Gardeon XL Outdoor Storage Bench is a flat pack nightmare
I purchased the Gardeon XL Outdoor Storage Bench from K-mart.
It looks good for the price once assembled, but the assembly process was a nightmare. The instructions consist of little more than a basic diagram showing the general location of the hinges and lid support stays. There are no measurements, reference points or practical guidance for positioning 14 screws that are critical to whether the lid operates correctly.
There were no pilot holes for the main hinges, requiring the heavy lid to be supported while marking and installing the hinge plates. During assembly the lid fell backwards before it was fully secured, splitting the timber around both hinge mounting points. I also injured my back trying to assemble it.
To make matters worse, the only apparent factory pilot holes on the product were for the lid support stays where they attach to the storage chest (none on the lid side). They matched the brackets perfectly and appeared to be the intended fixing points, but using them left the support stays out of alignment, so the lid doesn't open and close properly. Without any reference point or pilot holes, it is guesswork at the risk of multiple wrong screw holes..
The timber is also extremely soft. It dents and chips very easily and even removing the identification stickers pulled away the finish, exposing raw timber.
When I sought assistance, I was simply sent the same single-page assembly diagram that came in the box, described as a "product manual". It did not answer any of my questions.
The finished bench is usable if handled carefully, but the timber is already split around the hinges and the support stays remain misaligned.
It seems like a good buy for a timber storage bench of its size but the cost saving is not worth the poor instructions, poor quality control and inadequate product support - don't buy.








