Solid Wood Movement Legal Advisory

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Movement in Solid Wood: Technical and Legal Advisory on Natural Timber Behaviour

Solid wood is an organic, hygroscopic material that continues to respond to temperature and humidity throughout its lifetime. These responses are scientifically inherent to natural timber and cannot be eliminated through manufacturing processes, seasoning, kiln-drying, or finishing. This document serves as a formal advisory explaining the material properties of solid wood and clarifying the legal position under which certain characteristics are treated as normal and non-defective. It is intended to be read in conjunction with the Human Touch Policy and the Returns Policy.

Hygroscopic Nature of Timber

Solid wood possesses an internal cellular structure that permanently absorbs and releases moisture from its surroundings. This hygroscopic exchange occurs from the moment the timber is harvested and continues indefinitely, including after the furniture has been delivered and placed in its final environment. As humidity rises, timber expands; as humidity falls, timber contracts. These movements are universal across all solid-wood furniture, irrespective of species, price point, craftsmanship, or country of manufacture.

Observable Characteristics of Timber Movement

Consequently, customers may observe characteristics such as expansion or contraction of panels, movement in grain lines, tightening or easing of drawers and doors, visible cracks forming or widening, and minor shifts in joints or edges. These outcomes arise due to the intrinsic nature of timber and the environmental conditions in which the product is placed. They do not indicate poor workmanship, structural weakness, or deviation from specification.

Environmental Influence Across the Supply Chain

Timber products also pass through multiple climatic environments across the supply chain — including the production region, export consolidation points, sea freight transit, customs clearance, warehousing, and final delivery. Each of these stages involves temperature and humidity variations that influence the timber’s equilibrium moisture content. Two identical items from the same production batch may behave differently once placed in different households, retail settings, or commercial spaces. Such behaviour is recognised industry-wide as normal and expected.

Dimensional Variation and Handcrafted Tolerances

Dimensional variation is equally inherent. Handcrafted solid-wood furniture may display differences of up to a couple of centimetres from listed or expected dimensions. These variations arise from timber movement, manual craftsmanship, and finishing tolerances. Minor dimensional differences do not constitute non-conformance or manufacturing fault and are widely accepted across the global solid-wood furniture industry.

Seasonal Shifts in Moving Components

Moving components such as doors, lids, and drawers are particularly responsive to environmental conditions. They may require minor adjustment over time or may behave differently across seasons. This behaviour mirrors that of all solid-wood joinery — including timber doors, frames, and flooring — and is not considered a failure of construction or materials.

Position Under International Standards

Under recognised international wood science and furniture manufacturing standards, natural timber movement, cracking, expansion, contraction, and minor dimensional variance are expressly treated as inherent characteristics of solid wood. No manufacturer of genuine hardwood furniture can guarantee dimensional permanence or immunity from movement without resorting to engineered substitutes such as MDF, chipboard, or plywood — materials we do not use for structural components.

Classification Under Our Policy Framework

Accordingly, under our policy framework, the behaviours described in this document are not classified as defects and are not eligible for return or replacement on the basis of workmanship or material fault. They are a natural and unavoidable consequence of choosing a product made from genuine solid wood.

Contractual Interpretation and Claims Pathway

This document therefore forms part of the contractual advisory pathway that governs expectations and claims assessment: Solid Wood Movement Advisory → Human Touch Policy → Returns Policy. Together, these documents set out the material limitations, environmental dependencies, and legal definitions under which solid-wood furniture is supplied. By purchasing solid-wood furniture, business customers acknowledge the natural behaviour of the material and accept that these characteristics fall outside the scope of manufacturing defect and return eligibility.

To be read in conjunction with the Returns Policy

Published January 2026 | Effective from January 2026 until Superseded or Amended