Cast Iron or Cast Aluminum Patio Furniture?

Yeah, they look much like that If you move the seed tray and fragile plants in pots out of range they will never blow over! Mine are pretty heavy, even though aluminium, and I think they would only blow over in a serious gale.

 

"Like these (I've got 6 + matching table)? But I've found they will blow over in a strong wind despite having a seed tray balanced on the seat and some fragile plants in pots behind - Ouch!"

Scrungee, they are identical to my cast iron ones. I said I have to rope them through their backs and right round the table to secure them in high winds because they do blow over and a set I had many years ago a leg snapped off when it fell so I do not take the chance now in high winds.

 

I guess the alu bolted/flat pack/boxed ones would have been based on a classic cast iron design, if you've got ones without nuts under the seats they're authentic, although the alu ones are becoming collectable.

You've reminded me of yet another item to look for in old gardening catalogues!

 

In general, the ol saying is "you get what you pay for"

 

That's exactly how I would describe mine. Unless you lift it you would be likely to think it is cast iron. Well ... no rust stains though !!

 

Sorry, I forgot about this thread and so I never came back to thank you all for the advise (how thoughtless of me).

Anyway, we went with Aluminum furniture in the end.



We did have problems with the welds on a couple of the chairs and so they were turned into garden features instead. The remaining chairs however are still going strong.

 

I love both sets of furniture, gorgeous

Can you let us know where you got them from please?

 

I have a garden sofa - a folding wood sofa from IKEA which I dismantle every autumn and put in the greenhouse. The cushions have to be kept inside the house or moved into the shed in summer when rain threatens. That's a bit of a pain but I like to be comfortable - although I hardly ever sit on it! No time to sit down in a garden!

 

We ordered them from Alfresia in 2008. I wouldn't recommend the large aluminum chairs (photo 1) since the welds broke on a couple of the chairs. One broke immediately and Alfresia sent us a replacement and another broke later so we just turned the broken chairs into garden features (photo 3). The Bistro chairs (photo 2) were fine though.

 

I think you've broken the GC record for the longest pause on a thread, nearly 6 years, and 1,399 folk viewed it waiting for an answer

 

That cast aluminium furniture looks amazing!

We couldn't find a good supplier :( so opted to take a gamble on a new product called "Winawood", apparently it's completely no maintenance (so the website Gardencentreshopping says), but we will see!