Sharnford Stacking 4 Seater Rattan Dining Set in Cappuccino

Can I clear the patio when we're not eating?

Yes. Stack all four armchairs into a single column, lift the column to one side, and the floor is back in under a minute. A wall corner, a shed wall, the back-door alcove, all work. Most 4-seater dining sets commit the full patio footprint to dining every day of the year, whether the chairs are in use or not. We chose this set for the range because customers kept telling us they wanted a proper dining set for the meals that matter, without losing the patio for the kids, a barbecue, or a walkway the rest of the week.

Will it fit a typical patio?

In dining mode, allow roughly 2.5 metres total width for the table and the four chairs to be pulled out, with a walkway behind each seat. Mark the footprint with masking tape on your patio first if you're unsure, that's usually enough to confirm the fit. Once the chairs are stacked, you can tuck the column into a corner footprint of around 70 by 70 centimetres; the table by itself takes a fraction of the dining-mode space.

For a medium paved patio, a timber decking area, or a muted-warm brick courtyard where the floor doubles as a walkway or a play space, this gives you four proper seats when you want them and the floor back when you don't.

Is it really all-weather, no cover needed?

Yes. The frame is aluminium, which cannot rust, and we use a 0.2mm powder coating, two to three times thicker than what most aluminium garden furniture carries, so the coating doesn't break down through wet winters and freezing nights. We also use UV-stabilised synthetic rattan, which won't fade, rot or go brittle when left outside year-round. The 5mm tempered safety glass top doesn't crack in British winters the way ordinary glass can over time.

This means the structure is weatherproof on its own and doesn't need a cover or seasonal storage, so it saves you the hassle of wrestling a cover on and off and the £50 to £100 a cover would cost. In our experience, customers come back ten or fifteen years later saying their rattan is just as good as when they first bought it.

How does this compare to other 4-seater dining sets at this price?

Cheaper 4-seater dining sets at this size use steel frames that rust within a couple of winters and PVC rattan that goes brittle in the sun. You'd be replacing the set sooner and dealing with rust streaks on your paving in the meantime. The chairs on those sets rarely stack either, so once the frame starts going there's nowhere to tuck them away while you decide what to do next.

Considering a brand-name 4-seater dining set at £1,500 or more? You'd be paying mainly for the marketing and the polished website. The actual furniture is almost exactly the same as ours: aluminium frame, UV-stabilised rattan, similar tempered glass top. We design our own ranges, with the Sharnford Stacking being our compact 4-seater dining option, and sell it direct from our family-run Leicestershire showroom since 2001, without the excessive markup of big name brands.

Do I need to buy a cover for winter?

Covers aren't needed. If furniture needs a cover to survive winter, it's not weatherproof - it's just outdoor-tolerant. The Sharnford set uses materials you can leave outside all year round. If you do choose a cover, it's mainly to reduce cleaning from leaves or bird mess, not to protect the frame or rattan.

What's the difference between this and cheaper rattan dining set

The frame material is the main difference. Cheaper sets typically use steel, which rusts from the inside out through joints and bolt holes. This set uses an aluminium frame that cannot rust, so it stays outside all year round without deteriorating. In our experience, the frame choice is what separates a set you keep from one you replace after a few seasons.

Can I leave the Sharnford dining set outside all year round?

Leave it outside all year, no problem. The aluminium frame cannot rust, and the synthetic rattan is made for outdoor use, so no cover is needed for the frame and weave to get through winter. If you choose to use a cover, it's for cleanliness - leaves and bird mess - not structural protection.

Is the tabletop glass safe?

The table uses 5mm tempered safety glass, which handles knocks and temperature swings better than standard glass - useful in the UK where you can get frost one night and sunshine the next. It also gives you a flat, wipe-clean surface that makes everyday outdoor dining practical rather than precious.

Do the chairs really stack neatly?

They stack into a single column when you want the patio space back. If you have a courtyard, decking area, or a patio that doubles as a play space, the quick stack-away option is often the difference between using the set daily and leaving it sitting in the way.

Is any assembly required?

Only the table. The chairs arrive fully assembled and stack when not in use. The table base is four panels that screw together and then screw to the tabletop. All screws are included, and a screwdriver is the only tool you should need.

What's included in the Sharnford Stacking 4 Seater Dining Set?

Everything you need for four: 4 stacking armchairs, 1 dining table with integrated under-table storage, and the 5mm tempered safety glass top. At £774 with delivery included, the price you see is the price you pay - no extra charges at checkout.

Can I see the Cappuccino colour in your showroom?

Our showroom at Sapcote Garden Centre in Leicestershire has the Sharnford range on display. Our helpful and knowledgeable staff can walk you through the set and let you sit on the furniture before you decide - something online only retailers can't offer.

Delivery is included in the price, 3-7 working days to mainland UK. Your furniture is delivered on pallets via our courier, and we'll email you a timed delivery window so you're not waiting around all day.

Worth knowing: our courier delivers to the kerbside or driveway, they won't take items around the back of the house, and the pallet and boxes are left with you. If you'd prefer a white-glove delivery with set-up and rubbish taken away, get in touch and we can usually help.

We dispatch from our Leicestershire garden centre. "In stock" means we have it here, ready to send, not drop-shipped from a third-party warehouse.

Returns: if you're not happy, let us know within 7 days and you can return it within 30 days for a refund (minus return delivery costs). The furniture must be in its original condition and packaging, and we'll arrange the collection with you.