I live in Reno, NV. After a dispute with its local dealer, I approached OakCraft under the terms of the warranty. A number of the cabinet doors contain burrs. According to the seller, the cabinets are fine and the defects very minor. According to the general contractor, the defects are not minor and the doors need to be replaced.
I contacted OakCraft and sent a number of photographs. I asked it to contact me. I don't know if it will. I got an email from the dealer which stated "Oakcraft is not going to respond." At a minimum, I feel I should get some official correspondence from the manufacturer in the event of a customer complaint.
It is my opinion that the OakCraft warranty creates a incentive for its dealers not to find any defect. According to an OakCraft statement, "First an OakCraft dealer has to determine there is a defect, submit the warranty claim, and then the "dealer would be [financially] responsible for receiving and installing the warranty items. (See http://www.bbb.org/phoenix/business-reviews/cabinet-manufacturer/oakcraft-elegant-cabinetry-in-scottsdale-az-34000456/complaints/) If the dealer denies there is a warranty claim, then it would not be financially for receiving and installing the blemished doors.
Added July 15 2016:
I now have questions about the quality of OakCraft's products. A number of my doors have a slight imperfection called a "bark pockets. According to Wikipedia, "Bark pockets are patches or inclusions of bark partially or fully embedded in the wood of a tree. They can also be used as biomonitors. Bark pockets are considered a nuisance in the lumber industry because they are considered a defect, and lower the grade of the wood."
It is the lower the grade of the wood that I want to address here. I have a number of these "bark pockets" on a number of these doors. OakCraft, in its website claims to "delivers a full range of quality products that cater to to all of your needs including . . ."
According to Hardwood Plywood Grading Guide (2015 Edition), availalbe through the Columbia Forest Product web site, http://www.columbiaforestproducts.com/library/reference-guides/grading-guide/page 25,, you are not supposed to see "bark pockets" in either Grade A veneer in the Maple or Oak family. You can see them in Grade B and below.
Similarily The Illustrated Guide to American Hardwood Lumber Grades, available on-line at http://www.esf.edu/wus/documents/IllustratedGradingGuide.pdf states that the National Hardwood Lumber Association "do[es] do not allow . . . [bark pocket] in the clear cuttings for all grades and they are therefore considered defects."
Added August 24, 2016
Finally heard from OakCraft. According to Debra Ryan, Director of Resource Management:
Because OakCraft is a manufacturer of cabinets, we do not deal directly with the public. All orders must go through an approved dealer. It is the dealer's responsibility to measure, design, order appropriate cabinetry, as well as any hardware that is used. When receiving the product, it is also the responsibility of the dealer to inspect the pieces before signing for and accepting the delivery.
As far as the grade of veneer used on your cabinetry, OakCraft uses a "Grade A" veneer on all cabinet faces and backs. Variations in texture and color are a natural characteristic of the wood. The only product that OakCraft offers that allows for control of visual aesthetics is a synthetic melamine wrap.
After researching your order, it has been determined that your order was processed as ordered by the dealer. You would need to continue to seek any altercations through the dealer you used.
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Added August 25, 2015
This morning I had a lovely conversation with Debra Ryan, OakCraft Director of Resource Management. She explained OakCraft's position on my concerns one the bark pockets, and while I disagree with her, I now understand where OakCraft is coming from. She also explained how OakCraft builds its product. Accordingly I am raising my star review from one to three.
Later we communicated by email and we discussed how I could resolve my other problems. She told me that my General Contractor could contact another distributor to order replacement cabinets and that it was possible to order replacement doors.
While dealing with OakCraft and most manufacturers is hard, once I got ahold of the correct person, OakCraft started to go that extra mile and work with me. This is a rare occurrence with most companies. I still not happy with its policy that ALL warranty claims must go through the dealer, OakCraft through its action today, deserves much more praise than condemnation. And for that I am raising my star review from three to four. read more