Consider the quality, from materials to assembly

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When a log is cut at the mill, each piece of timber that comes from it is graded for quality. A small percentage of the log receives the best, or "first" grade; a larger percent is "second" grade; still more will be "third" grade or lower. First grade teak is naturally the most expensive, but it makes the cleanest, most stable and desirable product. Lesser grades may contain wormholes that may or may not be puttied over, knots and general imperfections. We utilize only first grade teak in our furnishings. Not everyone does.

COmponent size and product weight should be compared. We offer our traditional designs in three weight groups the Braintree, Waveney, and Felsted designs are our "light" weight. Our "light" weight is comparable to most other's "medium" weight, our "medium" compares to their "heavy", etc. In fact, some "look-alike" products print shipping weight, not actually product weight in their catalogs!

How is the furniture made? Furniture is only as strong as the joinery, which holds it together. Barlow Tyrie utilizes solid teakwood with doweled mortise and tenon construction, historically considered the strongest manner in which to join wood together, to insure decades of continued stability. Many products appearing similar to ours use "finger" joints on some back legs. They do this to join two short, less expensive pieces of wood together, forming one longer pieces. We believe using solid timber on back legs is more stable for furniture intended to be left outdoors and worth a little more. We don't cut corners.

The meaning of "K/D." For efficiencies in transport we ship many of our pieces knocked-down (K/D). This is a common industry practice, but the extent and/or manner of the knockdown varies greatly between producers. One company sends you a box filled with components and asks that you assemble all parts. That's fine if you are a cabinetmaker and have the afternoon to waste. Others ship you "ready to assemble" furniture that has never been together before. Thankfully, Barlow Tyrie K/D seats and chairs are pre-assembled at our factory. Dowel holes are drilled into each assembled piece, which is then "knocked-down" with a rubber carpenter's mallet into (usually) four, fully made sub-assemblies. Our products go together easily and correctly, because they have been together already.

In what manner is the K/D furniture held together after assembly? Furniture is only as good as its joinery, but a joint is only as good as the way it is secured. Some companies that claim their products are "just as good and half the price" of Barlow Tyrie have odd brass colored hardware "things" on the end assemblies. What these little "things" do is hold the furniture together. Usually it is an inexpensive brass or brass plated "cap" with a recessed "hex" head. This "Cap" screws onto a bolt, often steel that has been embedded or counter-driven into the back and seat assemblies. You will not find this type of hardware on Barlow Tyrie furniture. Our K/D joints are held firmly together by full doweling. Solid teakwood dowels are hammered into pre-drilled holes; thus securely connecting the mortise and tenon, creating a join designed to maintain rigidity for decades of use, through all extremes of weather. Through the constant expansion and contraction outdoors, furniture that is held together with screws will loosen up.

Yes, you can save money buying a finger-jointed, screwed together K/D seat, chair or table, but why buy teakwood (which, if it is first-grade, should last for decades) if the construction and hardware won't last with it.