Recycled Poly vs. Cedar: Which Outdoor Furniture Material Is Right for You?

Two materials show up more than any other across our catalog: recycled poly lumber and red cedar. Both make beautiful, long-lasting outdoor furniture, but they get there in very different ways. If you're trying to decide between the two, here's what actually matters.

The Look and Feel

Cedar is real wood — it has natural grain, knots, and a warm, organic look that changes character as it weathers, especially if left unfinished to go silvery-gray over time. Recycled poly furniture, made from reclaimed plastic like milk jugs and detergent bottles, is molded to mimic painted wood: smooth, consistent, and available in colors real lumber simply doesn't come in, from bright reds and blues to classic weatherwood tones. If you want the authentic look and feel of a wood grain, cedar wins. If you want a specific color that stays exactly that color forever, poly wins.

Maintenance: The Biggest Difference

This is usually the deciding factor. Cedar is naturally rot- and insect-resistant, which is why it's used outdoors in the first place, but it still benefits from an occasional sealant or stain to keep its color from graying, and it can eventually show cracks or splinters after many years of sun and rain. Recycled poly furniture needs essentially nothing — no staining, no sealing, no repainting, ever. A rinse with soap and water handles most of what it'll ever need. If low-maintenance is your top priority, poly is hard to beat.

Weather and Climate

Both materials are built for the outdoors, but they handle extremes a little differently. Cedar does well in most climates but can dry out and check (small surface cracks) in very hot, dry conditions if it's not maintained. Poly furniture doesn't absorb moisture at all, so it won't warp, swell, or rot even in humid or rainy regions, and it holds up well through freeze-thaw winters too. If you're in a coastal or high-humidity area, poly tends to be the lower-worry choice.

Price and Longevity

Cedar furniture is often the more budget-friendly starting point, especially for smaller pieces, while poly furniture tends to cost more upfront — but with little to no ongoing maintenance cost, since you're not buying stain, sealant, or replacement pieces down the road. Both materials are built to last many years when cared for appropriately; the real question is whether you'd rather spend a little time on upkeep or a little more upfront.

Which One Should You Choose?

If you love the natural warmth of real wood and don't mind a bit of occasional care, our All Things Cedar collection has everything from Adirondack chairs to garden structures. If you'd rather set it and forget it, our poly lineup from LuxCraft and Polywood covers the same range of styles, including the ever-popular Adirondack chair, in dozens of colors.

Honestly, You Can't Go Wrong

Plenty of our customers end up with a mix of both — cedar for a planter box or garden bench, poly for the everyday seating that gets used all season. Whichever direction you lean, both materials are proven performers for outdoor furniture, and the right choice usually comes down to how much upkeep you want to do versus how much natural texture you want to look at.