Polywood 101: What Makes Their Recycled Lumber Different

Polywood is one of the names that basically defined the recycled poly furniture category, and it's easy to see why once you know what goes into it. Here's a closer look at the brand and what sets their furniture apart.

A Pioneer in Recycled Lumber

Polywood has been making outdoor furniture from recycled plastic since the 1990s, well before "sustainable furniture" was a common phrase. Their signature material, POLYWOOD lumber, is made primarily from recycled plastic milk jugs and detergent bottles — millions of pounds of it diverted from landfills and turned into furniture instead.

So what is poly lumber made of, exactly? At its core, recycled poly lumber like POLYWOOD's is high-density polyethylene (HDPE) — the same plastic used in milk jugs and detergent bottles — melted down, blended with UV-stable colorants, and formed into dense, solid boards that stand in for traditional wood.

Built to Handle Real Weather

The lumber itself is solid through and through, not a plastic shell over a different core, so it won't absorb water, warp, crack, or splinter the way wood can. It resists stains from food and drinks, doesn't need to be sanded or refinished, and holds its color through years of sun exposure. A simple soap-and-water cleaning is typically all it needs to look new again.

A Huge Range of Furniture Types

Polywood's lineup goes well beyond a single chair style. Their benches range from classic slatted designs to farmhouse trestle styles, and their dining sets cover everything from small bistro tables to full outdoor dining collections built for entertaining. Whatever your backyard setup looks like, there's usually a Polywood option sized to fit it.

Consistent, Fade-Resistant Color

Because the color runs through the entire piece rather than sitting on the surface, Polywood furniture doesn't show wear the way painted wood does. Scuffs and scratches don't reveal a different color underneath, and the finish is formulated to resist UV fading, so a piece bought today should still look close to its original color years down the road.

Backed by a Strong Warranty

Polywood stands behind its furniture with one of the more generous warranties in the category, which reflects real confidence in how the material performs over time. That kind of backing matters for furniture that's going to sit outside through every season for years.

Why We Carry It

We keep Polywood in our lineup because it's proven — it's been through decades of real backyards, real weather, and real families, and it keeps performing. If you're looking for furniture you can set up once and mostly forget about, it's a safe bet.

Explore the full range in our Polywood collection and find the pieces that fit your space.