Industry News

Outdoor Furniture Academic Type Shopping Guide - Plastic Chapter

2023-02-10

We may have to put a little more thought into shopping for outdoor furniture than we do when shopping for indoor furniture. This is because outdoor furniture is constantly exposed to harsh weather conditions and materials can be very important. If you want your tables and chairs to last longer outdoors, you should be more careful to analyze and compare the raw materials used to make them before you decide to purchase them.


    When it comes to plastic, everyone is no stranger to it, but in fact, plastic is a very large family.
       

Bio-based plastics

 Bio-based plastics are made from renewable biological resources. For example, sugar cane is processed to produce ethylene, which can then be used to make polyethylene. Starch can be processed into lactic acid, which can then be used to produce polylactic acid (PLA).

Degradable Plastics

 Degradable plastics are plastics that are degraded by microorganisms into water, carbon dioxide (or methane) and biomass under specific conditions.


Engineering Plastics

 Engineering plastics offer higher performance than standard materials, making them ideal for harsh engineering applications. In many applications, they have gradually replaced traditional engineering materials such as wood or metal because they not only equal or exceed traditional materials in weight/strength ratio and other properties, but are also easier to manufacture, especially in applications with complex designs.

Epoxy Resins

 Epoxy resins have been around for over 50 years and are one of the most successful of the plastics family. Their physical state can change from a low-viscosity liquid to a high-melting solid, which means that a wide variety of materials with unique properties can be manufactured. At home, you'll find them transformed into soft drink bottles and a variety of packaging materials, and they're used as protective coatings for everything from beds, garden chairs, office and hospital furniture to supermarket carts and bicycles. They are also used in special industries, such as protecting the surfaces of ships, oil rigs and wind turbines from the effects of bad weather.


Expanded polystyrene

 Expanded polystyrene or EPS is a widely used commodity polymer. It is widely used as a shockproof packaging material for machinery and equipment, instruments, household appliances, handicrafts and other fragile and valuable products, as well as for fast food packaging.

Fluoropolymers

 Fluoropolymers are known for their outstanding non-stick properties, which are associated with their use as coatings on cookware and as stain repellents for fabrics and textiles. They have also contributed to significant advances in aerospace, electronics, automotive, industrial processes (chemical and power sectors, including renewable energy), construction, food and pharmaceutical, and medical applications. The best-known member of fluoropolymers is PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene).


Polyolefins

 Polyolefins are polymers of polyethylene and polypropylene thermoplastics. They are produced primarily from petroleum and natural gas through the polymerization process of ethylene and propylene, respectively. Their versatility makes them one of the most popular plastics today.

Polystyrene

 Polystyrene is a synthetic polymer made from styrene monomer, which is a petroleum liquefaction product. It is a thermoplastic polymer that softens when heated and can be transformed into a variety of final products through semi-finished products such as films and sheets.

Polyurethane

 Polyurethane is a flexible, pliable and durable man-made material. There are various types of polyurethanes that look and feel very different from each other. They are used in a very wide range of products. In fact, we are surrounded by products containing polyurethane in all aspects of our daily lives. While most people are not familiar with polyurethanes because they are often "hidden" behind covers or surfaces made of other materials, it is hard to imagine life without them.


Polyvinyl Chloride

 Polyvinyl chloride was one of the first plastics to be discovered and one of the most widely used. It comes from salt (57%) and oil or natural gas (43%). It is the third most widely produced synthetic plastic polymer in the world, after polyethylene and polypropylene.PVC comes in two basic forms: rigid (sometimes abbreviated as RPVC) and flexible.

Thermoplastics

 Thermoplastics are polymers that can be melted and recast almost indefinitely. They melt when heated and harden when cooled. However, when frozen, thermoplastics become glassy and break easily. This material can be repeatedly reheated, remolded and cooled. Therefore, thermoplastics are recyclable in production. Some of the most common types of thermoplastics are polypropylene, polyethylene, polyvinyl chloride, polystyrene, polyethylene phthalate, and polycarbonate.


With so many great materials being made into a variety of outdoor furniture, plastic outdoor furniture is a very green product that is not only durable and extremely low maintenance, but can be fully recycled at the end of its useful life.

Because of the smooth surface, plastic outdoor furniture furniture can be easily cleaned with just soap and water and a rag, making it the perfect choice for lazy people.


Benefits of Plastic Outdoor Furniture:

 The beauty of plastic outdoor furniture is that they require little maintenance.

It's moisture resistant, won't mildew, and stands up to the elements without the need for sealers or varnish.

It is also very affordable, available in a variety of colors, and can look like any other material.

Another advantage is that plastic furniture is lightweight and often stackable

Recyclable

Disadvantages of plastic outdoor furniture:

- Plastic textured outdoor furniture may not look as high-end

- May blow away in extreme weather

We use cookies to offer you a better browsing experience, analyze site traffic and personalize content. By using this site, you agree to our use of cookies. Privacy Policy
Reject Accept