Review on 🪑 Ximen Fir Wood Barstool with Backrest by Christopher Knight Home - Naturally Antique Finish by Michelle Ramanath

My first order had one stool in perfect condition, the second one ripped at the back seam. It took three separate shipments of one to replace the damaged one. The last one I got looked in great shape until I assembled it and placed it next to the first. The rear end isn't quite flat, the spot where it bolts to the metal plate is a little wobbly. A bit disappointing after the hassle of unpacking, repacking and waiting for delivery. In general, despite the shortcomings, I decided to leave it. So here are my observations, in case they help you with your ordering decision: I'm 66 years old, fairly proficient with power tools and have experience of a variety of projects, both metal and wood. I am small; 5ft 1in, weight around 115 and in good shape lifting weights etc. Just to give you an idea. The stools are well packaged, easy to unpack without much stuffing. They're heavy gauge steel and expertly welded, although not to American craftsmanship standards, they're burnished but still look a bit rough and rustic. Everything looks solid and should last a long time. Unpacking took longer than assembly. Four screws connect the back of the chair to the seat. Everything else is shipped assembled. The biggest issue I've encountered is the quality of the wood used. under construction. It appears to be a fast-growing pine or other softwood, broad-grained, knotty, and rather coarse. The seat and backrest are assembled together, not from a single piece of wood. The back is made of pieces of wood 3 inches wide. which are connected and attenuated into a curve. of these connected parts varies by stool. A stool has a bottom section that is 3 inches wide and 15 inches long, then another 2 inch section attaches to it. The second 3 inch piece of wood that connects to the floor is made of three pieces glued together. Each stool is different depending on how many pieces of wood have been put together. Here I encountered the divisions that demanded their return. Each time the tear was at the end of a curved portion of the backrest. I suppose one person could tape and clamp the cracks, but I didn't want to waste time on that. I took the time to sand and paint the seat and backrest. . The coating provided is similar to rubbing in mineral oil. I think this can contribute to dryness and cracking. I sealed it with four coats of satin polyurethane and it looks smooth and doesn't cling to clothing. I hope that the sealing will also help with future splits. I really like the stools. They are perfect for my "industrial" repurposed setup, they sit comfortably on them and the rotary movements move smoothly. It's also nice to have a backrest for support when sitting on the stools.