Seeing is not believing when it comes to today's outdoor furniture.

        Sitting is.

        That comfy wicker chair that you sank into is really woven from a synthetic resin. The sleek lines of the Adirondack-style settee are reproduced in Poly-Wood, a non-porous material made from recycled plastic bottles. The elaborately scrolled table and chairs that make your back yard look like a Charleston garden are not wrought iron at all — they're cast aluminum, one of the newer entries in the market. So lightweight, you can pick up the pieces and tote them around without banging your shins.

Poly-Wood Adirondack glider, $425.

        Outdoor furniture has come a long way from the plastic-webbed, lightweight lounges that left welts across your shoulders.

        The new arrivals are a result of our aversion to devoting leisure time to staining, cleaning and polishing.

        So outdoor furniture manufactures have stepped up and developed new hybrids to fool the eye.

        Cast aluminum: “Manufacturers have been able to do very intricate designs, elaborate scrollwork in a much lighter-weight product,” says Jim Weingartner, vice president of Queen City Awning, of the cast aluminum line his store sells. It mimics wrought iron but doesn't rust or need to be repainted.

        The line is gaining popularity despite its cost, which can sometimes be 50 percent higher than wrought iron, he says.

        Faux woods: “The Poly-Wood Adirondack chair is our most popular,” says Pat Moeckel of Patio & Hearth in Florence. “It's especially popular down in South Carolina because it's great around salt water.”

Michael Graves Garapera wood patio set, $489.97 for table and chairs, $99.99 for umbrella at Target.

        Stainless steel: “We can't make it fast enough,” says Gary Masengo, an independent manufacturer's representative for Brown Jordan about that company's stainless steel lines, Nxt and Vu. “It's been around, in another form, since the '60s, and it's for the customer who wants a sleek contemporary style.”

        Wicker: “We've reinvented wicker in an outdoor form,” says Mr. Masengo. “The woven wicker is made from synthetic resin that can be used outside,” unlike grandma's wicker. But most folks add cushy pads and pillows so it's best left on a screened porch.

        Coverings: Thanks to technology, the fabrics on today's furniture can be left outdoors, although most experts suggest bringing thick cushions indoors after using them outside to prolong their life.

        Sunbrella, an acrylic fabric with the feel of cotton or linen, is even better than polyester for outdoor use. In addition, some of the Sunbrella umbrella covers and lamp shades can be slipped off and washed.

        Even outdoor furniture paint has gone high tech. Pieces get a UV coating to resist fading, Ms. Moeckel says.
       

Winston aluminum patio set, $2,886, umbrella $398 at Patio and Hearth.

        Despite the easy-care promises, some folks can't tear themselves away from the comfort of real wicker, the warmth of wood and the strength and weight of wrought iron.

        Woods are mostly teak and Jarrah, an Australian hardwood. Architect-designer Michael Graves chose Garapera wood from Brazil for a patio set he designed for Target stores.

        Left untouched, all the woods will fade to a silver finish, but most can be restored with a cleaner available at patio and garden stores.
       

Bigger is better

        Following the lead of fast food, consumers are super-sizing. The small square or circle table accompanied by two chairs is being replaced by the more accommodating oval-shape table with four or more chairs, say store owners.

        “One of the biggest changes in the market is size. The scale is getting bigger,” says Mike Willis, vice-president of stores and operations for Closson's.

        Rob Armour of Florence, who stopped in Patio & Hearth last week, said he and his wife chose a sling-style set with an oval table from Home Crest after shopping around.

        “We like the sling style, especially the edging on the glass-top table,” he says. Due, no doubt to the toddler trailing behind.

        “The long, oval table seating six to eight people (72 inches) is the big-seller,” says Mr. Weingartner. of Queen City Awning. “We're also selling a lot of 84-inch oblongs, followed by 108 inches.

        As for color, most people are sticking to earth tones, warm bronzes and burnished grays for outdoor looks.

        “The funny thing is, Mr. Weingartner says, “people will come in and spend more just to get furniture that doesn't rust, yet when it comes to choosing a color, they pick an antique-rust finish.”

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