How a made-to-order floor gets from Europe to New York

A made-to-order floor from our partner manufacturers in Europe takes 12 to 14 weeks from order to delivery, including shipping. Stock floors ship in 1 to 2 weeks and quick-finish floors in 2 to 3. The steps below show where the 12 to 14 weeks go, so you can plan the installation date backwards from them.

Approval and deposit

The clock starts once the specification is final, any custom color sample is approved and the deposit is paid. A color revision or a late deposit moves every date after it by the same amount.

Production

The manufacturer cuts, presses and finishes the boards to your specification, then packs them in crates. Production takes most of the lead time, about 8 to 10 weeks, depending on the manufacturer's schedule and the finish.

Shipping

Most orders ship LCL, which means less than container load: our crates share a container with other cargo. Containers sail on a weekly schedule, and crates must be collected at least 7 days before the Friday cut-off to make that week's sailing. Missing a cut-off adds a week. Ocean freight takes about 4 weeks door to door, including the steps below.

Port, customs and trucking

The shipment arrives at an East Coast port, clears customs and travels by truck to New York, or straight to your project if it is elsewhere in the US. Customs inspections and truck availability are the variables here, and we allow for them in the dates we give you.

Delivery to the apartment

Buildings set delivery hours and require a service elevator booking, and some want a certificate of insurance on file first. We book those as soon as the shipment has a vessel, so the floor goes from the truck to the apartment on the planned day.

Shorter routes

Stock floors skip production and ocean shipping and reach you in 1 to 2 weeks. Quick-finish floors start from a stock board that we finish in the color you choose, in 2 to 3 weeks. When the schedule is tight, we show you the stock and quick-finish floors closest to what you wanted.