When you pay for a design, you don’t automatically own it. vlastnické právo, právo vlastnit, upravovat a používat návrh jako vlastní majetek. Also known as vlastnictví návrhu, it is not transferred just because you paid the designer or ordered the laminate finish. Many truhláři in the Czech Republic assume that once they’ve paid for a door design or cabinet layout, they can use it however they want. That’s a dangerous assumption. The person who drew it — even if hired — often keeps the autorská práva, právo vlastníka díla na jeho využití a reprodukci. This isn’t about being unfair. It’s about the law.
If you’re a truhlář who builds custom doors using laminates, you’ve probably worked with designers, architects, or even clients who provided their own sketches. But if you reproduce that design for multiple customers, or use it in your portfolio, you could be breaking the law. návrh interiéru, konkrétní prostorové řešení, které má tvůrčí charakter a je chráněno autorským zákonem. Even a simple door panel layout with unique grain direction or edge profile can qualify as a protected design. You don’t need a patent. You don’t need to register it. The moment it’s created, it’s protected. And if you copied it without permission, you’re liable — even if you didn’t know.
This isn’t just about avoiding lawsuits. It’s about protecting your own business. If you’re sourcing laminates for custom doors and the design comes from a third party, always ask for written permission to reproduce it. Get a license. Or better yet — design your own. Many truhláři don’t realize that their own in-house designs, once created, belong to them. But only if they’re original. If you tweak a catalog design from a supplier, you’re still using someone else’s work. The same applies to Pinterest boards or Instagram inspiration. Copying is easy. Owning is hard.
What’s the solution? Start by documenting everything. If you’re working with a designer, include a clause in your contract: "All rights to the design are transferred to the client upon full payment." If you’re designing for yourself, keep your sketches, notes, and digital files. Date them. Store them. If you ever need to prove you created it, you’ll have the evidence. And if you’re buying laminates for a client’s custom project, make sure you’re not being asked to reproduce a design you don’t legally own.
You’re not just building doors. You’re building reputation. And reputation doesn’t survive on copied designs. It survives on original work, clear contracts, and knowing exactly what you own — and what you don’t. Below, you’ll find real cases from Czech truhláři who learned this the hard way, tips on how to avoid legal traps, and how to turn your own designs into protected assets — not liabilities.
Zjistěte, jak sledovat řízení o vkladu v katastru nemovitostí a chránit si svůj majetek před podvody. Bezplatná služba ČÚZK vás upozorní na každou změnu - a to je vaše nejlepší ochrana.
