Making the Case for Plastic Patio Furniture

by todd harmon

I’m going to do something a little unorthodox, here. I’m going to defend the use of plastic outdoor furniture in your backyard.

I know that plastic furniture has a bad reputation. After all, if you’re trying to make your garden or back patio look stylish and inviting, why would you opt for plastic when you could impress guests with wrought-iron or natural wood furnishings?

But I sincerely feel that plastic furniture is unnecessarily vilified in the outdoor furniture field. And here, I will make my case for plastic patio furniture.

Item A: Really, it doesn’t look that bad!

See this? Believe it or not, this is plastic "wicker" furniture.

Some plastic furniture is ugly, sure. But so is some wood furniture! The thing is, plastic outdoor wicker furniture (a sort of resin that is designed to look just like real wickerwork) looks absolutely stunning. It really looks like the genuine article. And even when plastic furniture isn’t designed to resemble other, more expensive materials, it can still look really good. Just buy plastic outdoor wicker furniture from a reputable designer or manufacturer (avoid Target or other major, cheap “home retail” chains).

Item B: It saves you money!

This should be obvious. Plastic is cheap and abundant, wood and wrought iron are not. And since patio furniture hardly qualifies as a “home necessity,” what’s the point of spending money on it as if it was? Just get furniture that is comfortable and looks nice enough, and doesn’t take a massive bite out of your wallet.

Item C: It’s lightweight, portable, and easy to clean!

Plastic patio furniture is very easy to move around, so changing your outdoor setup is a breeze. Wood and metal furnishings are bulky, awkward, and heavy. In other words: plastic furniture is more accommodating to design versatility. And also, it’s very easy to clean. Plastic furniture doesn’t need any kind of “special solution” to clean and preserve it; all you need is some water and soap.

Item D: It’s recyclable!

Plastic furniture is, generally, made from reclaimed and recycled materials. Therefore, most plastic patio furniture is recyclable. And if current trends signify anything, someday soon all plastic patio furniture will be recyclable. So when you’re done with it, you can rest easy knowing that it won’t just sit in a dump somewhere; it will be recycled into something useful for someone else. You’d be taking one more step towards helping improve our environment. Isn’t that nice?

So, with these points in mind, I hope I can convince you that, in the very least, plastic outdoor furniture is worth considering when you shop to furnish your patio. Overall, plastic truly is a fantastic furniture material!