claim:
  • Check the acknowledgment to make sure the piece was ordered.
  • Check the packing list to make sure the piece was part of this shipment.
  • Check the tracking information to see if a portion of the shipment is still in transit.
  Notify your Cabinet Authority Account Manager within 12 business days after receipt of shipment.
• Filing a Claim
  Submitted claims must include the following information:
  • Original quote id(s) as they appear on the acknowledgment for the order(s);
  • A list of the defects or errors in the product(s), referencing specific piece sizes and descriptions;
  • Photos of the unwrapped packages.
  • Photos of the defects or errors in the product(s).
• Returns of non-defective merchandise will not be accepted.
• Conestoga will ship replacements or missing items as soon as possible after a claim is reported and verified. In some instances Conestoga may require that the defective product be returned for inspection. Consult with your Cabinet Authority Account Manager as to whether this will impact the lead-time of the replacement item.
• A copy of our Return Merchandise Authorization Form, supplied by your Account Manager, must accompany all returned merchandise.

Replacement Order Process

• Replacement orders will be processed as quickly as possible. See the Replacement Expedite Program Chart in the Lead-Time Sections of catalog for details.
• Because our products are custom manufactured from natural materials, we will occasionally ask to have incorrect products returned for quality inspection. This inspection process is necessary to identify how the issue occurred and to improve our overall quality and delivery performance.
• Your Cabinet Authority Account Manager will issue a Return Merchandise Authorization (RMA) Form to you via e-mail. This RMA form will list the products that you have identified as defective. Please mark your return cartons and boxes with the RMA number listed on this form.
• All returned merchandise must be shipped with secure, protective packaging materials.

Freight Damage Claims

• Read the "Damaged and Defective Product Policies" section, above.
• In all situations, if a shipment contains a damaged package or skid, the freight bill must be marked “Damaged” or “Subject to Inspection”. Both the receiver and delivery person must sign the freight document. If the freight bill contains no notation of damage or appropriate signatures, the freight carrier will not honor the claim.
• Damage claims must be reported to your Cabinet Authority Account Manager and filed by Conestoga, Claims will be paid to Conestoga. All packaging materials and damaged product must be retained by the customer for inspection or collection by the carrier.
• The Cabinet Authority and Conestoga will replace damaged items with no expedite upcharges.
• Damage must be reported within 12 business days after receipt of product. Claims for damaged products after 12 days may be denied.

Missing Product Claims

• Read the "Damaged and Defective Product Policies" section, above.
• For missing product claims, Conestoga will initiate an investigation of the original shipment. The research will include our picking documents, skid listing and Bill of Lading. These documents will verify if the proper number of products were loaded on the delivery truck. The Bill of Lading will show proof of delivery or notations of any delivery or receipt issues.
• Based on the results of the investigation, Conestoga will either issue a credit to your account or notify you that your claim has been denied.
• Conestoga requests that customers verify the package count within 5 business days, and the total number of items and product sizes within 12 business days. Claims filed for missing products after 12 business days may be denied.
• If any portion of a shipment is lost, freight carriers require 3 business days to locate it before they will confirm that it is lost. Conestoga will not begin the replacement process until the carrier confirms that the product is lost.

Deliveries

• Read about shipping costs and fees here.
• Small deliveries will be made by ground service (i.e, UPS Ground, FedEx Ground) and typically do not require a signature. Larger deliveries will be made by a common freight carrier and will require an appointment and signature. Conestoga has sole discretion for selecting the carrier.
• Unless otherwise specified, freight deliveries are curbside (or driveway only, where available and permitted by the carrier). Placement inside an open garage is at the sole determination of the carrier's driver. There is no inside delivery.
• Liftgate service is available in most areas and is typically requested by your Account Manager on your behalf, but it is not guaranteed.
• The order will be delivered to the Ship-to Address listed on your Order Acknowledgment. It is your responsibility to ensure this is correct.
• You may change the address without charge by notifying your Cabinet Authority Account Manager any time up to 1 business day before the order leaves the Conestoga factory.
• Once the shipment is in the carrier's hands, any changes including (but not limited to) address change, delivery timing, or missed appointments will be subject to fees charged to you by the carrier. (These fees may be significant.)