A 12-month fiberglass sculpture warranty covers manufacturing and quality defects: structural cracking from a build fault, delamination, poor gel coat adhesion, paint defects, and dimensional errors against the approved design. It does not cover transit damage, installation errors, vandalism, storm or impact damage, or normal cosmetic ageing such as gel coat oxidation and fading. Warranty terms should be in writing before you place the order.
What a 12-Month Warranty Actually Covers
A 12-month warranty is a defect warranty, not an insurance policy. It exists because fiberglass is a hand-built composite: resin, glass mat, gel coat, and a welded steel frame are combined by people, and people can make mistakes. If a fault in our workmanship shows up within 12 months of delivery, we fix it. That is the whole scope.
Covered defects are specific and diagnosable. Structural cracking that traces back to a build fault, such as insufficient laminate thickness or a poorly tied frame joint, is covered. Delamination, where the laminate layers separate, is covered. Poor gel coat adhesion, where the finish lifts or blisters away from the substrate, is covered. Paint defects such as runs, sags, or premature flaking from a coating error are covered. Dimensional errors against the approved design, measured against the signed drawing or 3D file, are covered.
FibraCraft documents this warranty in writing with every order. As a custom fiberglass sculpture manufacturer working with US buyers since 2017, we have delivered over 500 projects worldwide, including 50+ in the United States, and the defect rate on structural and finish issues is low because the inspection happens at the factory before crating.
What Is Not Covered, and Why
Most disputes between buyers and factories come from damage that looks like a defect but is not one. Transit damage is the most common. Once a sculpture leaves our dock, it is in the hands of freight carriers, and damage in transit is a freight insurance claim, not a warranty claim. That is why we photograph and document every piece before it is crated and recommend buyers inspect on arrival.
Installation errors are the second category. If a sculpture is anchored incorrectly, mounted to a surface that cannot carry the load, or installed without the approved base plate and anchor pattern, the resulting cracks are not a manufacturing defect. Vandalism, storm damage, hail, vehicle impact, and falling objects are all excluded. So is normal cosmetic ageing: gel coat oxidation, chalking, and fading are expected over time and are handled by maintenance, not warranty.
The table below is the version we put in writing. If a buyer needs a different split, it has to be negotiated before the order, not after a problem appears.
| Item | Covered under 12-month warranty | Not covered |
|---|---|---|
| Structural cracking | Yes, if traced to a build fault | No, if caused by impact, overload, or bad anchoring |
| Delamination | Yes, from a lamination fault | No, if caused by solvent exposure or physical damage |
| Gel coat adhesion | Yes, lifting or blistering from a coating fault | No, if caused by abrasion or chemical contact |
| Paint and color | Yes, runs, sags, or flaking from a coating error | No, for fading or chalking from UV exposure over time |
| Dimensions | Yes, if outside the approved drawing or 3D file | No, if the buyer changed the spec after approval |
| Transit damage | No | Yes, claim through freight insurance |
| Installation damage | No | Yes, buyer responsibility |
| Vandalism, storm, impact | No | Yes, buyer or insurer responsibility |
| Cosmetic ageing | No | Yes, handled by scheduled maintenance |
Service Life and Why Ageing Is Not a Defect
A properly built fiberglass sculpture lasts 10 to 30+ years outdoors with maintenance. The laminate itself is the durable part. The gel coat is the sacrificial layer, and it takes the UV, the rain, and the pollution. Expect to refresh the gel coat every 5 to 7 years on an outdoor piece in a high-UV state such as Arizona, Texas, or Florida. Indoor pieces in malls and hotels can go much longer between refreshes.
This is why fading and chalking are excluded from warranty. A 12-month warranty cannot cover a 20-year ageing process. What it can do is cover the first year, when any real manufacturing fault will show itself. If gel coat adhesion was poor at build, it typically fails within months, not years. If the laminate was under-built, stress cracking appears early. The 12-month window is calibrated to catch build faults, not to underwrite the sculpture forever.
We build with marine-grade resin, UV-stable gel coat, and hand layup over a welded steel internal frame. Fire-retardant FRP is available for indoor public spaces. Those material choices are what buy the 10 to 30 year service life, and the maintenance schedule is what protects it.
How to Make a Warranty Claim: Step by Step
The fastest claims are the ones with good documentation. Follow this order and most issues are resolved without shipping anything back to China.
- Document the issue. Take clear photos from 2 ft to 6 ft away, plus a close-up of the defect, and note the date you first saw it. Write a two or three sentence description of what changed and when.
- Contact the factory. Email the photos and description to your project contact. Include the order number, the delivery date, and the installation date.
- Remote diagnosis first. Our engineers review the photos and, if needed, ask for a short video or a measurement. Most claims are diagnosed remotely within a few business days.
- Choose a repair path. Depending on the diagnosis, the fix is usually one of three options: a local gel coat technician using matched resin and color, a replacement part shipped from the factory, or factory repair if the piece can be returned economically.
- Confirm the outcome in writing. Whatever path is chosen, get the scope, the timeline, and who pays for what in writing before work starts.
For a claim, contact our team with the documentation above. Email jinsenjiu@gmail.com or WhatsApp +86 158 8041 2886.
Why Factories Keep Resin and Gel Coat Formulas on File
Color and resin matching is the reason a local repair is possible at all. When we build a piece, we record the resin batch, the gel coat formula, and the Pantone reference used. Pantone matching runs to about 98% accuracy, and that record is what lets a gel coat technician in Ohio or California mix a repair that blends into the original finish instead of standing out as a patch.
Without those records, a repair shop is guessing. With them, the shop can order or mix a matching gel coat, feather it into the surrounding surface, and polish it out. That is why we keep formulas on file for every project, and why buyers should ask any supplier whether they do the same. It is a small administrative habit that saves thousands of dollars in shipping and downtime later.
If you are comparing suppliers, treat formula retention as a spec item, the same way you would treat laminate thickness or anchor design. See our custom FRP sculptures page for how we document builds.
Warranty Terms Belong in Writing Before the Order
Verbal warranty promises are worth nothing in a dispute. Before you pay a deposit, ask for the warranty in writing: what is covered, what is excluded, how long it runs, who pays for what, and how a claim is filed. If a supplier will not put it in writing, that tells you something about how a claim will go.
At FibraCraft, the 12-month warranty against manufacturing and quality defects is documented in writing with the order. Production runs 3 to 6 weeks from approved design for standard pieces and 12 to 16 weeks for very large or complex landmark pieces. Sea freight door-to-door to any US state typically takes 5 to 9 weeks total, and sea freight is roughly 80% cheaper than air for large heavy pieces. Quotes are free and itemized in USD within 24 hours, with mold cost, production, finish, and shipping listed separately. Minimum order is 1 piece, and both one-off custom pieces and batch orders are welcome. Standard terms are 30% deposit to start production, balance before shipment.
Typical factory-direct price bands, before freight, are shown below. These are planning numbers, not quotes, because every sculpture is priced from the actual design.
| Category | Typical factory-direct USD price | Typical lead time |
|---|---|---|
| Small props and figures | $1,200 to $5,000 | 3 to 6 weeks |
| Life-size figures | $4,500 to $12,000 | 3 to 6 weeks |
| Large landmark pieces | $30,000 to $150,000 | 12 to 16 weeks |
| Mold and tooling | $1,200 to $1,500 | Included in production schedule |
| Freight | Quoted per project | 5 to 9 weeks sea, faster by air |
FAQ
Does the 12-month warranty cover shipping damage?
No. Transit damage is a freight insurance claim, not a warranty claim. We photograph and document every piece before crating, and buyers should inspect on arrival and file any freight claim within the carrier's window, often 5 to 15 days depending on the carrier.
What if the gel coat fades after two summers?
Fading and chalking are normal cosmetic ageing and are excluded. Outdoor fiberglass sculptures last 10 to 30+ years with maintenance, and the gel coat should be refreshed every 5 to 7 years. A refresh on a life-size figure is a maintenance cost, not a warranty event.
Can a defect be fixed locally instead of shipping the sculpture back?
Yes, in most cases. We diagnose remotely from photos and video, then a local gel coat technician repairs using matched resin and color. We keep formulas on file for every project, and Pantone matching runs to about 98% accuracy, so a local repair blends into the original finish.
How fast can a replacement part ship if local repair is not possible?
For a covered defect, a replacement part typically ships within 3 to 6 weeks of claim approval, plus 5 to 9 weeks sea freight to a US state, or faster by air. Small parts can often go by air freight in under 2 weeks.
Is the warranty valid if I install the sculpture myself?
Yes, manufacturing defects remain covered for 12 months, but installation damage is not. If you anchor the piece without the approved base plate and anchor pattern, any cracking from that anchoring is excluded. Follow the approved installation drawing, and document the install with photos.