FAQ
Questions about materials, care, delivery, returns and orders. If your question is not covered here, get in touch and we will answer it directly.
Choosing
How do I choose the right patio furniture?
Start with how you will use the space rather than how large it is. Dining sets suit households that eat outside regularly and need a table at a fixed height. Deep seating and conversation sets suit spaces used for sitting rather than eating, and take up more depth than people expect. Modular sectionals are worth it if the shape of your space might change, since they reconfigure rather than being replaced. For balconies and small terraces, look at bistro sets, folding pieces and accent chairs.
Then consider whether the furniture will live outside year-round. Aluminium, teak and cedar are intended to stay out. Cushions and textiles need somewhere dry to go.
What should I consider when choosing an umbrella?
Three things: shape, mounting, and the base. A round market umbrella suits a round table and slots into a standard table umbrella hole. A rectangular canopy suits a long dining table, because a round one leaves the end seats in the sun. A cantilever umbrella has the pole to one side, so nobody sits around it and the shade can be swung away entirely.
If the umbrella is freestanding rather than through a table, you need a base, and it needs real weight. An underweighted base lets the umbrella walk across the patio in a breeze. Cantilever umbrellas need a dedicated cross base or weight plates rather than a standard market base.
How do outdoor lights work?
Solar lights have an integrated panel and charge during the day. They need direct sun on the panel — not on the beam — and will underperform in shade or in midwinter when daylight is short. They need no wiring, so they suit paths, borders, walls and posts where running a cable is impractical.
Low-voltage lighting runs from a transformer on a cable and gives consistent output every night regardless of daylight. It requires a cable run and a suitable outdoor-rated outlet, and in-ground well lights need drainage beneath each fitting. Rechargeable lamps charge indoors by USB and run outdoors for a period, then come back in.
Materials & care
How do I care for outdoor furniture?
The short version: rinse surfaces with clean water and mild soap, keep water from standing on or inside anything, and give textiles somewhere dry to go. Material-specific guidance is set out on our Care & Maintenance page, and each product page carries care notes for that piece.
Does teak change colour?
Yes. Left untreated, teak weathers from its original honey tone to a silver-grey patina, usually over the first one to two seasons and unevenly at first depending on sun and rain exposure. This is a surface change — it does not weaken the timber. If you prefer to keep the warmer tone, apply a teak sealer at the start of each season. Once teak has greyed it can be brought back with a teak cleaner, though this is more work than maintaining it from the start.
What should I know about outdoor cushions?
Two things matter: the fabric and the foam. Solution-dyed fabric has colour added to the fibre before it is spun, rather than printed on afterwards, which is why it holds colour in strong sun far better than printed fabric. Reticulated foam has an open cell structure that lets water drain straight through instead of holding it in the middle, where it turns musty.
Even good cushions benefit from being stood on edge after heavy rain so both faces dry, and from being stored dry over winter. Covers on our cushion sets unzip for washing.
Orders & delivery
Where do you ship?
Within the United States only, to the 48 contiguous states. We do not currently ship to Alaska, Hawaii, U.S. territories, APO/FPO addresses, or internationally.
How long will my order take?
Orders are generally processed within 2–5 business days after payment confirmation. Standard parcel shipments generally arrive within approximately 3–8 business days after processing; larger and oversized items may take approximately 5–14 business days depending on the carrier and location. These are estimates, not guaranteed delivery dates. Full detail is on our Shipping Policy page.
Do products require assembly?
It varies considerably. Some pieces arrive fully assembled. Flat-packed items such as raised beds, deck boxes and Adirondack chairs need building, and larger items such as pergola kits are a substantial job. Every product page states what assembly is required and whether more than one person is recommended. Assemble large items in their final position — a filled raised bed or an assembled deck box cannot easily be moved.
Note that assembling an item generally makes it non-returnable for change-of-mind reasons, so check the piece over before you build it.
How are larger outdoor products shipped?
Oversized and heavy products — sectionals, dining sets, pergolas, grills and similar — may ship by freight or a specialized delivery service rather than standard parcel service. The applicable method and charge depend on the product and destination, and oversized products may carry separate freight or delivery charges.
Standard oversized delivery is generally curbside unless the carrier or the product listing explicitly states otherwise, so please make sure someone is available to receive the shipment and move it safely from the delivery point. For freight deliveries the carrier may contact you to arrange a delivery appointment, so provide accurate contact details and respond promptly.
Returns & damage
Can I return something?
Yes. You may request a return within 30 days of delivery. Contact us before sending anything back — returns without prior authorisation may be delayed or refused.
For an ordinary change-of-mind return, the item should be unused, unassembled, clean and in original condition, with the original packaging where you have reasonably been able to keep it. The customer pays return shipping on change-of-mind returns, and a restocking fee of up to 15% may apply where applicable. Oversized or assembled items may carry additional return logistics costs where applicable.
Used or assembled products (unless defective or damaged), custom or personalised items, clearly identified clearance or final-sale items, and products damaged through misuse or improper installation or care are not returnable. Full detail is on our Refund & Return Policy page.
How do I return an oversized item?
Contact us first. Returns of oversized furniture and structures may require special freight arrangements, and you should not independently arrange shipping to send one back without authorisation from CDIKA.
What happens if my order arrives damaged?
Inspect your shipment as soon as it arrives and report visible or concealed damage to CDIKA within 48 hours of delivery. Keep the packaging, and send clear photographs of the product, the packaging, the shipping label and the visible damage, along with your order details.
We review the evidence and, depending on the circumstances and availability, may offer replacement parts, a replacement product, a repair, or a refund. We do not commit to a specific resolution before the claim has been reviewed. There is no restocking fee on approved damaged, defective or incorrect-item claims, and CDIKA covers or reviews the return cost in those cases.
When will I get my refund?
Once an approved return has been received and inspected, refunds are generally processed within 5–10 business days and issued to the original payment method. How quickly it then appears on your statement depends on your payment provider.
How can I contact CDIKA?
Through our Contact page. Contact details are listed there.
