The box showed up on a Tuesday, and I thought I'd have them on the patio by dinner. Three hours later I was sitting on the floor with a bruised thumb and a weird amount of respect for anyone who assembles these without cursing. The chairs are fine — actually, they're great for the price — but the first week is where most people either get it right or end up with a wobbly mess they blame on the chair.
The One Decision That Matters Most: Where They'll Live
I know that sounds obvious, but I don't mean "deck" or "lawn." I mean the exact spot, with the sun path, drainage, and wind in mind. After a week, I moved mine twice, and the second move was because the afternoon sun made the plastic too hot to sit on — that's just bad planning. For Polywood Adirondack Chairs: What the Price Tiers Actually Get You, the placement rules are the same: you don't want them baking all day, and you don't want them in a wind tunnel where they'll blow over.
My cousin put hers on a slope, which was a mistake because the seat felt like it was tilting you forward. Level ground matters more than you'd think — shim if you have to, but don't just let it rock back and forth. Also, think about how you'll actually use them: if you're going to drag them around the yard to follow the shade, you'll want lighter ones or wheels (which these don't have). Two hours into week one, I knew mine would stay put.
Assembly: Bring Your Own Tools and Patience
Costco's instructions are the usual cryptic diagrams, but assembly is doable with a standard drill and a hex bit. The included Allen wrench is garbage — it stripped the bolt head on the second chair. Spend the extra five minutes using your own driver with a bit that actually fits; it's the difference between a fifteen-minute chair and a forty-five-minute battle. Also, assemble on cardboard or a blanket, because the hardware will scratch a good deck. The worst part is the armrests — they don't line up perfectly, and you have to gently persuade them with a rubber mallet. My neighbor didn't use one and cracked the joint. That's just life with budget furniture, but you can avoid it.
The pieces themselves are heavy polywood, not flimsy, and the color is consistent across the set. Nothing arrived warped, which I was pleasantly surprised about. The bolts hold tight if you don't overtighten — I stripped one socket on the third chair because I was rushing, and now I have to get a replacement bracket. So don't overtighten; hand-tighten, then a quarter turn. That's the real first-week lesson.
Week One: Sitting, Shifting, and Noticing the Little Things
You'll have a few evenings where you just sit in them and realize what's annoying. For me, it was the cupholder — it's shallow, so a standard can tips over if you lean back too fast. The seat height is fine for me (5'8"), but my husband is 6'1" and his knees hit the bottom of the armrests. That's personal, but it's the kind of thing you can't know until you've been in them for a week. The back is straight, not curved like an ergonomic throne, so if you have back issues, budget for a lumbar cushion — or skip these altogether.
First week is also when the they wiggle. Headed out one morning, I noticed the back leg on one chair was loose because the wood had compressed slightly. Retightening that bolt fixed it for good. Check all the bolts after a few days, because the fresh compression can loosen things. Once I did that, they've been solid for six months.
Who Should Skip These
Look, if you're over 6'2" or you have serious back problems, these aren't the chairs for you — the low back gives zero lumbar support. And if you want something you can leave out in a hurricane, the polywood is fine, but it'll fade under intense sun without a cover. They're also not chairs you can easily carry with one hand; each weighs about 40 pounds, so a petite person might struggle. But for a basic, durable, affordable reading chair that you'll actually use, they do the job.
If you want something with a curve that cradles your back, you might feel better off with a resin or wood chair with a true contoured back — those often wait at warehouse price points. But for what you pay at Costco, these are good. Also, keep an eye on the store page: I saw them drop by $40 a month after I bought mine. That was annoying.
I'm keeping them, and they've outlived my skepticism. But that first week? I'll never get back those three hours of frustration. Now I know the secret: place them before you build them, and bring your own tools. That's most of the battle. For a reminder of what to measure for other chairs (because you'll be buying more, you always do), check Beautiful dining chairs: the first week is when you notice things and Comfortable Outdoor Dining Chairs: The First Week and the One.