I have been lurking these forums for a while now and not once did I see a thread that made me want to post as this one did.

We also bought from Wessex teak (also known as Prestige teak) and the set actually arrived without any problems. We initially thought it was all fine and were wondering what the fuss was all about. exactly 1 week after having the set outside in the sunshine, it started cracking. I don’t mean little checking type cracks, but big massive splits all along the arms of the chairs. A week later, the glue started to fail and the chairs were dangerous to sit on. We actually brought out our plastic set while we were waiting for someone to come over and replace the set. After countless of calls and rude customer service we managed to get a replacement. exactly 2 weeks later, the exact same thing has happened to the new set. A complete and utter waste of money. We since found this guide which pretty much explained why the teak was falling apart. you can see it he
http://www.farawayfurniture.co.uk/te...ure-advice.htm
http://www.farawayfurniture.co.uk/te...comparison.htm

It seems you just can’t take shortcuts with this type of thing and I personally wished I found those guides earlier. it would have saved me a lot of time and hassle. We could not afford the difference in price at the time, but have since saved up for a good quality set and we should be buying one in a months time.

I purchased a table from them (wessex teak) about 3 or 4 years ago on ebay for just over £300. Although I would not recommend them as the delivery service was a shambles (it took about 4 weeks to arrive and i had to call them a countless times to find out when it was coming as they ignored my emails) the table and chairs have lasted well.

When mine was delivered it looked like the grade C according to the faraways site but with in a about a month or so it went a grey/silver colour. I think as with most internet guides you should take what they say in the faraways guide with a pinch of salt. Our chairs and tables have now gone to a dark silver grey and I have not touched it with teak oil and left it uncovered all through the year. I keep meaning to wash it off to clean it up a bit but we're too busy getting the garden ready for spring, every things started growing!

The prices seem to be £1500+ for a table set on that faraways site! certainly out of our reach and even if i did have that much spare I would spend it on a holiday...

I would love to see what the set looks like after 3 or 4 years. If you get a chance, will you take a picture and post it? Has it not warped or cracked at all anywhere?

I agree with you Naomi on this one. When I was in the market two years ago for a teak set, I bought from wessex and it also fell apart after a couple of months. Joints separated and large cracks appeared on the table top and chair legs. I since bought from Indian Ocean in a sale they had for over 4 times the cost. However, the set is still in perfect condition and looks like new. It weathered into a beautiful bright silver colour and not that horrid dirty gray cheap teak turns to. I would guess it will actually last me a lifetime. In the long run, it’s a much better investment. Friends of ours have also bought from an ebay company which I don’t recall the name of. They were happy with the set for over a year but when we visited 2 weeks ago, it looked terrible. The slats were bulging out from the sides of the table, and it just felt really dry and brittle. Ours looks a hundred times better and it was never even covered over winter.

If you can afford it, go for quality like Barlow Tyrie, Indian Ocean or Faraway Furniture. Otherwise, don’t bother with Teak and look for a good quality, fully machine made Iroko instead.

had a quick look over it today and it still looks good, took a photo with my camera phone so the quality is not great but the teak still looks really nice, I much prefer the silver/grey colour to the orange/brown colour.

http://i40.tinypic.com/33vyhkj.jpg

Considering I only paid £300 (i think it was £312 as it was an auction) its been a really good buy and still has many years left in it.

I am probably the same as most people, I get fed up with things so quickly! clothes, mobiles phones, cars even the furniture inside our home I like to chop,change and buy new. I don't think I could have the same table in my garden for much more than 5 years, it would be so boring!

I will probably get something bigger in the future as the one I have only seats 4 people, but I will probably pass it on (or she will beg for it like most things!) to my daughter to use, with the money I saved I can by 6 different sets when you compare to faraways £1800 prices.... I will probably get something like this next http://www.simplygardenfurniture.co....ny-Dinning-Set

but it all depends if and when my partner starts getting overtime again!

Firstly Naomi, I have no idea who you are, much less any knowledge of any complaint regarding any furniture you may or may not have bought. Since I'm one of the blokes who actually delivers the furniture, and consequently processes any returns I can state categorically that I have had no returns due to furniture that 'fell apart'...There has been the odd instance where some idiot made a chair with a knot in the leg, but when it comes off the container wrapped in cardboard we cannot actually see it.

As for the previous poster and the wessexteak premises moves...I have worked for them for five years...they have moved once in that time, that move was due to the farmer wanting yet more money for a leaky warehouse he would not fix...nothing more sinister than that.

Ray (Driver) Wessexteak

My experience is Wessex Teak's product quality is appalling. We bought a set from them and have had serious problems with every type of item e.g. rot in a teak table, broken chairs, parasol not working after a few months.

Wessex teak sell cheap garden furniture so they get sales, but they do not offer value for money.

If you have the kind of money they want you'd be best to spend it on another company as otherwise you'll end up with garden furniture that won't last and a company that are very difficult to deal with as this thread demonstrates. Teak should last decades, not months.

This 'Thread' as you put it demonstrates a few rogue sets, it does not however take account of thousands of satisfied customers who don't post because put quite simply, they have nothing to moan about.

I work hard and do very long days running out of Essex to places like Yorkshire, Cumbria, Wales.

General information.

It is frankly bloody annoying when what little job I have is put at risk through the odd dissatisfied customer...no-one thinks of the knock-on effect these postings have on people who are blameless.

I reiterate I have had very few returns through faults or breakages. However please feel free to spend a fortune on grade 1 super deluxe teak, and find once you've polished the shiny chemical finish off, that it is exactly the same teak as you are getting from Wessex.

Were I buying untreated teak as it were personally, I'd be using Cuprinol hardwood garden furniture protector, I'd also be sanding it to within an inch of its life to get the best finish possible...

It is clear, however, that there are some people in this world who want everything, at rock bottom prices, and with no effort at all on their part...

Much as if you buy a car, ignore servicing it, and then are surprised when you are left stranded in the pouring rain when it's least convenient.

Yes with ALL teak WHOEVER supplied it you may get issues and maybe if you don't really know how to look after something, or are without a practical bone in your body, either learn those skills, employ someone with those skills, marry someone with those skills...

But please don't complain because of ignorance on how to prepare/treat/build/store a product.

I had garages ripping me off for substandard work, did I moan (well a little) but I got off my bum and studied motor vehicle engineering...end result I don't get ripped off any more, neither do I get stranded in the pouring rain...

So what's it going to be, learn about the product you are buying and its care...or wet at the roadside....Your choice.



Ray.

Thanks Ray "the Driver" for your ever insightful comments. Funnily enough, after finding I'd being ripped off by Wessex Teak I did look into teak furniture quality and found out the reasons for the problems with the Wessex Teak order were the exceptionally low grade of teak used and the poor build quality. When I buy a proper set or teak furniture I will feel much more secure in this knowledge.

If you're worried about your job maybe you should go work for one of those numerous reputable teak suppliers as a I find when you Google their names you don't get 4 separate online forums full of their customers complaining about poor product quality and even worse customer service.

100s of customers taking the time to 'moan' about Wessex Teak, going back to 2006, in forums suggests there are likely 1000's of dissatisfied customers who couldn't be bothered to complain.


PS I don't think anyone's falling for the 'just the lowly driver' cover story 'Ray'

PPS Anyone reading this and thinking of buying from Wessex Teak - DON'T. You might as well stand in the shower ripping up bank notes.

(1). Your money, your choice.

(2). I'm not driving miles to work for another teak supplier as I am A: Generally happy in the job I am doing, and B: When I do look for another job, I'd rather have a career move as drivers seem to be 10 a penny (skilled yet unappreciated).

(3) Wessexteak did not exist in 2006, sorry.

(4) Nobody is asking anyone to fall for a 'cover story'. I am a delivery driver and a damn good one at that. Anyone who has received their furniture from me will attest to that. Routing and correct loading is a skill all in itself. If you want however, to believe that I am anything other than a delivery driver...fine. I think that others can make up their own minds when I pull up outside their houses with their furniture.
I am sure you can think up any number of reasons why I am not a delivery driver, all of which would probably be loaded due to ill feeling, but that in itself does not make them accurate, or true.

I am a delivery driver for Wessexteak, nothing more, nothing less. whether you appreciate it or not, I have no reason to lie.


(5) And...what do you get for the taxes you pay?



Ray (Driver) Wessexteak.

Maybe maths isn't my strong point....but if Ray says he has worked for Wessex Teak for five years (post 21) but at the same time the company "did not exist in 2006" (post 25) then does that mean I am dozed off and missed 2010! ;-)

On a more serious note, I had the misfortune to buy from Wessex Teak and after one summer, with lots of TLC (including oil and sanding), the table had splits in two places, and warped enough to mean drinks looked like they were being served on a boat listing to starboard rather severely.

You get what you pay for in life I guess. Hopefully Ray gets paid very well - after all, there aren't many delivery drivers I've met before who are so passionate about their employers that they are willing to trawl the net singing their praises :-)

P.

They didn't exist in 2006, as back then the company was known as PTC imports.
As for trawling the internet, yes I do but not for wessexteak, sometimes I do a search just to see what people have to say.
I've not had a lot of issues with the furniture, but I cant say I have had none at all, still, in general I have found most people happy with what they received. I cant say they are the best company I have ever worked for as sometimes (more often then not) I get tun into the ground with the long hours and seemingly endless miles, and I often sadly dream that I might do something other than see that bl**dy steering wheel for just one day.

Still, it's what I do, and it's better than having no job at all like some poor sods.

I wish I could make you people happy, but I am but one link in the chain, and not the one who makes the decisions.

I can only say that most people are happy, and I think that's all any company can hope for really.



Ray.

Shameless plug here, but we supply teak furniture to the UK... It's in no way as cheap as Wessex, but built so you'll be handing it down to your grandchildren!

We deliver when & where our customers require, build, and take away packaging. Should be pretty standard these days, I would have thought!

Normally deliver within 4 working days to mainland.

Take a look if you're still stumped Contemporary garden furniture range at Bau Outdoors

Bau Outdoors

Hi there,

PLEASE AVOID WESSEX TEAK!!!

I didn't read and now I am trying to get back from them close to 1400£!!!! I am in touch with trading standards and in process of sending them official letters.
I can confirm that there is NO costumer service and if you get to talk to someone they are very rude!!!

And by the way. I do not believe that the furniture is GRADE B as I was told by Paul Allen. It is very likely to be GRADE C (does last about a season if you are luky)

So please don't even consider to buy from them

Its not grade B. Its clearly grade C. Here is a company i found that is honest enought o advertise some of their sets as Grade B and it looks completely different from the stuff on wessex teak.

Teak Sets - Teak Garden Furniture Sets

Check out the grain on those sets. Not too bad and hence grade B.

Looking at this description here of what grade A should look like compared to grade C

Important Teak Furniture Purchasing Guide - Please Read.