Absolutely, this is one of the most common questions we get, and I’m glad you’re asking it before anything even happens. The short answer is: yes, we do offer a warranty that can cover certain types of cracking, but the real talk around wood and a year of weather is a bit more nuanced. Let me walk you through exactly how we handle it so there are no surprises.
First off, every one of our outdoor benches comes with a 3-year structural warranty against manufacturing defects. When it comes to wood cracking, we distinguish between two very different things: a genuine defect in the timber and the completely normal, expected way solid wood reacts to life outdoors. If a crack appears because of an inherent flaw in the wood—something we should have caught during our grading process, like a large unstable knot that splits the surrounding grain or a joint that fails prematurely—that is fully covered. We’ll either have it repaired by a local craftsperson at our expense or replace the bench entirely. You won’t have to fight us on it; send us clear photos, and we’ll resolve it quickly.
Now, the honest part of the answer. After a full cycle of seasons—hot sun, pouring rain, bone-dry spells—solid wood, especially teak, acacia, or oak, will move. Small surface checks, which are fine hairline cracks along the grain, particularly on the end grain of armrests or on the tops of wide slats, are not a defect. They’re the wood breathing. They naturally open and close with changes in humidity and temperature, and they add that beautiful, lived-in character that makes a bench feel like it belongs in your garden. This type of checking is almost never a structural problem and isn't covered under warranty, just like the silver-grey patina teak develops isn't covered. We don’t see it as damage; we see it as the bench settling into its timeless phase.
However, here’s where things often go wrong, and why we’re very clear in our care guide. If a bench is left sitting in a permanently damp, shaded corner where it never dries out, or if water pools on it and then freezes repeatedly, that can lead to deeper, splitting cracks that compromise the integrity of the wood. That sort of damage, which stems from the environment and maintenance rather than a manufacturing issue, is typically outside of warranty. But please don’t read that as us looking for a way out. We’d much rather help you prevent it. When you order from us, we proactively send you a digital care kit with simple steps: tighten bolts once a season, use the included protective covers during harsh winter months or heavy storms, and apply the food-safe wood oil we recommend once or twice a year. Following even just the cover and oil routine makes that panicked "is this ruined?" moment extremely rare after year one.
The scenario you’re asking about—noticeable cracking showing up at the one-year mark—most often turns out to be either harmless settling that actually looks worse in photos than in person or a very fixable issue that we can talk you through. We once had a customer convinced her bench was splitting apart. She sent a video, and it was just typical surface checking exaggerated by low winter humidity. We explained it, she felt relieved, and by spring she said it was her favourite spot again. Another time a bench developed a genuine deep check in a leg after a scorching summer. That was unusual, we assessed it as a probable material flaw missed in quality control, and we shipped a replacement leg under warranty. No drama.
So, if you’re a year in and you spot a crack, here’s what I want you to do. Take a step back and pour a little water over the area. If it beads up or runs off and the crack is just a darker line that doesn’t catch your fingernail deeply, you’re likely looking at nature at work. Rub a bit of the recommended oil into it and enjoy your bench. If the crack is wide enough to fit a coin, seems to be growing, or genuinely worries you, contact our support team. We’ll ask for a couple of well-lit photos with a ruler for scale. We promise to assess fairly. We don’t hide behind tiny legal print. Our whole philosophy is that furniture should be made to last and to be repaired, not thrown away, so we stand by our pieces in a realistic, human way. That means we cover the things that are truly our responsibility, and we coach you lovingly through the rest. That balance is exactly what has kept our warranty reputation so strong.