When Your Solid-Wood Furniture Arrives, Take Your Time
Your crate has been unloaded. The box sits on your driveway or in your entryway. Before you call it a day, pause and do this properly. Solid wood carries the memory of a tree, and every journey leaves traces. A careful check at delivery is the single most effective way to protect your investment over the next ten years and beyond. MIDHILL, our workshop in Foshan since 2008, ships directly from a single factory floor, and we want you to feel confident from the moment the box lands.Unpack Carefully — Don't Rush the Tape
Lay the box flat if you can. Use a knife or scissors to cut tape slowly. Push blades toward yourself, never away from the wood. Keep the original packaging materials for now — if anything needs attention, we will ask you to share photos of both the finish and the packaging condition.Most damage at delivery comes from hidden dings inside corner blocks, under drawer bottoms, or behind legs. Remove each piece fully before discarding foam.
Inspect All Six Sides and Every Surface
Place the piece on a clean, flat floor. Turn it so you can see every side. For tables, check the top surface, each edge, the apron, the underside frame, and each leg from front to back. For cabinets, include the back panels, the interior shelves, and the inside of each door.- Top surface: look for scratches, dents, finish clouds, or color mismatches along grain runs.
- Edges and corners: these take the most impact in transit. Check both vertical and horizontal edges.
- Undersides: drawer bottoms, shelf supports, and table aprons are often overlooked.
- Hardware: open and close every hinge, drawer slide, and handle. Ensure screws are tight and nothing is bent.
- Joinery points: mortise-and-tenon joints, dovetails, and corner blocks should sit flush with no visible gaps.
Measure Against Your Space
You ordered based on measurements on the product page, but your room may have quirks — baseboard protrusions, uneven floors, or narrow hallways. Verify the critical dimensions now.| Dimension | Typical Range | What to Check |
|---|---|---|
| Dining table width | 150–220 cm (59–87 in) | Clearance around chairs when pulled out |
| Sofa depth | 85–100 cm (33–39 in) | Aisle space between sofa and opposite wall |
| Bed frame height | 30–50 cm (12–20 in) leg rise | Vacuum cleaner clearance underneath |
| Cabinet door swing | 80–90 cm (31–35 in) | Wall or island clearance when open |
| Bookshelf width | 80–180 cm (31–71 in) | Exact doorway and hallway diagonal fit |
Keep a measuring tape handy. If a dimension is more than 1 cm off the product spec, let us know within 14 days so we can investigate.
Check Levelness and Stability
Set the piece on your actual floor. A wooden table on an uneven floor may rock. Place a coin on the tabletop and gently rock the piece side to side. If it wobbles, check whether the leg feet are adjustable — many MIDHILL tables include small nylon pads you can turn. Some floors are simply not level, and a slight shim under one foot can solve it.For tall cabinets and bookshelves, press gently at the top. The piece should not lean or feel loose. Mortise-and-tenon joints, when properly glued and clamped in our Foshan workshop, should not shift. If a joint feels soft, that is a red flag worth reporting immediately.
What Comes With Your Order
A complete delivery should include everything listed on your packing slip. Verify these items before the delivery driver leaves or within your 14-day return window.- All panels and structural pieces listed on the packing slip
- Hardware packets (screws, cam locks, dowels, Allen keys) — count them, do not discard until assembly is complete
- Assembly instructions with diagrams
- Any care card or finish guide
- Replacement hardware if your order includes it
If anything is missing, photograph the empty space inside the crate and send it to us. We typically ship replacements from our Foshan facility within three to five business days. Shipping is free for orders over US$350 within the United States.
Finish and Wood Grain — What's Normal, What's Not
Solid wood is not plastic. Each board carries variation. A slight color shift between adjacent stiles is normal — we source from the same lot whenever possible, but natural variation exists. Small mineral streaks, knots, or grain patterns that differ from the showroom photo are part of the material, not defects.- Normal: color variation within a board, subtle grain differences, light surface texture from hand-planing
- Not normal: deep scratches through the finish, cracked joints, water stains, mold, warped panels visible when viewed from the side
Our finish is a hand-rubbed natural oil blend, applied in two coats in our workshop. It protects the wood while letting the grain breathe. Over time, you will maintain it by wiping with a soft cloth, keeping the piece away from direct sunlight and high humidity, and reapplying a thin coat of natural wood oil every six to twelve months depending on use.
Warranty Coverage — Know Your Protection
We stand behind every piece we build. MIDHILL offers a 10-year structural warranty and a 2-year finish warranty. If a joint fails, a leg cracks, or a drawer rail breaks under normal use, we will repair or replace it. Surface scratches from daily use fall outside the finish warranty, which is why we include refinishing guidance with every order. Our lifetime refinishing service means you can restore the surface at any point — we guide you through it, and we welcome pieces back to our Foshan workshop for professional re-finishing if you prefer.| Issue Type | Coverage | What to Do |
|---|---|---|
| Structural joint failure | 10-year warranty | Photos + order number within 14 days |
| Finish defect (peeling, clouding) | 2-year warranty | Photos taken in natural daylight |
| Missing hardware | Replaced free of charge | Report before assembly is complete |
| Shipping damage | Full replacement or refund | Photo both damage and packaging |
| Surface scratch from use | Lifetime refinishing available | Contact us for guidance or workshop service |
Where to View Before You Buy
If you are considering a large piece and want to feel the weight, test the drawer slides, or see the wood grain in person, our showroom in Lecong, Foshan is open for visitors. We built this as a hands-on space so you can touch the joinery and sit on the chairs before committing. Many of our online customers visit once and then order the rest from home.We ship from Foshan to more than 15 countries. Every order is packed with corner protectors and double-layered foam. When you receive your piece, follow the checks above, and you will know exactly what you have — and what to address if anything is off.
Explore the full range at the MIDHILL collection.