Taking delivery of your wood flooring correctly is not just a logistical task — it is the first step in protecting your investment. Boards that are damaged in transit, stored incorrectly after delivery, or opened too early can develop problems before installation even begins. Here is what to expect and how to handle your delivery properly.
Delivery Schedule and Options
Standard delivery operates on a 2–3 working day cycle from despatch. The order will be palletised and sent by pallet carrier — these vehicles are large and require reasonable access to your address. If access is restricted (narrow roads, height barriers, parking restrictions), notify us at the point of order so an appropriate vehicle can be arranged. Timed deliveries within a two-hour window, next-day delivery, and Saturday morning slots are available at an additional charge — useful if your installation is time-critical or if you need to coordinate with your installer.
Kerbside Delivery: What It Means
All deliveries are to kerbside only. The driver will bring the pallet to the boundary of your property, but cannot be expected to carry stock inside, up steps, or through narrow doorways without additional assistance. Flooring packs are heavy — a standard pack of 18mm engineered boards covering approximately 2m² weighs 20–30kg. You will need adequate labour available at the time of delivery to move the stock from the kerbside to its storage location. It is standard practice for the customer’s installer to arrange unloading as part of their contract, often bringing a helper on delivery day specifically for this purpose.
Moisture Content at Despatch
All flooring is kiln dried before packaging and stored in our dehumidified warehouse to maintain stable moisture content. The moisture content is checked and recorded at the point of despatch — this figure will appear on your delivery/despatch note and provides the baseline for your post-delivery moisture readings. On arrival, store the flooring immediately in dry, covered conditions — not in an unheated garage, van, or outdoors. The target is a dry, temperature-stable environment where the boards can begin their acclimation period in the conditions they will actually be installed in.
Opening Engineered Flooring Packages
Do not open engineered flooring packages until immediately before installation — this is important. The sealed packaging protects the boards from ambient moisture changes during the acclimation period. Engineered boards acclimate efficiently within their packaging because the temperature equilibrates quickly, and the sealed environment prevents rapid moisture absorption from unusually damp conditions during the acclimation period. Open boxes only when you are ready to begin laying, working through each pack as you go. For solid wood, boxes should be opened and boards stacked with spacers to allow full air circulation — see our acclimation guide for details.
Inspecting Your Order on Delivery
Before signing the delivery note, inspect the packaging for visible damage — crushed corners, torn plastic wrapping, or signs that packs have been dropped or compressed. If any damage is visible, note it on the delivery paperwork before signing and photograph it immediately. Any problems — damaged boards, short delivery, incorrect product — must be notified to us and confirmed in writing within 72 hours of delivery. Claims made after this window cannot be accepted because it is impossible to establish whether damage occurred in transit or after delivery. Open and check a sample of boards before your installer begins work: if any individual boards are found to be defective, remove them from the installation and contact us to arrange replacement.
Storing Boards Before Installation
If installation is not happening immediately after delivery, store the flooring in the room it will be laid — or at minimum in a dry, heated space within the property. Avoid storing in a garage, outbuilding, or any space that is not climate-controlled, as the fluctuating conditions can cause moisture content changes that undo the controlled moisture level at which the boards were dispatched. Stack packs flat and supported; never lean them against a wall on their edges. Keep them away from radiators, south-facing windows, and any source of direct heat or sunlight. The goal is stable, controlled conditions from the moment of delivery until the first board is laid.