Plastic ? Plastic is low priced and easy to find in almost any color scheme, but the low price also comes with a cost. Plastic isn't as strong as many other materials, and can be weakened by the sun's rays.

Wicker - Wicker has a great homey feel about it. It looks handmade and is what many people picture when they think of sitting under a tree sipping lemonade. The down side is that wicker can be harder to clean over time, because dirt can get in between all the little pieces. The reed making up the design can also start to crack and break.

Aluminum ? If you like lightweight metal, aluminum is what you are looking for. Aluminum furniture is easy to move around, and looks great. The down side is because it is a lighter metal it can be broken more easily than a heaver metal piece of furniture.

Wood ? Solid wood pieces are going to put up with a good workout, and a lot of abuse. Depending on the wood type, you do have to worry about maintenance and make sure the wood is sealed.

Iron ? Iron furniture is always beautiful, and very sturdy. There is not much that is going to hurt a piece of wrought iron furniture, except sea air. If you are near the ocean, the salt air can have a rusting effect on your iron furniture.

Once you have selected the material you want your furniture to be made out of, you need to consider how you are going to make them a comfortable place to sit and spend the day. This is where patio furniture cushions come into play.

While you may think one set of patio furniture cushions is like the next, the patio furniture cushions you need are going to depend on what you expect them to put up with in their day to day use as a part of your backyard environment.

If you are planning on having your furniture poolside, you need to make sure the constant moisture and chlorine from the pool are not going to harm your patio furniture cushions. It will happen that someone who has just come out of the water will plop down for a seat.

Direct sunlight can also have an effect on your patio furniture cushions and can bleach them out if they sit outside too long, so you may want to choose a color where it will not be obvious if it grows lighter.

On the other hand, if you are just planning on having these furniture pieces on a covered patio for some outside dining and grilling, you have much more flexibility in what they can be made out of, since the elements are not as much of a threat.