Suncast Cedar Freestanding Organizer Garden Bench with Storage

The first thing you notice when you open the box is the natural fragrance of the cedar. I hate to seal the bench, but it’s going into the greenhouse, so it’s getting a natural sealer. I was also impressed with the quality of the wood, as well as its construction and detail concerning the pre-drilled holes.One leg had a small crack in it, but the length of the crack was just a few inches, and it didn’t detract from the utility or appearance of the bench. All other pieces were in perfect shape (even though the box was damaged). One other small item: they put all three sizes of the screws in a single bag, but I separated them prior to the build, and put them in separate cups (this took 3 or 4 minutes, including choosing the cups).This bench is not difficult to build, but a drill-type screwdriver, or battery-operated drill will save your tendons. Just follow the directions and you’ll be okay. It took me about an hour to put it together, and it looks great.None of the wood split while installing the screws, but I lowered the torque on my drill/driver to prevent over tightening. If installing the screws by hand, just don’t go hog nuts on the screws.Some people bitched about the price, but after browsing many, many other offerings available, this unit—especially considering the quality—was a choice that I’m very happy with, including the reasonable price.I had to build the bench inside a 6x8 foot greenhouse, because the width of the door was an inch too small to carry a completed bench through, and I’ll have to seal the bench inside the same limited space. Ugh! But, hey, it fit nicely, so what’s to complain about in this year of 2020?Edit: I just finished applying sealer to the bench. Do yourself (and your knees) a favor and seal and/or stain the middle and lower shelves, as well as the legs before assembling the bench. Some people seal/stain all the parts separately before turning a single screw, but at the least, seal the parts I just mentioned before building. As for all other parts, I see no reason to seal beforehand. In fact, all that’s left to seal is the top and headboard parts, anyway; but I found it easy to seal these after the build.Edit: as of today, February 26, 2021, the only seller of this item is charging over twice the amount I paid for it four months ago. Apparently, the single seller has bought up all these benches and is now gouging would-be buyers. Don’t buy this item at this price. Wait until this seller gets the message.

I love this cedar potting table. The directions for assembly were easy to follow and all the pieces fit together perfectly. The table is sturdy and utilitarian. Whoever designed the table, designed it for longevity. Details like the pegs at the bottom of the legs impressed me. Instead of the legs in direct contact with the ground, pegs are installed. This prevents the legs from rotting due to contact with a wet ground. If the pegs wear out and rot, they can easily and cheaply be replaced. You might want a second person to help you install the inner shelves although I installed it by myself. I would have like suggestions on preserving it--should I use a stain or sealer on cedar wood? Would definitely buy products from this company again.

I liked that the plan to assemble was relatively easy to follow. It took me a lot longer to put this all together because this bench is intended exclusively for outdoor use. Now, because Cedar is a durable wood for outdoor use but is very porous, I decided to coat each piece with at least 2 layers of outdoor marine grade varnish, paying particular attention to the foot ends which absorb moisture upon contact with the ground. It was also necessary to sand lightly between coats of varnish to maintain the wood's smoothness. It thus took several more hours to complete the assembly than indicated in the plans. It was also necessary to be cautious during the assembly process because the quality of the cedar is not the best, and the wood is easily split and splintered.By taking my time to complete the above processes, I now have a very good looking, functional and usable bench.Very recommendable.

Great bench! The pieces are cut accurately, all the hardware was included and nothing was missing from the box. Assembly was super simple. I'm a small female and I assembled this bench by myself. There is a point where the instructions say you need two assistants, but this is bull dookey. Just get yourself a pile of something to hold that center bench in place while you secure it with the screws. I used a couple of plastic storage containers and then several books that lifted the shelf to exactly where I needed it. (I didn't bother with all that measuring the legs and marking with a pencil the spots where the two lower shelves will go. It didn't seem necessary.) At this point I used my level to be sure I was installing the shelf in exactly the right spot on all four corners. Using the level at this point in the assembly process is crucial. Without the level, I would have needed the pencil marks, and even then I'm not sure getting it level would be all that easy. Then I used the same technique for the bottom shelf, but I used taller plastic storage containers since I was dealing with a larger space. (The bench is assembled upside down. Then you flip it over and attach the top piece with the shelf.) I didn't find any of this to be very difficult, and when I got finished the bench was perfectly level and even. It's a sturdy bench and looks like it will last longer than I will. One thing -- the box is very heavy, way too heavy for me to carry myself, or even drag. I got past this complication by opening the box in my driveway and carrying the pieces a few at a time to the assembly site.