You’ve probably seen and used POLYWOOD patio furniture in many places. And it is one of the most popular choices for outdoor furniture. But you are probably wondering if you should make the investment to get POLYWOOD outdoor furniture for your outdoor space.
I’m going to cut right to the chase with this: If your budget can afford it, you can’t go wrong getting POLYWOOD patio furniture for your backyard. The list of “pros” for POLYWOOD outdoor furniture heavily outweighs the list of “cons.”Â
Spoiler alert: the count is 18 Pros and 1 Con (and it’s a minor thing in my book).
So, read on below to see why this outdoor furniture can be a perfect fit for you, and find some popular options to put in your backyard!
When you are done reading below, come back and check out these posts:
👉 See how POLYWOOD compares to Trex, Highwood, and Loll Designs outdoor furniture.Â
👉 Discover popular direct-to-consumer outdoor furniture brands Outer, SunHaven, Yardbird, and Neighbor.
If you are looking for high-quality outdoor furniture that can last decades through any season and still look great, then POLYWOOD should be your pick!
- High-quality HDPE lumber
- Highly durable in all seasons
- Excellent 20-year warranty
- Free shipping and 30-day return period
- Many styles and designs to choose from
- Assembly required on most products
What is POLYWOOD?
POLYWOOD is a leading American outdoor furniture company recognized for its environmentally friendly practices and durable products. The company’s outdoor furniture is made using a unique and innovative approach that employs recycled plastic materials, specifically milk jugs and plastic bottles, to create an attractive, durable, and sustainable alternative to traditional wooden furniture.
The Pros of POLYWOOD Outdoor Furniture
Below is my list of the 18 Pros of POLYWOOD outdoor furniture.
#1 It's made from recycled materials
A common question potential patio furniture buyers have is, “What is POLYWOOD made of?” The question makes sense because POLYWOOD furniture is designed to look like real wood, but it does not actually contain wood or natural fibers. So what is it?
POLYWOOD uses a process that transforms recycled plastic materials into synthetic lumber that resembles natural wood. More specifically, this plastic material is called high-density polyethylene (HDPE). The company uses recycled materials like milk jugs, shampoo bottles, bleach bottles, and other plastic containers and post-consumer waste to make this HDPE material.
So, in very simple terms, you can think of POLYWOOD as very high-quality plastic furniture. More on this in the Pro below.
#2 HDPE is one of the best high-quality materials for outdoor furniture
There are several great outdoor furniture materials that can endure many seasons and harsh weather conditions year after year: teak, aluminum, stainless steel, etc. However, a material that we tend to rate as one of the best outdoor frame materials is high-density polyethylene (HDPE), which is the material of POLYWOOD lumber.Â
HDPE is a highly weather-resistant plastic material that can withstand rain, sun, cold, heat, and the wear and tear of your backyard and continue to look great for many years. In my judgment, HDPE is one of the best materials for outdoor use.
Now let me break this down a bit more in the following Pros…
#3 POLYWOOD furniture won't fade
As you may know, some plastics or other outdoor materials may fade or discolor when left out in the sun for extended periods. However, POLYWOOD is treated with UV-inhibiting pigment systems throughout the lumber to prevent fading in the sun. Additionally, the color of the material is constant throughout POLYWOOD lumber (meaning that it just isn’t painted on top of the plastic), making it harder for the sun to fade the material. In all, this makes POLYWOOD material very fade-resistant.
So, POLYWOOD furniture is an excellent choice if you expect your furniture to get constant, direct sunlight exposure.
#4 HDPE won't chip, crack, or break like real wood
HDPE is known to be one of the most durable outdoor materials due to its high rigidity and high strength-to-density ratio. It is an extremely tough material to damage, unlike traditional wood furniture that can chip, crack, break, or become brittle from outdoor exposure if it is not properly treated.
​Unlike real wood or some metals that may degrade due to high temperatures, snowy winters, or humid climates, you don’t have to worry about that with the HDPE material in POLYWOOD lumber.
#5 POLYWOOD lumber is waterproof
If you are like me, one of my biggest concerns for anything in our backyard is the rain ruining it.
Unlike wood, metals, and other outdoor materials that can be affected by rain and moisture (e.g., wood swelling, metal rusting), POLYWOOD material is waterproof. The HDPE used to make POLYWOOD lumber is non-porous, which means it will not absorb any water or moisture. Therefore, it will not swell or crack from excessive moisture, nor should it allow mold or mildew to grow.
So, if you want patio furniture that can withstand all kinds of moisture, POLYWOOD is the right choice.
#6 It won't be affected by salt water
Need outdoor furniture for the beach? POLYWOOD is an ideal choice because the HDPE material won’t degrade due to salt spray, salt water, and moisture that comes with being near the beach. The same can’t be said for other outdoor furniture materials, especially steel.
#7 POLYWOOD will last a long time in your backyard
One of the unique features of POLYWOOD outdoor furniture that makes it superior to many other types of outdoor furniture is that it can truly withstand any season, all year long, for many years.Â
A common question that many people have is, “How long does POLYWOOD last?”
The best way to answer this is that you should expect POLYWOOD patio furniture to last decades, not years, under normal wear and tear conditions.
Why decades? Well, read below…
#8 POLYWOOD comes with a 20-year warranty
The durability of POLYWOOD furniture is backed by one of the best warranties on the market: a 20-year warranty. The company feels so strongly about the durability and weather resistance of its product that its warranty is measured in decades, not years.
If, for some reason, your furniture is damaged or does not function as expected, you can have peace of mind knowing the POLYWOOD comes with a very long warranty to back up the quality of the material. This is an exceptional warranty that far surpasses warranty offerings for other patio furniture options. Make sure that you read the warranty restrictions to know what is covered.
#9 It requires minimal maintenance
The plastic HDPE POLYWOOD is very low maintenance. If you find dirt or dust on your furniture, you can simply use mild soap, warm water, and a soft-bristle brush to clean POLYWOOD furniture to keep it looking like new.Â
Besides simple spot cleaning, there isn’t much else to worry about with this patio furniture. This is a very easy-to-maintain patio furniture material, unlike other options like metal that might rust or wood that can rot or break.
This furniture is as close as you can get to a ‘set and forget’ type of patio furniture because it is a highly durable and weather-resistant material that can withstand sun, heat, cold, and water in nearly all climates.
#10 POLYWOOD doesn't need to be sanded, stained, or treated like real wood
Real wood can require some extra maintenance like sanding, staining, or treating with sealants and oils to ensure the durability and weather resistance of the wood. Although POLYWOOD lumber looks like real wood, this plastic material does not require the same treatment to ensure that it can endure the outdoor elements.
A special note: Sanding or painting POLYWOOD furniture will void the warranty.
#11 Don't need to worry about high winds
If you are concerned about the furniture blowing away due to strong winds, there’s no need to worry here.Â
Unlike some other plastic patio furniture items, POLYWOOD products are heavy-duty and can weigh 30 lbs or more, depending on the furniture piece. So, if you expect high or heavy winds in your backyard or outdoor space, you should expect POLYWOOD to resist blowing away like other heavy-duty patio pieces made from metal or wood.
Again, POLYWOOD furniture is a great choice if you expect strong and high winds.
#12 The furniture can be recycled at the end of its useful life
We covered above that POLYWOOD makes environmentally-friendly products because the HDPE material in POLYWOOD furniture comes from 99% recycled materials like milk jugs, detergent bottles, or other HDPE bottles and containers.Â
POLYWOOD furniture can also be recycled when you feel it has reached the end of its useful life. So, if you want outdoor furniture that is completely eco-friendly and sustainable, POLYWOOD furniture is an excellent option.
#13 POLYWOOD cushions and pillows are weather-resistant and quick-drying
POLYWOOD cushions and pillows are available on many POLYWOOD furniture items. These cushions and pillows are available in various colors and thicknesses; you can find some sets that offer thick, deep seating cushions. So if you are looking for extra comfort on your next purchase of POLYWOOD chairs or other patio pieces, check out their all-weather cushions to add to your purchase.
What’s great about POLYWOOD seat cushions and pillows is that these are designed to be quick-drying cushions that are wrapped in a performance fabric that is weather and water-resistant. You can relax in comfort knowing that these cushions and pillows won’t degrade from sun, heat, or moisture.
#14 The furniture is available at many retailers
Do you have a favorite outdoor or furniture retailer? Luckily, you can find and purchase POLYWOOD furniture either directly from POLYWOOD or at many well-established retailers like Amazon, Wayfair, Home Depot, Lowes, and many more.
#15 And it is available in many styles and colors
POLYWOOD lumber first became popular for being used to make Adirondack chairs. However, POLYWOOD has grown over the decades, and it is now available in many patio furniture items: dining sets, sofas, loveseats, ottomans, coffee tables, etc. Additionally, you can find these items designed in several styles, including modern, traditional, and contemporary styles, that are available in many colors.Â
So, if you are interested in patio furniture made with POLYWOOD lumber, you can easily find an outdoor furniture piece to meet your seating and style needs.
#16 POLYWOOD is reasonably priced outdoor furniture
It isn’t easy to find outdoor furniture as reasonably priced as POLYWOOD patio furniture. While this material makes some of the best outdoor patio equipment, you might be afraid that you will have to spend a fortune on durable chairs and tables. Based on our analysis of nearly 1,200 patio furniture pieces, we find that most POLYWOOD patio furniture pieces fall within a price range that can be considered a ‘good deal’ because some other brands offer similar high-quality furniture options at higher prices.
#17 And the company offers free shipping
The last thing anyone wants to see when they purchase outdoor furniture is an extra delivery charge. Thankfully, POLYWOOD offers free shipping on all items within the contiguous United States.
#18 AND it comes with a 30-day complete refund
If you are not satisfied with your POLYWOOD furniture purchase, the company offers a 30-day return window to either find a replacement item or to get a full refund on your purchase. This is an excellent return policy that is better than many competitors.
The Cons of POLYWOOD Outdoor Furniture
Below is the one Con that I have found with POLYWOOD outdoor furniture.
#1 POLYWOOD furniture requires some assembly
A lot of POLYWOOD furniture items will require some assembly when it comes out of the box. Usually, this means using the provided marine-grade hardware to build the furniture to its final form. For some items, this amount of assembly time may be minimal; for others, this could be about 30 minutes or more.
Is POLYWOOD furniture comfortable?
This is a common question that many people have about POLYWOOD or any furniture without cushions. My family and I have always found POLYWOOD furniture to be plenty comfortable. But there are some people who may not like the feel of furniture without cushions. If this is you, luckily, there are plenty of POLYWOOD furniture options with cushions (as we noted in one of the Pros above).Â
Since this can go either way for some people, and it’s more of a personal preference, I didn’t list this as a Pro or Con. But I have always enjoyed using POLYWOOD products.
Conclusion: Is POLYWOOD worth it?
​My answer: absolutely!Â
If you are in the market for new patio furniture, it will be hard to beat POLYWOOD outdoor patio furniture because it is some of the best quality and reasonably priced patio furniture available on the market today. POLYWOOD furniture comes in many styles, colors, and furniture types to meet the needs and design of many backyards.Â
The big reason why POLYWOOD is worth it to me is because of its high durability and weather resistance that will allow the furniture to last decades in your outdoor space. So, you should get the full value, and more, of your investment in this furniture.
