The Broxwood Metal Garden Oval Dining Sets
Description
An elegant English garden dining set, handmade here in Herefordshire.
Part of our Broxwood Collection, celebrating exceptional garden products made in our corner of England, each traditional oval dining set is handmade to order by a small team of skilled metalworkers just half an hour from Tom's Yard.
Made from substantial solid steel before being hot-dip galvanised, each set is designed to live outdoors throughout the seasons with no routine maintenance required. The table is accompanied by our beautifully proportioned strapwork chairs, creating a complete dining set made for many years of outdoor entertaining.
The gently curved oval table creates a particularly welcoming and sociable arrangement, allowing conversation to flow naturally around the table while providing plenty of room for serving dishes, drinks and relaxed lunches outdoors. Available as a four, six or eight-seater, there's a size to suit everything from a smaller terrace to a generous country garden.
Traditional strapwork, softly curved chair backs and elegant proportions give the furniture a light, refined appearance despite its reassuringly substantial construction. Equally at home in a cottage garden, courtyard or more formal setting, it's a timeless design that doesn't shout for attention.
Designed with both comfort and longevity in mind, the solid steel construction provides excellent strength and stability. The hot-dip galvanised finish protects the steel from corrosion before receiving a special wash to soften its initial brightness. Left outdoors, it will continue to mellow naturally, developing a softer and increasingly characterful grey finish with age.
Every set is handmade to order here in Herefordshire, with even the galvanising carried out by another specialist business within the county. Standard mainland delivery is included directly from the workshop to your home, with a typical lead time of 6–8 weeks. Bespoke sizes can also be made for gardens requiring something a little different. For bespoke sizes, please use this form.
Elegant, substantial and made for gathering – timeless English garden furniture designed for long lunches, summer suppers and many years spent around the table.
4 Seater
- Table / 150cm × 75cm
- Height / 75cm
6 Seater
- Table / 180cm × 100cm
- Height / 75cm
8 Seater
- Table / 240cm × 120cm
- Height / 75cm
Chairs
- Width / 55cm
- Height / 80cm
- Seat depth / 45cm
- Seat height / 45cm
Whether you need help choosing the right pot, have a technical question, wish to visit the Yard or require a personal delivery quotation, please do get in touch.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is it made?
Here in Herefordshire at the same local workshop I've been partnered up with since 2021.
What is hot-dip galvanising? Will it rust?
Each piece of furniture is hot-dip galvanised, meaning it is completely immersed in molten zinc to create an exceptionally durable, weather-resistant finish that protects the steel beneath from corrosion.
As galvanising is an industrial process, the finish is naturally characterful rather than perfectly uniform. Small variations, marks and occasional tiny areas of exposed steel can occur. Over time, you may notice small spots of surface rust developing in these areas. This is completely normal and does not mean that the galvanised protection has failed.
Unlike paint, zinc provides what is known as sacrificial protection. The zinc reacts with the environment in preference to the underlying steel, helping to prevent small areas of rust from spreading or creeping beneath the surrounding finish.
With everyday outdoor use, your furniture will naturally pick up the occasional knock, chip or scratch. Where this exposes the steel beneath, a small rust mark may appear. Again, this is perfectly normal and should remain localised. In many cases, these marks will also soften or fade as the galvanised surface naturally weathers and develops its characteristic aged finish.
The result is a hard-wearing, low-maintenance finish designed to live outdoors and become more characterful with age.
Does living by the coast effect the longevity?
If you live close to the sea, please be aware that salt-laden air can accelerate corrosion, even on galvanised steel. To help preserve the finish and maximise the life of your furniture, we recommend periodically washing it with fresh water to remove any build-up of salt and other deposits.
Will the furniture scratch my floor?
Please take care when moving your furniture, as dragging it may mark or scratch certain surfaces, particularly paving, decking and more delicate flooring.
We recommend lifting rather than dragging furniture whenever possible. If you are unsure whether the feet may mark a particular surface, test them in an inconspicuous area first and consider using suitable protective furniture pads or glides.
A wide range of furniture feet, pads and glides are available for different surfaces and may provide additional protection. However, their suitability will depend upon the particular furniture, flooring and conditions in which they are used, so we cannot guarantee their effectiveness.
Tom’s Yard cannot accept liability for marking, scratching or other damage to floor or ground surfaces resulting from the use or movement of the furniture.
Does it get hot in the Summer?
It’s a question we’re occasionally asked, but since launching the range in 2021, we haven’t received a single complaint about the furniture becoming uncomfortably hot - including during UK summers when temperatures have exceeded 35°C.
There are a few reasons why:
The pale galvanised finish reflects heat
The range has a naturally silver-grey galvanised finish, which reflects considerably more solar radiation than a black or dark-coloured surface.
Steel conducts heat extremely well
Although steel exposed to direct sunlight will naturally warm up, it is also an excellent conductor. In an open garden setting, with air circulating freely around the furniture, heat is continually being transferred away through radiation, conduction and convection.
Much of the furniture remains shaded
While the upper surface of a table or chair may be exposed to direct sunshine, other surfaces — such as the underside — remain shaded and help dissipate heat.
In exceptionally hot weather, the furniture can simply be doused with cold water. Thanks to the conductivity of the steel and its open construction, it will cool very quickly and dry shortly afterwards.
For particularly hot, sunny positions, adding pale-coloured outdoor cushions provides additional comfort.
Overall, the pale galvanised finish and excellent thermal conductivity of steel make the range very well suited to outdoor use — even during the hottest British summer days.
How does free delivery work?
Your items will be delivered directly from the workshop in Herefordshire to your home address.
Larger items like furniture sets & benches will be delivered by a courier to help you place them in-situ.
All prices include standard mainland delivery - just note that Scottish & Off-Shore addresses will require a separate quotation.
What is the lead-time?
Each item in the range is hand-made to order right here in Herefordshire.
We aim for a 6-8 week turnaround from order through to delivery.
Crafted in a local workshop just half an hour from Tom's Yard - even the galvanising finish takes place here in the county.
A 3-Step Process
Unlike most metal furniture, ours is made from solid steel. It's thick, heavy and made to last.
The workshop start by fabricating and welding individual lengths together.
Once the furniture has been made, it is sent to another local business to be galvanised. This industrial-grade process of applying a zinc coating protects the metal from rust.
Once this has been done - a special wash is applied to take the new shine off - giving the furniture a softer, weathered look.
Do you offer bespoke sizing?
If our standard sizes aren't quite right for your space, don't worry. We're delighted to offer a bespoke service, allowing our workshop to manufacture many of our products to your exact requirements.
Simply get in touch using the enquiry form on this page and let us know what you have in mind. The more information you can provide, the better we'll be able to advise and prepare a quotation tailored to your project.
Do you offer trade discounts?
A one-stop shop for some of Britain's finest garden wares; Tom's Yard proudly supplies garden designers, landscapers, hotels, restaurants, developers, estate managers and other trade professionals throughout the UK.
If you're working on a project and need a reliable source of high-quality garden products, I'd be delighted to work with you.
Simply apply for a trade account. Once approved, you'll be able to place orders through your online trade account.
What is the maintenance?
The range is an ideal choice for buyers after 0 fuss garden furniture.
As the steel has been hot dip galvanised - it won’t rust - and the finish will only get better over time. There’s no need to cover it in winter; you can enjoy your furniture all year round.
Dan & Co.
Meet Dan, the man behind our Workshop Range, who brings years of metalworking experience to every piece we produce. Having worked in the workshop for many years, Dan eventually took the opportunity to buy the business himself and now runs it alongside his wife, Karmen, who keeps everything moving behind the scenes on the admin side. Together with a small, loyal team built up over the years, they continue to make our garden furniture using the same hands-on skills, care and craftsmanship the workshop has long been known for.
Need something a little different?
Because our furniture is made individually rather than taken from a warehouse shelf, we're able to accommodate many bespoke requests.
Need a longer table? A bench made for a particular space? Furniture for a restaurant, hotel or garden design project?
