Shipping information
We deliver throughout Europe - from a small parcel to a pallet of bulky goods, usually within a few days. Here you can find out more about the transport costs and what needs to be considered with the different shipping methods.
This is how our shipping costs are calculated
For each delivery country there is a shipping price that depends on the weight of the order. There is a lower and an upper limit for the shipping costs for each product group. If products from different product groups are ordered, the limits of the larger product apply.
Shipping costs
How we ship
PAKETDIENST
- up to 220 cm in length
- up to 150 kg in weight
- packed in boxes
- each carton max. 30 kg weight
- No delivery to packing stations
- Packaging material is part of the delivery
- Delivery date will be agreed by email
- Parking permit can be granted
- Goods are delivered to the front door
- From dispatch to delivery: approx. 2 days in Germany
Parcel by courier
- up to 400 cm in length
- up to 150 kg in weight
- packed in boxes
- each carton max. 30 kg weight
- Packaging material is part of the delivery
- The delivery date will be agreed by phone or email
- Parking permit can be granted
- Curbside delivery
- From dispatch to delivery: approx. 3 days in Germany
Freight forwarding general cargo
- up to 305 cm in length
- up to 1.000 kg in weight
- packed on a pallet
- per pallet max. 1000 kg weight
- Packaging material is part of the delivery
- The delivery date will be agreed by phone or email
- Recipient must be on site
- Curbside delivery
- in the case of bulky goods, manual unloading by the recipient
- from dispatch to delivery: approx. 5 days
Direct shipping company
- up to 610 cm in length
- without weight limit
- packed on squared timber or pallet
- per unit max. 1500 kg weight
- Packaging material is part of the delivery
- Delivery date will be agreed by phone
- Recipient must be on site
- Hand discharge by receiver
- from dispatch to delivery approx. 1 day
Notes on delivery with a forwarding agent
Delivery is usually by truck (7,5t box truck - length: 8 m / width 3,10 m / height 3,45 m). Unloading takes place at the public curb closest to the delivery address, unless expressly agreed otherwise. Please note that delivery may not be possible due to the following factors.
limitations
- The delivery address is on a street or can only be reached via a street designated as a restricted traffic area and/or
- The delivery address is on a street or can only be reached via a street where vehicles with a maximum permissible weight of 7,5 tons are prohibited and/or
- The delivery address is on a street or can only be reached via a street narrower than 3,25 meters or at a place to be passed by obstacles such as parked vehicles or a construction site at the time of delivery less than 3,25 meters passage width is restricted, and/or
- The delivery address is in a cul-de-sac with no turning possibility.
If one of the special features mentioned applies to the desired delivery address or if you are unsure about this, please contact our customer service by phone or email before placing an order to clarify whether and to what location delivery can then take place .
To be present
Please also note that it is necessary for you to be personally present at the delivery address when the goods are delivered by the forwarding agent. On the one hand, because you have to confirm the delivery of the goods in writing. On the other hand, the unloading of the goods requires your help in such a way that you support the employee of the forwarding agency with the unloading of the goods from the truck to the curb with physical assistance. You must therefore be physically able to lift a weight of up to 30 kilograms.
Appointments
Finally, it should be noted that no specific desired time for delivery can be agreed. Our customer service or the shipping company will contact you by phone in good time before delivery to set the delivery date (time window) on working days (excluding public holidays). Your presence at the delivery address is required throughout the time slot.
The goods are securely packed on a pallet for transport. Packaging and pallet are part of the delivery and cannot be taken away from the truck.
Notes on exporting to Switzerland
Customs clearance costs
We do not charge German VAT for goods that we ship to Switzerland. We order shipping DAP cleared. This means that we handle customs clearance and pay the costs of customs clearance (Aexport declaration, customs documents, Export customs clearance and import customs clearance).
However, you will be notified by Swiss customs or the delivering shipping company to calculate the Swiss VAT, import sales tax, Import tax clearance and Costs dependent on the service provider such as cash on delivery fees, Handling costs or communication costs must be paid.
Order Changes
The buyer is responsible for checking the order confirmation. Therefore, please check the individual positions carefully. If you want to make changes, please contact us immediately before the goods are packed and shipped by us.
Order changes can lead to longer delivery times. If the order is changed after the export accompanying documents have been created, additional fees will be charged.
export certificates
In the case of shipping within the EU and subsequent execution by the customer, we will be happy to refund the VAT afterwards on presentation of the export certificate stamped by customs.
The export must take place within three months of purchase. The invoice date and the customs stamp on the export document are decisive. To process the order, we need your account details, if not already available, a Swiss address for the invoice and the export certificate as a scan by email to info@betterwood.de.
We will then refund you the VAT paid. Please let us know your bank details. Please note that for international transfers, the IBAN and BIC code must be included and fees may apply for transfers abroad.
Returns
The return of goods is possible according to the legal provisions of the right of withdrawal. A return is considered an export. In addition to the shipping costs, there are also costs for customs and customs clearance, which are borne by the customer. Please send returns to:
Betterwood Warehouse
In the field 1
57489 Drolshagen
Germany
Questions about delivery and returns
my delivery
A delivery time of approximately 5-7 working days applies to all wood deliveries. Accessories and very short wood can be sent with parcel services. The delivery time here is 1-3 working days. In the case of production goods, the delivery time is extended accordingly. There is no delivery on Saturdays, Sundays or public holidays. If, exceptionally, an article is not in stock or cannot be delivered immediately and the delivery time is extended accordingly, this will be pointed out separately in our order confirmation. All specified delivery dates are subject to punctual and proper delivery by our logistics partners.
The delivery time for stock items is approx. two to three weeks. In the case of production goods, the delivery time is extended accordingly. There is no delivery on Saturdays, Sundays or public holidays. If, exceptionally, an article is not in stock or cannot be delivered immediately and the delivery time is extended accordingly, this will be pointed out separately in our order confirmation. All specified delivery dates are subject to punctual and proper delivery by our logistics partners.
Accessories and small goods are sent with parcel delivery services. You will receive a shipment tracking from the deliverer by email. Here you can view delivery times and change the delivery.
Decking wood is delivered on pallets by freight forwarders. The forwarding agent will contact you at least one day before delivery in order to plan the delivery with you. You may have to reserve a day for this. In some cases, the delivery period can be limited to a few hours. When placing an order, we can also arrange a day as a desired date with you. Then you will be informed about the delivery by the driver about one hour before delivery on the day of delivery.
Delivery is usually by truck (7,5t box truck - length: 8 m / width 3,10 m / height 3,45 m). Unloading takes place at the public curb closest to the delivery address. Unless something else is expressly agreed. Please note that delivery may not be possible due to the following factors or only with the goodwill of the driver:
- The delivery address is on a street or can only be reached via a street designated as a restricted traffic area and/or
- The delivery address is on a street or can only be reached via a street where vehicles with a maximum permissible weight of 7,5 tons are prohibited and/or
- The delivery address is on a street or can only be reached via a street narrower than 3,25 meters or at a place to be passed at the time of delivery due to obstacles such as parked vehicles or a construction site is restricted to a passage width of less than 3,25 meters, and/or
- The delivery address is in a cul-de-sac with no turning possibility.
If one of the special features mentioned applies to the desired delivery address or if you are unsure about this, please contact our customer service by phone or email before placing an order to clarify whether and to what location delivery can then take place .
- Presence: Please also note that it is necessary for you to be personally present at the delivery address when the goods are delivered by the forwarding agent. On the one hand, because you have to confirm the delivery of the goods in writing. On the other hand, the unloading of the goods requires your help in some cases in that you support the employee of the forwarding agency with the unloading of the goods from the truck to the curb with physical assistance.
- You must therefore be physically able to lift a weight of up to 30 kilograms.
- Finally, it should be noted that no specific desired time for delivery can be agreed.
Our customer service or the shipping company will contact you by phone in good time before delivery to set the delivery date (time window) on working days (excluding public holidays). Your presence at the delivery address is required throughout the time slot.
Unfortunately, boards longer than 2,5 meters cannot be unloaded using a lifting platform. Here the unloading is done by the recipient with the help of the driver. It would therefore be necessary for an unloading aid to be on site for the agreed delivery. You, or the unloading helper on your side, must therefore be physically able to lift a weight of up to 30 kilograms.
Please note that the packaging materials are included in the scope of delivery and must therefore be accepted by you as the recipient. The pallet and cover foil can then be used to temporarily store the wood.
Complete terraces with floorboards and substructure are packed on pallets for safe transport and delivered by freight forwarders. The goods are too long and too heavy for parcel deliverers. Freight forwarders are less flexible in delivery than parcel couriers. A period in the morning or afternoon can often be scheduled for delivery. This is not always possible and you should reserve one day for delivery.
Unfortunately, planks with a length of more than 2,5 meters cannot be unloaded onto the pallets using a lifting platform. Here the unloading is done by the recipient with the help of the driver. It would therefore be necessary for an unloading aid to be on site for the agreed delivery. You, or the unloading helper on your side, must therefore be physically able to lift a weight of up to 30 kilograms.
Accessories, cutting boards and small quantities are sent with parcel delivery services and are usually with you within 1-3 working days.
Smaller quantities of wooden tiles can be sent with parcel services. For larger orders, they will be packed on a pallet and delivered with freight forwarders.
For the delivery of teak panels, a larger quantity of wooden tiles or terrace wood, an appointment for the delivery between you and the forwarding agent is necessary in most cases.
It is therefore important that when you place your order you give us a telephone number that you can be reached reliably during the day and whose answering machine you regularly check.
The same applies to the e-mail address: Please always enter an e-mail address that you check regularly. Please also check your SPAM folder. If the freight forwarder has to drive to you a second time because you could not be reached, we unfortunately have to charge for a second drive.
Smaller orders, such as accessories or short floorboards, can be sent with parcel delivery services. Here you will be informed by e-mail about the delivery. In this case, you do not necessarily have to be on site for the delivery.
The delivery of a complete terrace with a forwarding agent involves some effort. It is therefore important that you, or someone else you appoint, is present when the delivery is made. Otherwise, a second delivery must be planned, which we then have to invoice additionally.
A delivery with the parcel service usually takes 1-3 working days. You will receive an email with tracking information. If your delivery has not arrived and you have not received an e-mail - please also check your SPAM folder - please contact us.
Delivery with the forwarding agent usually takes 5-7 working days from the time the order is placed (up to 10 working days in spring and summer), provided the goods are in stock and no other delivery times were specified when ordering, or a later date for delivery was agreed with you was agreed.
After the goods have been packed, they are handed over to the forwarding agent. In the case of a delivery with the forwarding agent, you will be contacted by telephone in advance about an appointment for the delivery. It is therefore very important that you provide a telephone number where you can be reliably reached during the day or where you can check your answering machine regularly.
If you have not been contacted within the delivery period from the time the order was placed, please contact us.
If you do not assemble the goods immediately after delivery, please note the following when storing:
- Store the decking boards horizontally. This is the most compact way to store the decking wood to minimize the risk of warping.
- Make sure there are enough support points for the decking boards so that the stacked decking wood is well ventilated.
- Avoid exposed ends of decking boards. When the planks are stacked together, the ends don't hang loose and don't twist as easily.
- Store decking boards tied, dry and well ventilated. This reduces the risk of default.
- Store outdoor wood outside or in unheated, well-ventilated spaces and shelters such as a carport, garage or porch.
- Never cover terrace wood with foils - this can cause moisture, which means that there is a considerable risk of warping with unscrewed planks.
If the floorboards are slightly warped despite all the measures, they can still be installed in most cases.
Returns, exchanges and complaints
A defect must be documented so that we can open a case to find a solution. So that we can understand what is going on, it is best if the defect is clearly documented with a photo. Contact us by phone or email. Possible defects can be:
- my order in incomplete
- my order is incorrect
- I don't want the goods: no defects, goods ordered by mistake, if the goods are not to your liking, the customer pays the shipping costs. We can organize or help organize shipping.
- typical wood properties are not defects.
Wood is a natural product. The occurrence of its natural properties and characteristics is therefore not excluded even with the most careful sorting. The "Premium" classification with an A and B side also includes the following typical wood properties and does not represent any errors. The properties have no negative impact on the quality of the goods.
interlocked grain: The growth characteristics of tropical wood ensure a dynamic structure and can sometimes cause the wood fibers to stand up - because the direction of growth changes. Especially with the wood species Cumaru. By sanding down the affected areas, the rough surfaces become smooth again.
Coloring: The wood color within a wood species can vary greatly. It often depends on the nutrients in the soil. We try to give the best possible impression of the wood colors of the individual types of wood by sending out samples and our customer gallery. However, a single sample cannot be fully representative of a wood species. Decking boards do not all look the same.
Swelling and shrinking behavior: Wood expands and contracts. Depending on the weather and the associated temperature and humidity. The dimensions given correspond to the condition after processing in the sawmill. This was preceded by three months of drying in closed drying rooms at a constant temperature. The so-called chamber drying ensures that the swelling and shrinking behavior remains manageable: approx. +/- 3mm depending on the type of wood. Planning a terrace with millimeter precision therefore makes no sense. Warping can also occur during transport or on-site storage. In most cases this is not a problem. Wood is not an industrial product.
Bleed out: Substances may escape from the wood – depending on the type of wood. With the types of wood we offer, this phenomenon only occurs in very rare cases.
Odor: Smells are perceived very differently. The wood smell of Cumaru, for example, is described by some people as extremely strong, while others are happy about the pleasant “vanilla scent” of the same wood from the same batch. It is undisputed that most types of wood give off an odour. How strong this is also depends on the local conditions: how often it rains and how quickly the terrace dries up. But what you can rely on: sooner or later the smell of the wood will decrease. The wood initially gives off an odor but cannot be ruled out.
Rough spots, structure: The structure of individual types of wood can be described well. Cumaru is a little more dynamic and robust, Garapa has a homogeneous structure and teak is supple and changes in color between light and dark. However, the planks of one type of wood can look very different. Wood grains can also stand up after a while. These are not planing errors, but a wood-typical property - for example in the wood species Cumaru. However, these rough spots can easily be sanded down with sandpaper or run off with use.
Structural features of the wood species do not always appear equally on every plank. A single plank is always just a section of the whole tree.
knots: Trees have branches and you can see that in the wood. In the "Premium" sorting, there should be no continuous knotholes. "Premium" does not exclude the visibility - even if only to a small extent - of knots.
Mold and fungus formation: One of the unique selling points of tropical woods is that they are particularly resistant to pests, mold and fungal attack. This means: tropical wood rots and molds much less quickly than domestic types of wood. That is why it is preferably used outdoors. However, this does not mean that mold and fungal infestation are impossible with tropical woods. Depending on the region and environment, algae, fungi and stains can occur on site for a variety of reasons. In the vast majority of cases, these problems can be remedied with a patio cleaner, impregnation or by sanding.
Pin holes, shot holes: Small holes in the floorboards can occur. So-called pinholes are tolerable up to a certain degree according to the DIN standard 4074 on the admissibility of wormholes. The decisive factor here is that it is not a current worm infestation. These holes come from the ambrosia beetle, which is one of the freshwood insects. An acute existing infestation in seasoned wood is excluded and does not affect the strength properties or durability of the wood.
Warping and crooked floorboards: Wood is a natural product and can warp due to swelling and shrinkage. The denser a type of wood is, the more likely it is to warp. The risk of warping is relatively high for most tropical woods when they are not screwed together. This means that even if the boards leave the Betterwood warehouse straight, one or two boards may arrive with a bend. Regardless of this, boards over three meters long are never 100% straight. But none of this is a problem when building a terrace: slight bends can be compensated for by pressing the board in when screwing (if necessary, using tensioning straps to pull the board in question closer to the previous one). Most bends are tolerable and cannot be ruled out. If the average bend of a terrace board is more than 1,5% over its entire length, please contact us.
cracking: With a natural product such as wood, weathering – wet, dry, cold and heat – can cause tension in the material, causing cracks to appear. Cracks at the ends of the planks and hairline cracks on the surface are typical of wood. The risk of end cracks can be reduced with front edge wax. Surface tension can be reduced by oiling the floorboards. Even over the course of up to 25 years of service life for the decking boards outdoors, it is unavoidable that cracks appear in the boards.
Machinability: Tropical woods have a higher wood density than native woods. Hardwood saw blades are recommended for clean cuts. Visible screws in the floorboards should be pre-drilled. Screw connections in the substructure should also be pre-drilled.
cotter pin: The trunks of all trees contain sapwood. The proportion depends on the species, age and growth conditions. In most species it is a 3 to 5 cm wide mantle of light colored wood that encloses the heartwood. It is particularly sensitive to fungal and insect infestation when it is moist. Premium grade decking boards can also contain sapwood. However, it should not be higher than 5% on the A side.
Cut pieces, such as floorboards and custom-made items such as our elements and teak panels, cannot be exchanged. It is therefore important that you carefully check all information in the offer and order confirmation.
Floorboards that have too much curvature can be exchanged under certain conditions: If the average curvature of the entire floorboard is more than 1,5 percent, please contact us and we will find a solution. However, the following applies: even the premium sorting can contain planks that are not XNUMX% straight. From a certain plank length it is hardly possible to get straight planks. This is wood and it is one of the typical properties of wood that temperature fluctuations can cause warping. For this reason, dimensional accuracy down to the millimeter cannot be guaranteed: wood swells and shrinks depending on the humidity.
You can cancel and return the order within 30 days of receiving the goods. An extended return period of 100 days applies to cutting boards and knives.
Returning items from the cutting board and knife category is free of charge within the 100-day return period. Returning all other items will incur the shipping costs calculated when ordering.
Of course, the statutory warranty period of two years from receipt of the goods applies to all items.