Average Rating: 
Rating: - A very good bench
Recieved bench in about a week, however I live close to the warehouse. Shipping box was slightly torn but materials intact. I could see how some complaints about missing hardware could occur if the box had greater damage. The company needs to use sturdier shipping boxes for sure.About the bench, the color of the wood I received is stained a dark cherry red, not the light brown displayed in the picture. But wood eventually changes color after exposed to the elements anyway. You need about 1 to 2 hours to assemble it. You need a pair of plyers, a philips screw driver, and a *drill* for sure when installing the stablizer strips. During assembly, be sure not to tighten everything at once. Everything should be loose at first. Tighten in cycles to make sure wood slats and sides fit into place. If things don't appear to fit, shift bench to get pieces in place. When attaching the three metal stabilizer strips, don't worry that they don't exactly fit the contour of the bench. Once the screws are gradually tightened (in cycles) the metal bends to the shape you want. You will need a drill to make the holes for the stabilizer strips (the wood is hard). If you accidently drill all the way through the wood slat, you can patch it later with some chaulking material. Once completed, the bench is very sturdy and strong. It is a small bench and very attractive thanks to the side metal design. It definitely is a deal for the price. The item description erroneously states the shipping weight as 20 pounds. It is a heavy bench, and has a quality look and feel. Originally I was thinking of getting the Astonica Ivy bench but this one has full wood support in the back. Plus I figured the Ivy bench metal part would be cold in the winter, and hot in the summer. This bench is cheaper too. The reason I did not give it 5 stars is that the color of the wood is different than advertised.
Rating: - Nice Garden Bench
This bench was a Christmas gift for our recently redone outdoor courtyard. It was ordered in the holiday season, but arrived with plenty of time.Friends put the bench together, and did not report any problems with pieces being missing or parts damaged. The bench was tightly assembled and placed outside. It's seen rain and cold, but still remains a good-looking (the wood is shiny) bench for now. The curve of the bench is rather comfortable and supporting, and the iron does not appear to have any poorly cast or rough edges. The feet are tiny and thin, so if you are using it in a gravelled area, it may rough up the the dirt somewhat and sink into soft ground. Hope all who had service problems with their benches get things sorted out. It does appear to be a nice, serviceable garden bench.
Rating: - Missing Items
Despite several calls to the 1-800 Number listed on the Manufacturers box, the customer service representative would never return my calls for help. The item arrived without the instructions and the obvious back support for the back part of the bench which is clearly shown on every picture Amazon offers. A lack on instructions would normally not be such a big thing but the placement of the narrow slats is important for the spacing to fit properly. Amazon has responded that they will help with this company but nothing has occured as yet.
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