This arbor works perfectly to add a little bit of shade to our weeping redbud tree from the hot Texas afternoon sun once the vines grow up the sides. The arbor was easy to assemble and has sturdy stakes to help hold it in place. We decided to stain ours which really added the finishing touch.

My husband assembled this product and is very happy with it. The only problem he mentioned was that there are two sizes of screws - 2 1/2" and 3". He used a 3" screw in a place intended for a 2 1/2" screw and the screw went through the entire board. He suggested that the manufacturer separate the two sizes into separate bags. Other than that we have no complaints. The arbor arrived quickly, was not difficult to assemble, and is very pretty. I have one suggestion - change the photo you show for this product. It makes the top of the arbor look very odd - like a triangle shape. I actually went to other websites to figure out what the arbor looks like before I ordered it.

Unit had some splits on the wood pieces that I had to glue back together and several of the pieces had damaged edges. The unit came with two (2) different size torx head screws and only one size driver was included. The unit went together with relative easy but was somewhat cumbersome and fragile to move. I cut a "spacer" for the bottom and used plastic ties to attach it while putting it in the ground and moving it. Something should be included with the unit for assembly and installation to maintain rigidity. The required use of an "oil base" (alkyd) stain or primer was a bit of a problem - would like to have used an acrylic type product for easier clean up. All in all a fairly good product but could be better.

This is a beautiful product. Compared to the cheaper arbors found in box stores, the Arboria Astoria ranks highly. The wood is so lovely and smooth that we decided not to paint it as planned and used a transparent stain instead. The precision of the pre-drilled holes along with clear directions enabled me (usually the female helper) to assemble it by myself. And one more thing: it was made it the USA! I'm a fan.

This product has exceeded my expectations. It arrived well-packaged, in good condition, ahead of schedule. The wood was nicely sanded, no additional sanding was necessary. Assembly took 90 minutes - 30 screws and it's a done deal! I am a small, 62-yr-old woman, and I had no problems. Instructions were easy to follow. An electric screwdriver is a must - I used my rechargeable drill with the bit that was supplied to match the screws. All the pre-drilled holes were perfectly aligned. The finished product is sturdier than I imagined - I had originally planned on the possible necessity of buying some additional cedar posts to reinforce the structure, since I will be growing hardy kiwis on it, but no reinforcement is necessary. I used the metal anchors included, and set the structure in kwikcrete. I paid a little more to purchase this from an American supplier, I am glad I did. The craftsmanship is excellent. I am VERY PLEASED with this purchase. It is a lovely addition to my garden.