Sourcing wood marquetry panels from China

Duty on wood marquetry panels

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 30 October 2026, heading 4420 includes wood marquetry and inlaid wood alongside wooden boxes and ornaments. The marquetry line, 4420 90 10 00, carries 4% duty for goods from China. The table shows panel variants sharing this line. The supplied data shows no anti-dumping or countervailing duty and no suspension.

The line attaches CITES and ivory import controls. For timber covered by CITES, confirm the applicable permits for entry from China into Great Britain before ordering. Dealing in ivory from listed species requires an exemption. If a panel contains ivory, ask your customs broker to confirm the import requirement. The tariff also lists export controls for CITES, ivory and cultural objects; confirm these if re-exporting.

Confirm the commodity code using the complete panel description, timber species, backing and intended use. Do not choose a code from the decorative pattern alone. The wooden boxes and carved ornaments guide covers the wider heading.

Specify the veneer pattern and panel construction

Record the species used in every veneer and inlay, the backing material, panel dimensions, veneer thickness and edge treatment. Supply a pattern drawing showing grain direction, colour boundaries and how neighbouring panels should align. Agree acceptable natural colour variation against physical samples.

Approve a sample made with the intended backing, adhesive and finish. Agree flatness, joint gaps, surface smoothness and moisture checks, including how samples will be examined after unpacking. For panels sold as consumer products, importers need to demonstrate compliance with relevant safety requirements. Assess exposed edges, loose inlays and any mounting arrangement.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative order: 50 wood marquetry panels under 4420 90 10 00, invoiced at £9,000 free on board, with £800 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £9,800. Duty at 4% is £392. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £10,192, so it is £2,038.40. Import taxes total £2,430.40; a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim the VAT, so the lasting cost is the £392 of duty. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step.

Inspection checklist

Pattern: compare the layout, grain direction and colour contrast with the approved sample; place adjoining panels together to check continuity.

Bonding: inspect veneer joints, corners and edges for lifting, gaps, glue marks and cracks; examine a cut sample where agreed.

Shape and finish: check dimensions, flatness, moisture, scratches, sanding marks, tackiness and odour.

Packing and arrival: check face protection, corner support and moisture damage; repeat the inspection checks when the shipment arrives.

What goes wrong

An attractive sample can conceal weak bonding or a different backing from the production batch. Damp panels can bow, veneer edges can lift, and joints can open as the wood moves. Heavy sanding can blur pattern boundaries or expose the backing. Uncured finishes can stick to protective wrapping.

Keep the approved sample and pattern drawing available during production inspection. Agree how adjacent panels are matched and packed, and photograph the faces before wrapping. On arrival, record lifting, cracks, distortion and packing damage before the panels are installed or distributed.

Cambridge China Bridge sources these products for UK businesses, checking the factory and the documents before shipment. See factory verification. For repeat volumes, see container programmes.