Frequently Asked Questions

We have tried to address some of your common questions below.

You are also very welcome to call us on 01483 489002 or 0800 756 1036 and we will be happy to answer any questions you have.

Which wood should I choose?
Will my furniture be delivered flat pack?
Can I visit your workshop?
What do I need to treat my new chair with?
Which finishing oil should I use?
Do you supply cushions?
Can I specify a time and date for delivery?
If I cannot see my question here what can I do?

Which wood should I choose

Iroko is a hardwearing, naturally durable hardwood that has a long tradition of use for garden furniture and gives many years of life with a minimum of maintenance.

Oak is a durable European sourced hardwood offering long life and weathering with attractive grain. Again a traditional timber for outdoor use in the UK ensuring a long life with minimal care.

Please be careful if you are comparing the cost of Oak furniture. There are over 400 different species of Oak worldwide and most of them are not durable in the UK climate. Ask the supplier to confirm that the Oak they are offering is a naturally durable species like the European Oak that we use.

All of the timbers that we use are naturally durable and selected to give a long life with absolute minimum maintenance. On that basis any of them will do a good job so it is necessary to work out which other factors are most important to you.

Matching Existing Furniture - If you have existing garden furniture in Teak or Iroko, and your new purchase is going to be placed close enough to make similarity of appearance important, then Iroko is the best choice. It will weather naturally to a very similar colour to Teak. If you choose to oil your furniture Iroko will take oil treatment in much the same way that Teak does.

Weight - If light weight is important because you want to be able to move your furniture frequently, then Cedar weighs about half as much as Oak or Iroko (about 11kg). If heavy weight is important (I have several customers who have lost previous furniture to high winds!) then Oak or Iroko are about the same weight at approx 20kg for a chair.

Environmental impact - I believe that timber, as a naturally renewing material, is an ideal choice for outdoor furniture from an environmental standpoint. I also know that the issue of what is "environmentally friendly" is complex and many factors have to be taken into consideration. In general terms:

Oak is the timber with the best environmental credentials as it is all harvested in Europe under government control. The suppliers that I use source the majority of their timber from France with some also coming from Germany. For the last three or four years all of the Oak which we have purchased has been FSC certified by its supplier but we ourselves do not hold a chain of custody certificate and cannot therefore certify our chairs. Regrettably the additional costs incurred in maintaining records for certification are very difficult to justify for a relatively small manufacturer/supplier like us.
Iroko is probably the weakest choice from an environmental standpoint. While the sources we use are harvested under government control it is likely that the level of control is lower than European standards and also the distance traveled is a detraction from this point of view.

Painting - If you intend to paint your chairs then I would recommend Iroko as the best base timber. Oak is not really suitable for painting as it has a more open grain structure which reduces the lifespan of paint finishes.

Will my furniture be delivered flat pack?

Each chair is fully built by us and is then dis-assembled just enough to get it in a box and ship it. It arrives with you as a seat, back and 2 arms. Putting it back together takes about 10-15 minutes and involves two screwdrivers and a small spanner or pliers. Its not like real flat pack because it has been a chair once. To give you an idea of what is involved the instructions can be viewed here

Can I visit your workshop?

I have a small range of chairs and accessories on display which you are welcome to visit to try out. They cover the most popular options from the range. All this display furniture has been outside for svereal years so it is also an opportunity to see how they weather.

It is very much a place where things are made rather than a showroom. It is important that I know you are coming because I work alone and while I am usually in the workshop all day Monday to Friday I would hate for you to arrive while I am at the dentist. I can also usually arrange a weekend visit if I know you are coming.

The easiest thing to do is call me on 01483 489002 or 0800 756 1036 to discuss.

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What do I need to treat my new chair with?

You do not need to treat it with anything. Anything you choose to do to your furniture after it arrives is purely decorative. The woods we use are naturally durable and do not need any extra treatment. If you decide to put a decorative finish you should make sure that you follow the manufacturers instructions. Try a small sample first to make sure that you will like the end result. If you decide to apply an oil finish I would recommend the products sold as "Garden Furniture Oils" rather than traditional Teak oil. They seem to last better and are easier to apply. Any finish that you do apply will need to be maintained at some stage.

Which finishing oil should I use?

If you decide to oil your furniture, which is a purely decorative choice, I recommend the use of a good quality "Garden Furniture Oil". All of the main manufacturers supply them and they are generally readily available at good DIY stores or garden centres.

Do you supply cushions?

I'm afraid not. Most of our customers find the chairs to be comfortable without cushions and I have to say that I always find cushions on outdoor furniture to be a bit of a faff! At home I will sometimes grab a cushion off the settee in the living room to go behind my head but even without that I never have a problem falling asleep in mine on a warm afternoon!

Can I specify a time and date for delivery?

Our standard UK delivery uses a scheduled courier service. This means that we are unable to give a time of delivery but we can ship your order so that it should arrive on a nominated weekday. This is very reliable most of the time but it cannot be taken as a guarantee. We will send you the tracking details so that you can monitor the progress of the shipment online. We are also able to offer a fully assembled delivery to many destinations but this will be at extra cost which is dependent on distance and the content of the delivery. If you are interested in a quote for fully assembled delivery call us on 0800 756 1036 (or 01483 489002)