Maintenance & Warranty

Timber Product Care

Every product you commission from Evostyle has been designed to last generations.

However, in order to keep your product in prime condition, we suggest you download this Furniture Care Instruction document, which has lots of detailed information on how to keep your finished product looking its best. 

Evostyle Solid Timber Furniture & Tops – Maintenance Instructions

Timber

Each piece of timber is unique. As such, the natural colour or grain variations will cause the timber to react differently to different finishes. It is not uncommon to find several contrasts in the same piece of furniture.

The lighter pieces were closer to the tree’s bark, the darker pieces were closer to the tree’s centre. Grain variations and mineral deposits should not be viewed as flaws.
These natural markings have absolutely no effect on the furniture’s durability or structural integrity. Knots and other characteristics are much like the nubs you find in such fine fabrics as silk and linen, true indications of genuine quality.

Protecting and preserving your furniture

Your Evostyle furniture is an investment that should increase in value over time.  How much that value appreciates is dependent on how well you care for it, particularly for furniture with an oil finish.  It is essential to follow the instructions below to ensure that your furniture will provide a lifetime of service and enjoyment to your family. Always test cleaning/polishing products in an inconspicuous location before using them on visible areas.

Dust frequently

1. Do not use a feather duster, because it will simply move dust around, flinging it into the air.
2. Feather dusters could scratch the wood surface if a feather breaks off
3. Dust is abrasive
4. Infrequent or improper dusting can create a worn, dull surface over the years and a build-up of dust, accumulated in carvings, cracks and grooves eventually becomes hard to remove, making timber look dark and unattractive.

Be careful when using water to clean timber surfaces

1. Timber should never get wet or soaked.
2. Water can cause swelling, warping or staining when it penetrates a finish.
3. Use coasters, pads, cloths or runners to protect against spills and water rings.

Use of polishing products

1. Although it is not necessary, you may feel free to use commercial polishing products on furniture that has a lacquer finish. Furniture with an oil finish has special care recommendations (see instructions below).

Do not use a silicon-based product (e.g. Mr Sheen, Windex etc.)

1. Do be sure to use the same type of polish consistently.
2. Your furniture finish may appear cloudy or streaky if oil-based and wax-based polishes are interchanged.

Be mindful of humidity

1. Timber is very sensitive to changes in relative humidity.
2. As the weather changes, so does the relative humidity in your environment, and in the moisture content of the timber in your furniture.
3. This means that furniture is constantly expanding and contracting.
4. Timber does best in moderate conditions of around 21°C-22°C and a relative humidity of about 50-55%.
5. Frequent and sudden changes in relative humidity are especially bad.
6. Timber is most likely to crack when the climate inside suddenly changes from hot and humid to cool and dry.
7. Use a humidifier in winter and an air conditioner in summer for best results.
8. Furniture ages more quickly if stored in a basement, attic, garage or warehouse.
9. Excess heat and dryness can cause timber to split and crack.
10. Place furniture away from all heat sources, in front of radiators, heat runs or fireplaces, if possible.
11. If you must put furniture near an air duct, use a shield or guard plate to direct heat away.

Avoid direct sunlight

1. The ultraviolet rays of the sun will damage a finish and discolour the timber underneath.
2. Prolonged exposure to sunlight can cause the finish to crack, sometimes in a pattern resembling the skin of an alligator.
3. Try to keep furniture out of direct sunlight.
4. When this is not possible, reduce the amount of light streaming on any piece of furniture.
5. Use window shades, drapes or blinds to block light during the time of day the furniture is exposed.
6. Uniformly expose surfaces to light.
7. Especially avoid letting the sun hit only part of a surface.

Avoid heat, chemical exposure, sharp objects

1. Keep solvents such as nail polish remover, alcohol and paint thinner away from timber furniture because they can harm the finish.
2. Alcohol is contained in colognes, perfumes and medications as well as in wine, beer and liquor.
3. Fingerprints, perspiration and body oils can harm a finish over time, especially on chairs.
4. Plants and flower nectar that touch the finish can also cause permanent stains.
5. Placing hot items on furniture can cause a chemical change in the finish that result in white rings or spots.
6. Products containing ammonia should never be used as it will harm your finish.
7. We recommend the use of hot mats, coasters even though the finish is water and heat resistant.
8. Do not leave plastic objects lying on wood surfaces.
9. Colour from plastic tablecloths, appliance covers, wrappers, place mats and toys can leach into wood over time.
10. Plastic can also stick to a finish, damaging it when it is pulled up.
11. Firm writing on the finished surface may cause indentations to the finish/wood.
12. Lift, don’t slide, objects on wood.
13. Place objects on trivets, tablecloths, doilies or others covers to protect the finish.
14. Use felt bottoms on lamps and other decorative objects.
15. Avoid brightly coloured felt because its colour could leach into the wood.

Carefully move furniture

1. Lift heavy furniture with the help of at least two people.
2. Lift cabinets, chests and dressers from the bottom. Take care not to lift a cabinet by grasping only the top.
3. Sliding pieces could hurt your wood floor and damage furniture legs by applying too much sideways pressure.
4. If necessary, place furniture sliders under the legs of furniture pieces to make moving easier and safer.
5. If a drawer has two handles, use both to open it. Avoid stuffing drawers with too many items.

Outdoor Timbers

Specific timbers used in outdoor furniture, such as Blackbutt, Spotted Gum, Brushbox and New Guinea Rosewood, carry a higher than usual oil content, ensuring greater resistance to the elements than less oiled timbers. 

Outdoor timbers change over time, with most fading and changing colour to a more grey appearance. Natural tannins inside the timber are also released over time and this ‘leaching’ may stain some surfaces.

Evostyle always de-tannins outdoor timbers prior to applying the exterior oil. This ensures that the timber does not leach out stain over time.

Furniture Warranty

Evostyle will guarantee to repair or replace any part of the product with a manufacturing or structural defect for a period of 12 months from the date of delivery/collection.

This warranty applies only to the original purchase. An application for a warranty on a product must be made in writing within the warranty period, within 7 days of the defect occurring. The claim must be accompanied by proof of purchase and with a detailed description and photographs of the claimed fault.

Defective materials and/or faulty workmanship of the products supplied by Evostyle will be replaced without cost to the client within the warranty period. Evostyle will not accept liability for any consequential costs associated with the repair of defects and the limit of liability shall be the original cost of the general and specialist joinery.

This warranty covers defects caused by faulty workmanship, but not against the natural movement of solid timbers or other effects beyond our control.  Natural colour changes in solid timber or veneer products, variations or movements in timber products (bowing or cupping), exposure to extreme temperature changes and direct sunlight may cause colour changes and/or surface damage (lacquer, joint separation). These are circumstances beyond our control and are not warranty issues.

This warranty does not cover: 

1. Normal wear and tear
2. Damage arising from abnormal use, abuse or vandalism
3. Accidental damage
4. Damage caused by acts of nature
5. Warping and / or damage of items if they have been stored in a third-party storage facility
6. Scratching and /or chipping of paint finishes
7. Scratching and / or chipping of timber
8. Products that have not been maintained as recommended by Evostyle (refer to our website for thorough maintenance information)
9. Products that have been moved overseas
10. Products that have been modified, customized or altered in any way after delivery
11. Any components not manufactured by Evostyle
12. Transport charges to return the product to and from Evostyle for repair or replacement
13. Any mechanical damage or damage caused by neglect, thermal shock or other caused outside the documented capability of the product.
14. Failures or defects caused by the nature of constructions, faults in the structure, fire, floods or other occurrences outside the control of Evostyle

Benchtop Warranty

EVOSTYLE warrants the following:

1. EVOSTYLE warrants to the owner of the original EVOSTYLE Timber benchtop installation, that should the product fail due to any manufacturing defect for a period of five (5) years from the date of initial purchase, EVOSTYLE will, at its discretion, replace or repair the benchtop.
2. This warranty does not cover products made by other suppliers, or installed by contractors that are not engaged directly by Evostyle
3. This warranty applies exclusively to INTERIOR Evostyle benchtops. Benchtops that are not slatted are not suitable for exterior applications and are excluded from this warranty.
4. This warranty DOES NOT COVER damage(s) to the EVOSTYLE Timber Product caused by:
   1. Improper or inadequate storage prior to installation (e.g., at a kitchen manufacturer’s workshop)
   2. Improper or inadequate care or maintenance (care and maintenance guides are provided on Evostyle’s website)
   3. Any material modification or misuse of the Evostyle’s benchtop, for example damage caused by failure to use chopping boards or devices to protect from excessive heat transfer.
   4. Installation and/or operation outside the benchtop’s normal interior environment specifications (for example if a mobile benchtop was temporarily used outdoors)
   5. Physical, chemical, or mechanical abuse of Evostyle’s benchtop
   6. Improper installation site preparation or site maintenance.
   7. Any other improper use of Evostyle’s benchtop as stated in the Maintenance page on our website
   8. Acts of god, or other incidents/occurrences beyond the control of EVOSTYLE, including without limitation, fire, theft, storms, floods.
   9. Scratching or normal wear and tear of the timber benchtop
   10. Damage caused by water or other forms of moisture being absorbed into the benchtop
   11. Flaws in the appearance of your benchtop caused during installation by any contractor not directly engaged by Evostyle.
5. Evostyle agrees to repair or replace at its discretion, solid timber benchtops found to be defective within the meaning of this warranty and is limited to the purchase price of the originally supplied benchtop.
6. To receive coverage under Evostyle’s Benchtop Warranty, proof of purchase within the warranty period of 5 years must be provided in the form of an invoice and needs to be submitted with the warranty claim.
7. This warranty is NOT transferable and applies to the original owner of the benchtop only.
8. As timber is a natural material, samples of Evostyle’s timber benchtops which you may have seen, are representative only, and are not an exact replication of what will be installed in your project. Variations in the colour, tone and grain are to be expected with this natural product. This does not affect the product performance in any manner and is not considered a defect.
9. Timber benchtops may suffer varying degrees of wear and tear, including scratching during normal use. This is not a defect in your product and the benefit of a timber benchtop supplied by Evostyle is that any scratches, scuffs and other marks associated with normal wear and tear can be removed via a sanding and re-finishing process. For your peace of mind, you can engage Evostyle to maintain your benchtop every few years.
10. Any Evostyle benchtop replacement or repair must first be authorised in writing by Evostyle or its duly appointed representative.
11. If Evostyle is unable to repair or replace a product covered by this Benchtop warranty, Evostyle shall, within a reasonable time after being notified of the defect, refund the purchase price of the Evostyle supplied benchtop.
12. To the extent permitted by law:
    1. neither Evostyle or any of its third-party suppliers makes any other warranty of any kind, whether express or implied, with respect to the Evostyle benchtop, and
    2. except as expressly stated herein Evostyle and its third-party suppliers specifically disclaim any implied warranties of merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose
    3. except as provided herein Evostyle shall not be liable in either tort or contract for any loss, direct, consequential, or incidental damages arising out of the use, or inability to use the Evostyle manufactured benchtop.