Warranty: 25 Years Residential, 5 Years Commercial
Marchand engineered oak flooring carries a 25-year residential structural warranty and a 5-year commercial structural warranty. Wall and ceiling boards carry 10 years, residential and commercial. This page sets out what that means in plain language: what is covered, what is not, what we ask of the installation, and what happens when something goes wrong. The full warranty document is at the bottom of the page and is the document that governs.
What is covered
Marchand Limited warrants that, for 25 years from the date of original purchase, the structural integrity of the flooring will remain free from manufacturing defects when installed indoors under normal residential use. Normal residential use means ordinary foot traffic, fixed or light non-fixed furniture and daily household activity, with the floor installed and cared for as our guides describe.
For commercial installations (offices, retail, hospitality and similar foot traffic) the same structural warranty runs for 5 years.
A structural manufacturing defect means the board itself failing: warping or twisting of a plank, or delamination, where the oak wear layer separates from the engineered core. These are the failures a well-made engineered board should never produce, and they are what the warranty stands behind.
Who it covers
The warranty belongs to the original purchaser and is not transferable, with one exception that matters in New Zealand: where the original purchaser is a builder or developer, the warranty passes to the homeowner 12 months after purchase. Proof of purchase is required, and the product must be fully paid for.
What is not covered
A warranty is only honest if it is clear about its edges. The following sit outside it.
- Installation that departs from our guides. Adhesive, primer, moisture testing, flatness and sealing protocols are set out in the installation guide; a floor laid without them is not warranted.
- Cleaning damage. Inappropriate cleaning products, steam mops and over-wet mopping. The after care guide is short and worth following.
- Climate outside the design range. Temperatures below 5°C or above 45°C, excessive direct sunlight, or humidity outside 25% to 85% with no climate control.
- Underfloor heating run too hot. Surface temperatures above 27°C, thermal flux above 75 W/m², thermal resistance above 0.15 m²K/W, or a system we have not approved. See underfloor heating.
- Moisture. Flooding, moisture ingress, subfloor moisture and wet cleaning methods.
- The building. Settlement, subfloor movement, or a subfloor outside the ±2mm over 1m tolerance.
- Wet areas. Flooring in bathrooms or anywhere with sanitary fixtures, unless the surface and joints are sealed with an impervious coating for at least 1.5m from the fixture. We do not recommend engineered oak on a bathroom floor at all.
- Normal timber behaviour. Colour and gloss variation, small checks, minor gaps, seasonal movement, scratches, chips and surface marks. These are the nature of a real oak floor, not a defect in it.
Building Code compliance
Installed as our guides describe, the flooring supports compliance with New Zealand Building Code clauses B2 Durability, C3 Fire, D1 Slip resistance, E3 Internal moisture and F2 Hazardous building materials. The independent test evidence behind each is published in full on our Specification and Compliance page.
If something goes wrong
Email info@marchandonline.co.nz with a description of the issue, photographs and your proof of purchase. We will respond, and where the cause is not clear from the photographs we will arrange a site inspection. We would rather see a floor than argue about it from a distance.
Where a defect is confirmed, Marchand decides the remedy, which may be full replacement, repair of the affected boards or partial replacement. Replacement boards are matched to the original batch wherever that is reasonably possible.
What we ask of the installation
Installation must be by a qualified installer, strictly following the Marchand installation guide, particularly on adhesive, moisture membranes and testing, underfloor heating and sealing. If you would like the name of an installer we trust in your region, ask us.
Your rights
This warranty is in addition to, and does not limit, your rights under the Consumer Guarantees Act 1993 or any other New Zealand law.
Frequently asked questions
How long is the Marchand flooring warranty?
25 years residential and 5 years commercial for the 20mm engineered oak flooring, covering structural manufacturing defects. Wall and ceiling boards carry 10 years for both.
Does the warranty transfer if I sell the house?
It stays with the original purchaser, except that a builder's or developer's warranty passes to the homeowner 12 months after purchase.
Is underfloor heating covered?
Yes, with hydronic or low-temperature electric systems set in screed and run within the limits: a surface temperature no higher than 27°C.
Are scratches and colour changes covered?
No. Scratches, chips, gloss and colour variation and seasonal movement are normal timber behaviour. The floor is sandable four or five times, so surface wear is repairable rather than warrantable.
What do I need to make a claim?
An email describing the problem, photographs and proof of purchase. We will arrange a site visit if the cause is not clear.
Does the warranty replace my Consumer Guarantees Act rights?
No. It sits alongside them and does not limit them.
The warranty document
The full warranty, which is the document that applies.
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Last reviewed September 2026.