Backyard Bliss

Imagine: spent plastic milk and cider jugs can now be recycled into what is called poly lumber that, like its wood counterpart, can be cut and shaped into products like furniture.

The season of spring is a time of life and energy. Nature awakens in symphony of sights, sounds and scents and the air is thick with the songs of birds, the rustling of leaves and the gentle aromas of blooming flowers. It's a time of creative inspiration, filling our heads with visions of perfect home gardens and backyard landscapes — but it also reminds us how magnificent and special nature is, and how important it is to protect it while we build our gardens in its midst. What if there was a way to design and decorate your dream landscape while also helping to reverse some of the damaging impact we have on nature, such as the plague of discarded, non-degradable plastic packaging that grows in size with every passing day? Fortunately there is, because someone inspired by creativity believed that this plastic could be made valuable once again.

Imagine: spent plastic milk and cider jugs can now be recycled into what is called poly lumber that, like its wood counterpart, can be cut and shaped into products like outdoor furniture. It takes 60 milk jugs to make up 1lb of poly lumber. That is a lot of plastic not heading to the landfill. A company in Teviotdale called Bosman Home Front is a leader in sourcing and displaying a wonderful line of recycled plastic furniture. Their breakthrough is inspiring, not only for the environment but for the eye as well. With the advent of ultraviolet light stabilizers to stop the bleaching out of colour, some companies like Bosman Home Front warranty their product for 25 years. Vibrant colours such as yellow and red bring such life to an outdoor setting. The process to make poly lumber, in simple laymen’s terms, goes like this. Manufacturers use only plastic jugs that are cleaned and then broken down into crumb. The crumb is mixed with colour, stabilizers and other proprietary ingredients and then extruded into various shapes and forms. Unlike composites, poly lumber is made only from recycled plastic, namely high-density resin. Composites use recycled plastic plus wood particles. When exposed to the elements these wood particles are prone to moisture absorption, staining and swelling. It is good to ensure your recycled furniture is made from 100% recycled plastic. Sturdy and heavy poly lumber is durable and will not crack or split like regular wood. It is not hard to appreciate days spent sitting in the chair instead of hours laboring with sandpaper and stain. Wood means maintenance but poly means leisure. It is ready when you are. Owners of this product can leave it out year round and the only maintenance they perform is a light power wash in the spring.

Most outdoor furniture clutters up the garage, but this furniture can be left out in the winter, which is a real storage plus. Even the hardware is all stainless steel, so no rust marks. What is impressive is the weight of this furniture. A Muskoka chair in wood typically weighs approximately 30-40lbs. The same chair in recycled plastic weighs in at 70lbs. That is no lightweight! In fact it is heavy enough to resist those winds trying to push the furniture off your deck or dock. Even more impressive is the huge variety of furniture pieces now available. Some look so good they could be indoor furniture. Craftsmen who traditionally used wood such as oak and cherry are now creating timeless pieces in recycled plastic. Like their counterparts, they will be heirlooms passed down from generation to generation. The mission style at Bosman is crafted with the same attention to detail as their solid oak set. The mortise and tenon joints in the back of the chair, the smooth routered corners and well-braced construction make for elegant dining outdoors. With such a wide selection of colours, styles and designs recycled plastic makes for creative and comfortable outdoor living. What better legacy for our children than to create furniture that they can sit on forever instead of it sitting forever in a landfill. In the world there will come a day when plastic no longer litters our pathways, and recycled plastic furniture is one way we can all help reach that goal.