Allegheny Wood Works, Inc. Limited Warranty for Wood Doors

The above manufacturer warrants all doors sold under this warranty (except those doors expressly excluded from this warranty), for one year from the date of shipment, and at the time of shipment, to be of good material and workmanship and to be free of defects which would render said doors unserviceable or unfit for their ordinary, recommended use.
This warranty extends only to the first purchaser at retail of said door(s) and may not be enforced by any person to whom the said door(s) are transferred. The parties specifically agree that the Erie County, PA Court of Common Pleas is the exclusive forum which has jurisdiction over any claim or dispute arising out of this transaction.

ANY IMPLIED WARRANTIES WHICH THE PURCHASER MAY HAVE ARE LIMITED IN DURATION
TO ONE YEAR FROM DATE OF SHIPMENT.

The manufacturer will, at its option, either (1) repair any door without charge, or (2) replace any door without charge in whatever stage of fitting and/or finishing it was originally supplied by the manufacturer, or (3) refund the price received by the manufacturer for any door, if the door is found not to comply with this warranty. However, written notice of any claim under this guarantee must be given to the manufacturer promptly when discovered, and in any event within the above stated one-year period. You must inspect each door immediately upon receipt. In the case of a defect reasonably discoverable by inspection of each door upon receipt of shipment from the manufacturer, notice must be given within 10 days thereafter and before the door is hung or treated in any manner. The manufacturer shall not be liable for doors repaired or replaced without its prior written consent. Action on any claim for warp or for telegraphing may be deferred, at the option of the manufacturer, for a period not to exceed 12 months from date of claim. If a door has been installed prior to such claim being made, the door must remain hung in the original installation during the period of deferment, to permit conditioning to humidity and temperature. Any door repairs or replacements are to be made at our plant in Lake City, Pennsylvania, and the buyer shall, at their expense, return all products directly to that facility for credit, repair or replacement.

ALLOWABLE TOLERANCES

Warp shall not be considered a defect unless it exceeds 1/4 inch in the plane of the door itself. Warp is any distortion in the door itself, and does not refer to the relation of the door to the frame or jamb in which it is hung. The term warp shall include bow, cup and twist. In measuring the amount of warp present in a door, the following method shall be used. Bow, cup and twist shall be measured by placing a straightedge, taut wire or string on the suspected concave face of the door at any angle (i.e., horizontally, vertically, diagonally), with the door in its installed position. The measurement of bow, cup and twist shall be made at the point of maximum distance between the bottom of the straightedge, taut wire or string and the face of the door.

MATTERS EXCLUDED FROM THIS WARRANTY

1. Unsatisfactory service or appearance caused by failure to follow the “Handling, Job Finishing and Installation Instructions” set forth herein is not covered by this warranty.
2. The appearance of field-finished doors is not guaranteed in any event.
3. Natural characteristics including small knots and blemishes and variations in the color including sap and mineral streak or texture of the wood are not to be considered as defects.
4. Knot placement, quantity and/or size in rustic doors.
5. The warranty against warp does not apply to 1-3/8” thick doors that are wider than 3’0” or higher than 7’0”. Any doors wider than 3’0” and/or taller than 8’0” are excluded from warranty.
6. This warranty does not cover doors that have been altered after shipping.
7. Wood doors are susceptible to expansion and contraction caused by humidity and temperature variations. Natural movements of wood including but not limited to small surface checking, small joint cracks, raised grain and expansion and contraction or movement of panels cannot be warranted against.
8. Any condition arising from the neglect or failure to properly maintain the door. Small scratches or rub marks on products that can be removed with sanding are not considered defects.
9. Small scratches/defects in glass that cannot be readily seen from 6 feet away when the door is in the upright position are not considered defects per our glass manufacturer’s specifications.

HANDLING, JOB FINISHING AND INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS

Handling and Installation

1. Doors must be stored flat in a climate-controlled, ventilated room with an operational HVAC system. Cover to keep clean, but allow air circulation. Do not subject doors to abnormal heat, dryness or humidity or sudden changes therein. Relative humidity must be maintained at between 40% and 60%.
2. Deliver to building site after plaster or cement is dry.
3. Seal doors immediately. Edge sealing is particularly important. If doors are stored for more than one week, the entire door including all 6 surfaces (edges, top, bottom, front and back) and cutouts for hardware must be sealed. Primer is not a sealer. Stain is usually applied prior to sealing and should not be relied upon for achieving adequate sealing.
4. Handle doors with clean gloves avoiding water (rain, snow), oil and dirt. Do not drag doors across one another or across other surfaces.
5. Doors must be installed in conditioned living areas. Relative humidity must be maintained between 40% and 60%.
6. The utility or structural strength of the door must not be impaired in the fitting of the door, the application of hardware or cutting and altering the door for lights, louvers, panels or any other special details.
7. Avoid placing heating registers too near a door (at least 4 feet away). Excessive heat on one area of the door creates drying out which results in warp, twist, and checking on the faces.
8. Use three hinges per door on doors 7’0” in height or less, and four hinges per door on doors over 7’0” in height. Hinges should be set flush with edge surface. Be sure that hinges are set in a straight line to prevent distortion. Allow approximately 3/16” clearance for swelling of door or frame during future damp weather periods. Doors must be properly hung, installed and swing freely.
9. Exterior doors must be protected from exposure to weather conditions by having an adequate overhang. Adequate overhang depends on the typical weather conditions of the area where the door is to be used, but typically means an overhang projecting a distance from the structure equal to one half the distance from the base of the door to the base of the overhang at its farthest point from the door with a minimum of four feet.

door warranty

10. Before finishing, door surfaces must be clean and dry. Doors should not be considered ready for finishing when received. Before finishing remove handling marks, raised grain or cross grain scratches, burnishes or machining marks, and any other undesirable blemish by sanding all surfaces in a horizontal position in the direction of the grain.

11. To prevent an imbalance, the same consistency of finish must be applied on both sides of the door. After sealing and staining, interior doors must receive at least two coats of high quality varnish and exterior doors at least two coats of high quality exterior grade polyurethane or spar varnish. Apply to all surfaces, edges and cutouts for hardware (including under hinges). Water based products are not recommended. For painted doors, prime entire door including all edges and cutouts with a high quality oil-based primer. Paint with at least two coats of high quality oil based paint (exterior grade for exterior doors). Exterior finishes deteriorate relatively quickly and must be maintained. Inspect doors periodically (at least annually) and refinish as needed.

12. Some species of wood contain a chemical (oak particularly) which reacts unfavorably with certain finishes. Where possible, the surface should be tested for such unfavorable reaction. Application of a sealer before finishing will usually prevent this difficulty.

13. To reduce the chance of warping and checking on our exterior doors, dark colors should be avoided on all surfaces, especially on light colored wood species or if the door is exposed to direct sunlight.

14. Glazed units – Particular attention must be paid when finishing doors with glass. All finish coats must flow from the wood surface of the door onto the glass by 1/16” and remain indefinitely.

Failure to comply with all of the Handling and Installation and Finishing instructions will render warranty void.

There are no warranties that extend beyond the foregoing, and the manufacturer’s sole responsibility under this warranty is as stated herein. It shall not be liable for consequential, indirect or incidental damages, or for any amount in excess of the manufacturer’s price for the shipment involved, whether the claim is for breach of warranty or negligence. We will not pay any cost to remove defective doors or to install new doors. We are not responsible for any finishing costs or consequential damage.