Customer Reviews

Strathwood Balboa Deep Seat Armless Chair with Cushion

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(6)

 

 

I purchased the Balboa seating for my screened porch. I was pleased with the quality and colour of the wood, it`s very heavy and feels sturdy. One of the problems I encountered however was that not all of the screw holes had been drill out properly making some of the screws virtually impossible to get in. But what really disappoints me is the cushions. Within a few weeks of having the furniture they were covered in mildew. Considering this is supposed to be outdoor furniture and mine is undercover it is very poor indeed. I`m really disappointed and the mildew is proving difficult to move making the whole set look really unsightly and unusable. A big thumbs down!

I loved this chair when I got it, but unfortunately I wished the cushions were not listed as weatherproof. Even after buying a cover the cushions became mildewed to where i now either have to get new cushions,(which are not available) or pay to have them recovered. All I can say is, I do recommend the chair but pay the extra money for the storage container and keep the cushions stored at all times when not in use.

I have the Balboa Collection; the corner piece, armless chair and the chaise, and have been very happy with it. I have had it for over a year on my patio and think that it looks great, the perfect piece for enjoying summer outdoors. The wood has held up well, there are a few places that it has split but nothing major and they are barley noticeable, mainly on the bottom of the legs. This occurred during winter since I live in a place with a lot of moisture I figured not storing the wood indoors could affect it, and was pleasantly surprised with the minimal amount of splitting. The cushions have held up well too (I bring them inside during the winter to store them) and are very comfy. The depth on the pieces are good for relaxing and the chaise is great to stretch out and read in the sun. I will mention that the chaise is not long enough to lay completely on your back and not have your feet hang off the edge, but it is the right size for reading while sitting and stretching out your legs. The ottoman has come in very handy as an extra place to stretch your legs if another person is sitting in the chaise portion or I have used it without the cushion as a cocktail table to put the wine and cheese on. Overall I think that the Balboa collection is a great item for my yard and am very happy with the quality and price.

We had been searching for some time for a solid and comfortable (and affordable) set of outdoor furniture for our screened-in porch. The Strathwood Balboa sectional fit our space exactly, and therefore seemed like a natural choice. We ordered 3 armless chairs, a corner chair and an ottoman last week; the armless chairs arrived within a day of placing the order (wow!), the corner piece arrived the following day, and the ottoman arrived a couple of days after that...all within a week of the order.

Here's our take on the furniture:

Pros

Attractive
Comfortable
Seems solid once correctly put together (see note on corner chair...make sure you use all the bolts included in package)


Cons

--Some lack of consistency in manufacturing...two armless chairs went together easily, one required us to "chip out" wood from some holes (used a drill and bit) in order to allow the back slats to fit in. I also found that the screws for the ottoman, clearly the "easiest" piece to put together, were unbelievably tight and hard to screw in...I eventually used some candle wax (rubbed the screw threads across the stub of a candle) to lubricate the screws and they were easier to get in. Also, in assembling the ottoman, I stripped two screws trying to use my drill (because of the tightness of the screws) in place of the allen wrench provided...fortunately, there was an extra screw included in that package...all the other pieces came with the exact number of necessary screws and bolts.
--"Instructions" are inadequate for the corner piece; even with the caution given by other reviewers, I missed the bolts that others warned about, and yes, I, too, had to take everything apart and then re-assemble it. Frustrating and time-consuming!

The Natural-colored cushions are attractive, but, like others, I fear trying to keep them clean. I sprayed them all with a couple of cans of Scotchgard, and intend to spot clean them as necessary and re-apply the Scotchgard annually. ALSO--the cushions are VERY FIRM...there is not much "give" when you sit down, but we are okay with that. They are noticably firm when you sit, so keep that in mind.

All in all, we are delighted with the purchase, and feel that the quality is very good. Assembly was frustrating at times, but with that behind us, we are enjoying our new furniture.

I love this set of furniture. The set is heavy and well made. It took about an hour to put together. I get plenty of compliments on this set. The cushions are about 4" thick. They are stiff and feel hard if you plop down on them, but are very comfortable to sit on. The back cushion fastens to the slats on the back of the chair, the seat cushion, however, just sits atop the chair. I will make ties to fasten it down in high winds. I also scewed feet to the bottom of the chair so the wood wouldn't rest directly on the deck.

Do not buy this furniture. In July 2008 I bought a whole set, 5 armless chairs, 1 corner piece, 1 chaise and the ottoman. I spend a lot of money on it. This year when I put the furniture outside, after 2 days the cushions were moldy and dirty and it's virtually impossible to clean them. Also, just by touching it the fabric falls apart. I contacted amazon and they came back saying that the only solution for my problem was to buy new cushions. THE NEW CUSHIONS THAT THEY ARE TALKING ABOUT ARE MORE EXPENSIVE THAN THE WHOLE PIECE OF FURNITURE. I now am the proud owner of ripped and stained furniture.

The cushions in this set are well made, but dirty very easily. We scotchguarded them when we received the set and still had problems. Finally I removed all the covers and stained them - better than the dirty color they were becoming. The stain has faded and they look terrible now. The size is an unusual size, so the only place to buy new cushions is from the same manufacturer and they are VERY expensive. I would not buy this set again.

I bought 6 of these chairs and they all arrived damaged. The wood was split where the 2 pieces were supposed to be attached. I have been a loyal amazon customer for years. This was and is my last purchase. What a waste of time. Should have just gone with a retail store in the first place. Amazon should not sell products that they do not know how to ship. There were no packing peanuts or bubble used to protect the product at all. I am very disappointed. Amazon Frustration Free Packing really means cheap packing materials with no protection!

We had been looking for a patio "sectional" and were on the verge of paying much, much more. When the furniture arrived (in its 70# boxes), there were a few dings in a couple of pieces. I wasn't excited about shipping back the heavy freight, so I took some pictures and called Amazon. We made a deal we could both live with. The new furniture looks WONDERFUL. I would have preferred more cushion color choices, but we Scotch Guarded the light color and we'll see how it goes. VERY, VERY happy.

UPDATE: When the price went way down, we ordered 2 more pieces to make the "sectional" larger. These pieces again arrived with slight damage, but that was far from the worst thing. The pieces are actually completely different. They are not built nearly as sturdy, the legs are a 1/2" shorter and smaller in diameter. The cushions are completely different. I am still happy with the old pieces, but the new ones are horrible!! I would not buy these pieces now if I were you!!!

I ordered 4 pieces from the strathwood balboa set (armless chair, corner chair, chaise and ottoman to form a sectional) and I LOVE them. I checked out a very similar sectional at Pottery Barn for over $3000 and I'm so glad that I bought this one instead. It arrived on time, in great condition. Amazon service was incredible when one of the pieces was held up, they made sure it arrived on time. It was relatively easy to put together, but did require a little muscle. Once assembled, it is rock solid and really great looking. The cushions are very firm and look terrific in cream, but wont stay clean for long. I don't think they are weather resistant but the whole set is so affordable. I think I'll dye them a taupe or chocolate color to hide the wear. Great furniture, great service, great buy!!!!