Alright, so the old patio set was basically falling apart. Rust everywhere, one chair was a death trap. Needed something new before someone actually got hurt or tetanus. Started looking around online, you know how it is. Saw this Yardbird Lily dining set. Looked alright in the pictures, price wasn’t totally insane compared to some others. Decided to just go for it.
Ordering was simple enough, just clicks on a website. Then the waiting game started. Took a little while to actually ship, got the notification, then waited some more for the delivery truck. Finally, these massive boxes arrived. Driver basically shoved them off the truck onto the driveway. Had to wrestle them around to the backyard myself. Not exactly lightweight.
Unboxing and Putting it Together
Opened up the boxes. Man, so much packaging. Cardboard, plastic wrap, those little foam sheets everywhere. Took forever just to get everything unwrapped and figure out what was what. Found the instructions – mostly pictures, like usual these days. Seemed straightforward enough at first glance.
- Started with a chair. Lots of pieces.
- Got out the little Allen wrench they give you.
- Screws and bolts… some went in fine.
- Others felt like they were cross-threading, had to back them out and try again.
- One hole on the chair arm didn’t line up perfectly. Had to really force it to get the bolt through. Annoying.
The first chair probably took me a good 30-40 minutes, just figuring it out and dealing with that one tricky bolt. Once I knew the process, the other chairs went quicker. Maybe 20 minutes each? Still tedious work, lots of tightening little screws.
The table was easier, thankfully. Basically just attaching the legs to the tabletop. Fewer pieces, bigger bolts. That part went pretty fast. All in all, probably spent a solid two, maybe three hours getting the whole thing assembled. Sweated quite a bit doing it too.
First Look and Use
Dragged everything into place on the patio. Stepped back. Okay, not bad. Definitely looks a whole lot better than the old junk. The wicker material, feels like plastic mostly, but seems pretty tough. The color is neutral, fits in okay.
The cushions are pretty thick, which I was happy about. Plopped down in one of the chairs. Yeah, comfortable enough. Sat there for a bit, felt sturdy. We ate dinner out there the next night. Four of us fit easily around the table, plenty of room. Could probably squeeze six if needed.
What I’ve noticed so far:
- Chairs feel solid, no wobbling yet (except maybe one tiny bit, might need to re-tighten a leg).
- Cushions are comfortable for sitting through a meal and chatting after.
- Table feels stable, doesn’t rock when you lean on it.
- Wipes down easy. Already spilled some iced tea, came right off the tabletop and the cushion cover (phew).
Haven’t had any major rain or windstorms yet, so I can’t say how it holds up to the elements. I know you’re supposed to cover this stuff or bring the cushions in. That’s always a bit of a hassle, but probably necessary if I don’t want it looking like the old set in a year. For now, it seems like a decent setup. Does the job, looks nice enough, and feels comfortable. Assembly was a pain, but that’s pretty standard for flat-pack furniture I guess. We’ll see how it lasts through a season or two.
