Would you spend $5000 on an outdoor table and chairs?

[AngryAmish]

My neighbors got new outdoor tables and chairs a few weeks ago. Being the noisy kind, I looked it up on the internet.

Lookee here:

This is for the big table and eight chairs. In Chicago where you get to use it about six times a year.

Now, these people are real nice and I have nothing against them. But, it seems like a big waste.

[matcom]

1. nice. LOVE TEAK!

if i had it? sure. why not. that set will last forever

[bleedingheart]

2. no

but then I don't have that kind of disposable income.

are you sure that is what they got????

[AngryAmish]

4. yup

I checked.

[bleedingheart]

7. wow...

to be honest I bought a Martha Stewart cast iron set and while I like it...it rusts...and the rust gets on my patio...but it was economical and I don't like those glass table sets.

if I had the cash I might spend that much on patio furniture because we spend a lot of time outdoors on our patio...but that is only after I have the house paid for, the college paid for...etc....

[AngryAmish]

I got a cast iron set myself

With a real nice marble top. I don't keep it outside because of fear of rust. It's kinda small, but I live by myself and don't usually entertain for more than 4.

I got the table from an ex-girlfriend. She'll get it back when I get my CDs back.

[progmom]

3. i've come around on spending a lot of money on furniture

it makes a lot more sense than buying cheap crap and replacing it every few years....

[tk2kewl]

5. no...

my wife would like to but she is mildly insane

[Crazy Guggenheim]

6. It's nice stuff being made out of teak. But five grand sounds a lot!

But look at this:

"Our most popular tables complement our Devon dining chairs and are crafted from ecologically harvested teak for years of use outdoors. "

I wonder when they say ecologically harvested if means without the distruction of the certain areas.

[all.of.me]

11. i think ecologically harvested means...

it is from a farm, instead of from the wild. like christmas trees.

i worked at the dansk factory outlet in 1978 or so, and a lot of their products were made of teak. we were told that teak would be gone in ten years, but people loved it and bought it up. that's when someone decided to grow it 'ecologically.'

[radwriter0555]

8. Well sure, why not? If it's their money, and they earned it and they enjoy

their furniture that will last them for decades, then all the more power to them.

The furnishings they've chosen are of the finest quality and timeless classics without being stuck in a fad-rut or tackiness.

Yes, it IS a lot of money to spend, but you know... you can't take it with you.

[DebinTx]

9. I did spend about $3000 on outdoor furniture

Got a round glass-top table, 4 sling type chairs, umbrella and stand, and 2 chaise (sp?) lounge chairs, cast aluminum. That was 8 years ago and they're still beautiful. I also live in Texas, so just about every weekend, we cook out. I wouldn't pay that much for teak - it just doesn't hold up as well.

[punpirate]

10. The most I've spent...

... on a car is about 60% of that. Hell, no, I wouldn't pay five thousand bucks for something that is going to go bad in the sun and the rain in a few years.

But, then, I'm cheap. :P

[bunkerbuster1]

12. No, but I don't need the big table + 8 chairs.

We spent -- ok, I don't remember, this was when Mrs. Buster got this stuff at cost as a retailer, but it was easily $1500, probably more like 2 grand, for a good teak table and four chairs, 10 years ago.

It's stayed outside through some rough Northeastern winters, and now some brutal Southeastern summers. Never covered, never stored inside. Save for an occasional cleanup and a wipedown with mineral-oil, it's as sturdy as ever.

If you're looking to save some dough over what Smith & Hawken charged your neighbors, I'd recommend these folks:

http://www.woodclassics.com/

If you're not a total spazz, you can save some money building from a kit rather than having it shipped assembled. My aforementioned teak table wasn't from them, but we did order an oak sofa as a kit and had some fun putting it together. A construction project to be sure but rewarding, and it saved us a few hundred bucks.

[trackfan]

13. No. I made my own outdoor table for aobut $50

[flvegan]

14. Only if it came with a briefcase with $4800 in it.

[Trigger Hippie]

15. No way

would I spend that much. That's just crazy. But I'm pretty "thrifty" myself. (Really cheap.)

:hi:

[The_Casual_Observer]

16. If that furniture is left outside, it will turn a weathered grey color

unless they apply some kind of stain to it. for sure they will have to store it in the garage in the winter. This pieces are very high maintenance.

[crispini]

17. Well. If I were buying something new, it is true

that you get what you pay for, and it's worth it to spend a bit of extra money to get something that will last and last and last. But my preference is usually to buy something OLD that has already lasted a good while and is usually cheaper than something new. I just luuuuve garage and estate sales. I got a great old set of wicker furniture for the outdoor porch for $200. Sofa, rocking chair and table.

[MemphisTiger]

18. That's a pretty big table set

If they want to spend it, good for them. I probably wouldn't spend that much on outdoor furniture that I don't use much. If I lived in SoCal I would be able to get some use out of it.

[Lauri16]

19. Not a chance

We paid a local woodworker $450 for a complete set.