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Has any one else had problems with the ethan allen farmhouse table? We have had ours for 1.5 years and it has a shine that can't be wiped off, scratches and dings that come from the slightest bit of use and is actually wearing away at the edges.

This table was purchased as a family table and they are now telling me I need to put a piece of glass on top. Who wants a farmhouse table with glass on top?

The local store has agreed to replace the top, but I know this will just happen again because we have been very careful with this table.

Honestly, the table we had previously that was purchased from Naked Furniture and finished to our specifications had a better life than this much more expensive table.

I'm wondering, has Ethan Allen lowered their workmanship?

Beware if you buy from them.

Location: Greenville, South Carolina

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Guest

I have the same problem. Different table but exact same problem and same suggestion.

Disappointing as I had my grandmothers ethan Allen table that was over 30years old and was in fabulous shape after all those years.

Guest

I have this exact table and really wished I had seen this review before buying. We have all of the same problems with our table purchased in 2014, BUYER BEWARE. Not high quality like I thought it would be, very disappointing.

Guest

Don't buy furniture from Ethan allen. In 2008 we bought their Ethan Allen Farmhouse planked top table and black windsor chairs.

In a few weeks the finish began wearing off the seats of the chairs.

Their customer service sent a guy over who told me it was all my fault, that my child's booster seat caused the error when in fact it was happening all all 6 chairs not just the one my child sat in. They are horrible at customer service and in my mind over priced!

Guest
reply icon Replying to comment of Guest-753571

omg im going through the same problem. the chairs were 300 dollars and are falling apart!

the table has soooo many scratches and chips soooo sad! they haven't called me back in 3 weeks

Guest

We purchased the farmhouse table for $1200 in may 2013 and in July (2 months of use) the finish started to peel off on the table top starting at the grooves that run through the table. They sent out a person to take a look and they asked what we were cleaning the table with.

Told them we used dish soap and warm water. They insisted it was water damage and use of chemicals and would not fix or replace. I wish that I had read reviews prior to purchasing....Ethan Allen service is horrible!

Don't be fooled by nice showroom and "designers". I will buy all my furniture elsewhere from now on....

Guest

Stay away from Ethan Allen!!! Shoddy workmanship & over-priced merchandise, topped off by a *** customer service policy make for unhappy customers.

We bought the Ethan Allen British Classics Livingston Table & MacKenzie Chairs. What JUNK! The first table was delivered with a big obvious flaw in the middle of the table and badly finished legs. The 3"x6" shiney spot on the matte finish tabletop was the obvious result of wet sanding a damaged area (scratch visible). The carved legs were visibly rough from lack of sanding/finishing & the stain color was irregular and streaky. After many phone calls & visits by a sales rep & then technicians, EA agreed to replace the table. While waiting for the replacement table, that shiney spot began to peel and flake like old nail polish. One UGLY table!

Ater 10 weeks the new table arrived. This one was nearly as bad. Blobs of dripped varnish were visible on the rounded edges of the top on 2 sides. The legs were a little more uniform in color & a little less rough, but still a far cry from what you'd call "fine furniture". So, we asked if we could have yet another table, one with a different finish on top and with painted legs. Our opinion was that their new "English Toffee" stain produced bad results. We wanted their traditional stain on the top, with painted legs which might smooth the roughness and blotchiness. The rep said that they could only replace the top as previously ordered; we'd have to keep the legs. Ten more weeks later, the 3rd top came in acceptable condition; but we still have the ugly legs.

Then there was the issue with the side chairs. After sitting on the seats for 10 minutes, our legs went numb. The seats are upholstered, but with no support in the center. So after a short time, it feels like sitting on a hard doughnut as you sink into the center hole and your circulation is cut off by the hard frame under the thighs. Even our guests asked if they could have toss pillows to sit on because they were so uncomfortable. EA agreed to replace the seats; the new ones are more firm, but in a short time we'll have to send them out for a proper upholstery job.

Needless to say, we're disappointed. We never expected high-end quality from Ethan Allen, but neither did we expect such shoddy workmanship and poor customer support. I'm sure it cost EA much more money to replace all those piece parts & send 4 different technicians & schedule 6 different deliveries, than had they just refunded our money or given us a store credit. They may have kept a customer and salvaged some respectability.

Guest

I have the same issues with my farmhouse table, also used in the kitchen. Now looks like a piece of ***. Also a spindle of the chair back has separated from the chair seat. Paid a bundle for the set, but I can't remember when I purchased or how long the warranty is.

Does any one know how long the warranty is?

you can email me, mhradek@***.com

Guest

My mother had a problem with her EA sofa back in the 1960s. She wrote to the corporate office and received satisfaction.

When I had a minor issue, the local store gave me a problem. I also wrote to the company. A short time later the local store lost its franchise license from EA. Write to the company.

My only problems with their furniture have been from my own ignorance. I bought a now discontinued but popular line of furniture without understanding that pine is a soft wood and would gouge easily when exposed to small children and animals. It is easily reparable with a quality woodworker who could restore the finish. I would have done better with a solid oak.

Also, keep in mind that furniture designed for a dining room is not also designed for a kitchen with its higher temperatures, grease, and often excessive light. Choose the product for the function. Both EA and Thomasville have recommended a table mat under the tablecloth or glass over it. I have no problems with my furniture with these precautions.

When I want an exposed finish, I use my distressed farmhouse table with water rings and nicks or my antique oak pub table with a thin layer of finish. As long as I don't put a hot item on the table with an open trivet or use a crock pot which is hot, the table remains undamaged.

Guest

All I have to say here is, you're over paying for the *** table anyway.

Guest

I have been fighting with Ethan Allen for 5 years now trying to have my Farmhouse table repaired. Their response is always the same, "it is your fault".

First of all, what happened to customer service. Don't they know anything about business etiquette. It it bad business to start off by being rude to the client and telling the client it is their fault that they are having a problem with an item. Secondly, my issue is not the distressed look or the small dings or scratches in the surface of the table.

I know that wood wears over time and I am ok with that. My issue is with the so called protective finish. We were told by our "design specialist", that this table was coated with a protective coating to protect the wood from heat and moisture. After a few weeks of having the table small bubbles appeared on this coating.

After a few more weeks they popped and started to peel. As a result, we have a lot of small circles where the protective coating has peeled away. It looks terrible. After spending so much money on a table this is not what I expected it to look like in 3 months.

Ethan Allen does not want to repair the table. They want me to pay for a replacement top. Why, so the same thing can happen again. I asked them to sand the table down and refinish it without the protective coating, but they refuse.

My recommendation, do not buy this table or any other product from Ethan Allen. They do not stand by their warranty and their customer service is terrible.

Dream Xhg
reply icon Replying to comment of Guest-202783

THE EXACT SAME happening here. Protective finish dont protect!

Guest

After ordering in April, my table was finally delivered three weeks ago. I have treated it like a treasure.

Tablecloths or placemats at all times, only a damp cloth to wipe. The finish is now peeling off on either side of the score marks on the tabletop.

Waiting to hear back from customer service, but based on the above comments, I doubt my issue will be resolved satisfactorily. I could cry.

Guest

As an owner of this table I can attest to the problems as being very real and not a matter of natural aging / wearing of the surface. I would love to have a table that was aging gracefully and acquiring character with every nick and chip.

That's not what is going on. The finish is peeling along the fake grooves / joints that are supposed to make the top look as if it were assembled from multiple boards. So the table has about a dozen horizontal stripes of peeled finish, and more chips off every time you wipe/wash it. Rather than looking rustic or weathered it looks fugly, cheap and poorly finished.

That said, the Company has agreed to replace it. Kudos to them. But based on my (and others) experience I don't know how I can hope that the replacement won't do the same.

Looks like I have some refinishing in my future. In summary, the table looks nice but don't buy it (or other EA pieces I guess) unless you plan to refinish it yourself.

Guest

you wonder why the price of ethan allen is so high?..because they have to send customer reps out to people who dont understand wood...it is not bullet proof...there is nothing in my house more beautiful than my distressed farmhouse table....i love every nick and scratch...it soft wood..dont drive yourself crazy...get ourself some formica...

Jamarkus Gut
reply icon Replying to comment of Guest-108431

You obviously have no clue what you're talking about! If you had a clue, you would know that a brand new table's finish should not be peeling & chipping.

Guest

I was just told by Ethan Allen that this table is meant for dining rooms only and not meant for everyday use. They did not recommend this table for use in kitchens. I didn't know I was buying a piece of art, for display only!

The Ethan Allen salesperson we spoke to prior to purchasing the table knew we would be using it in our kitchen, yet never informed us that the table was not meant for everyday use.

Ethan Allen's recommendation now is to use a glass top. Also, chairs ding up easily when pushed into the table. Ethan Allen again told us, that the chairs were not designed to be pushed into the table frequently.

Looks like I'll be refinishing the table top after my warranty expires.

Guest

I have made some furniture of my own for personal use (I'm not the greatest craftsman and I'm slow going to ensure quality). With that said, I have to side with Ken Buddha on the finish issue.

There are a multitude of different finishes on the market, none of which will last through regular and normal wear for more than5 years. The Ethan Allen Farmhouse table, as my understanding, has a very thin finish on it which gives it a rustic look. This finish should've never been unsed in the first place, at least not on a table meant for dining. MY advice to those who have problems with the finish is to take a piece of sand paper (220-250 grain) and carefully sand off the factory finish.

Once cleared, refinish with a solid laquer. I'd also use about 3-4 coats. This will take care of minor scratches as well as give a new coat of protection to the surface. I only advise this method if you're able to spend a few hours (4-6) to do this correctly, otherwise do not attempt.

As for scratches, no matter how careful you believe you are, wood gets scratched easily, especially light, soft woods.

Pine, balsa, and some cedar can get easily scratched, whereas oak and walnut can handle abuse much better, yet still sustain superficial scratching. It is, after all, wood and not steel.

Guest

YES, we have the same problem -the finish is so soft it has worn away - they don't sell anything like it anymore since i suspect others have issues as well...

Guest

I have the farmhouse pine table and it is about 10 years old but I don't have any problems with the finish. It is a pine table and this is a soft wood so it will scratch.

my table came distressed so a few scratches just blend in. the finish is holding up great even after all these years.

i do use coasters and place mats and wipe up spills to avoid damage. i love my table

Guest

I have had the same problem with a wood and iron table I bought just recently from ethan allen. The repairman has come 2 times to take care of the scratches but once whatever he puts on dissipates(within a week) all the same scratches are back.

It came to me this way and I can tell the workmanship is not there any more.

It is a shame because it is utterly frustrating and I expect so much more. i have purchased numerous items in the past and the workmanship does not comprae.

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