Best Choice Products Outdoor Steel Garden Bench - Black Patio Furniture with Floral Design Backrest & Slatted Seat for Lawn, Park, Deck - Perfect for Backyard, Porch, and Outdoor Relaxation

Let me start by saying that I am NOT an employee of Amazon. Products referenced in this review can be purchased at most Home Improvement stores. The Amazon product numbers are included just to provide more detail regarding the items for anyone interested.The package with the Garden Bench arrived in good shape without any dents or scratches to the item as mentioned in some of the other reviews. The metal seems to be of a good solid gauge and should last a long time. The nuts included were “self-locking” type nuts which was an added feature. Plastic “caps” for all the nuts provided a nice, finished look. Assembly was easy enough and I appreciated the manufacturer including all the tools needed to complete assembly.I assumed that I would need to paint the bench to prevent rust due to that being a major issue mentioned in other reviews. Additionally, I assumed that I would need to paint the bench because the manufacturer could probably not adequately coat the bench for outdoor use at the relatively low price it was being sold. I imagine that the factory coating is adequate for indoor or enclosed patio use.I painted the bench with TWO coats of Rust-Oleum Semi-Gloss Black Paint (Amazon # ‎7798502) using a 2 inch “throw-away” brush (Amazon B07GR7LV77). Really thick coats of paint were used because I was more concerned about coverage / protection than I was about sags and runs. Painting the back and bottom of the bench FIRST and then top and front surfaces LAST put any runs or drips where they wouldn’t be seen. “Painter Pyramids” (Amazon 0840095858113) allowed the front and back of each piece to be painted without waiting for each side to dry. (Patience has never been one of my virtues!) The shipping container was cut apart and used as a drop cloth to catch any dripping paint. (See photo 1, 2)The bench was placed in a sloping nature area of our front yard. To level the bench Red Concrete Patio Stones were used (Lowes Item #19184 Model #104601201) which were only a couple of bucks each. (See photo 3). This also prevented the narrow legs from sinking into the ground. A cup holder (Amazon B07RVDMRYC) was added so my wife could enjoy her tea during some quiet moments in the nature area. (See photo 4) Hopefully the bench will provide a quiet enjoyable place to relax for many years. (See photo 5)