Advantages and disadvantages of plastic dining chairs

There are many advantages and disadvantages of plastic/acrylic dining chairs. They look fantastic in modern and contemporary style rooms and are very easy to clean and maintain. However, as you start browsing the many stores that offer these wonderful chairs, it’s common for people to wonder whether these chairs are right for them.

In this post, we’ll provide you with a plastic dining chair buying guide – helping you decide whether a set of plastic dining chairs is right for you as well as what some of the advantages and disadvantages are.

So, if you’re looking for answers to your questions about plastic/acrylic (dining) chairs then you’re in the right place!

 

Our stock

Here at Lakeland Furniture, we stock a large range of plastic and acrylic dining chairs in a number of different styles and colours. We have chairs in red, yellow, white, blue, purple, light blue and grey, giving you plenty of options to choose from. If you’re interested in buying a set of plastic/acrylic dining chairs for your home, feel free to browse our store by clicking on the dining chair tab in the menu at the top of this page.

Plastic vs acrylic dining chairs?

Throughout this article, we refer to both plastic and acrylic dining chairs. However, it’s not always clear what the difference between the two is. In short: acrylic is a type of plastic, but not all plastic is acrylic.

Most dining chairs are made of acrylic as it’s a very strong kind of plastic. They can also be made of polypropylene or other types of durable plastic, but acrylic tends to be one of the most common materials used. So, whenever you hear someone talk about plastic dining chairs, there’s a very good chance it’s made of acrylic.

Below, we’ll refer to both interchangeably. However, keep in mind there’s a subtle difference between the two!

 

Advantages of plastic chairs

Plastic dining chairs are very popular at the moment, especially for modern and contemporary style designs. They look fantastic in a broad range of room designs and come in many different colours that make it super easy to match the style of a room. These colours are also great for adding contrast to the room.

Another major benefit of plastic dining chairs is maintenance. There are no easier chairs to maintain than plastic chairs making them perfect for homes with children. They’re very durable and can’t rip, tear or crease, and scratches are very rare. They’re also easy to keep clean and don’t stain. This ensures the chairs continue to look fantastic as they get older – something that isn’t always the case for leather or fabric chairs.

All-in-all, there are plenty of advantages that these chairs have over chairs made of other materials.

 

Disadvantages of plastic chairs

The only real disadvantage is that some people prefer leather or fabric models. Plastic dining chairs don’t work well with older, more rustic styles, which means they don’t work well in all situations. Unlike black leather chairs, which work well in a broader range of styles, plastic chairs work best in modern or contemporary style dining rooms.

 

Best acrylic dining chairs

Finding the best plastic dining chair for your dining room isn’t always easy, especially given the large number of different models on the market. To make it finding the perfect one for you easier, we’ll dive deeper into our favourite model below – the Ava gel acrylic dining chair.

Our Ava gel acrylic chair is the most popular acrylic dining chair we stock and it comes in a range of different colours. If you’re looking for something bright, then the sapphire blue Ava dining chair might just be the perfect one for you. Prefer something a little less bright? The clear acrylic Ava dining chair might be the better option.

This chair is made of one piece of acrylic and has a chrome base that ensures it looks great in a range of different situations. It has a maximum load weight of 112kg and a seat width of 42cm and a backrest height of 42cm too. It’s not just comfortable to sit on but it’s also very easy to maintain and keep clean. Simply wipe it down with a damp cloth every once in a while and you’re good to go!

 

Are plastic chairs comfortable?

This is a question we get quite often as it’s common for people to think that the hard surface might be uncomfortable to sit on. This isn’t the case. The chairs are shaped to ensure you can be seated comfortably and the sturdy backrest provides a good amount of support. This ensures that most people can be seated comfortably on acrylic dining chairs.

 

 

How sturdy are plastic dining chairs?

This depends on the type of plastic they’re made from. However, most plastic dining chairs are made of acrylic which is very durable and sturdy. Most plastic dining chairs are built to last and they can generally be used for years without any major visible wear and tear. There’s very little difference between plastic and wooden dining chairs when it comes to how sturdy they are. In fact, plastic dining chairs are generally considered more durable than wooden or fabric chairs!

 

What style do plastic dining chairs go with?

Plastic chairs tend to work best in modern contemporary spaces given the material they’re made of is a relatively new invention. Since plastic dining chairs are generally considered minimalist, they work well in most minimalist style homes, including Scandinavian style as well as most other modern design types.

 

Do acrylic dining chairs scratch easily?

Whether acrylic dining chairs scratch easily really depends on the brand/type of chair you get. However, if you buy a good quality acrylic chair, they are very unlikely to get scratched anytime soon. A lot of pressure is required to scratch these chairs so they’re no more likely to get scratched than leather or wooden chairs. In fact, good quality models are far less likely to show any signs of scratches.

 

What type of plastic are white plastic dining chairs made from?

White plastic dining chairs can be made of a whole host of different plastics, including acrylic and polypropylene. The white plastic chairs we stock are made of acrylic which is extremely durable. However, polypropylene chairs are also very sturdy and can be a good alternative to acrylic. 

 

 

What’s the best way to clean plastic dining chairs?

Cleaning plastic chairs is a piece of cake. You can simply wipe the plastic surface with soapy water and then remove the soap with a normal wet cloth. Since they’re made of plastic, there are no nooks or crevices where crumbs or dirt can build up, making them far easier to clean than fabric or leather models.

That being said, you want to avoid using any harsh cleaning products on the chairs as certain chemicals can cause discolouration.

 

Conclusion

You should now have a good understanding of the advantages and disadvantages of plastic dining chairs. Who knows, you might have even decided they’re right for your home! If you have any questions after reading this post, or you have any questions about our product range, please feel free to reach out to our customer support team. They’re always happy to help!