How to Dispose of Patio Furniture: Metal, Wood, Plastic

Aluminum and wrought iron

Metal frames are the easy part. Many public sites take scrap metal free, including Durham, NC, Prince William County, VA (for residents) and Kent County, MI. A scrap yard may pay a little, especially for aluminum. Strip the cushions, slings and plastic feet first. See scrap yard versus landfill for clean metal and separate metal before it is buried.

Wood, wicker and resin

• Wood: usually bulky trash or wood waste. Painted or treated wood often can't go in yard waste or mulch piles. See pressure-treated wood.
• Resin wicker and plastic chairs: many curbside programs don't accept large rigid plastic, so these usually go as bulky trash. Check your city's list.
• Cushions and umbrellas: trash. Umbrella poles are often metal.

Checked October 2026. Rules for this item vary by city and county, and fees and accepted items change. Check your local solid waste or household hazardous waste page, or call the site, before you haul.

Glass tabletops

Tabletop glass usually isn't accepted with bottle and jar recycling. Wrap it in a blanket or cardboard, tape it, and label it. If it breaks, box the pieces. See boxing broken glass for a dump run.

Curb, donation or dump

Usable sets go fast on free listings in spring. Many cities run bulky item pickup, so check size and count limits. At the dump, furniture is often charged as bulky waste, so put metal in the scrap pile to cut the weight you pay for. Estimate the load with the dump fee calculator, or see the furniture guide.

How to Dispose of Patio Furniture FAQ

Is aluminum patio furniture recyclable?

Yes, as scrap metal, once the slings and plastic are removed.

Can resin chairs go in recycling?

Usually not curbside. Check your city's rules.

What do I do with a glass tabletop?

Wrap it and dispose of it separately. It's usually not accepted with glass bottle recycling.

Will the city pick up patio furniture?

Many cities offer bulky pickup. Check limits.

Do I pay at the dump for metal chairs?

Often not, where scrap metal is free.

The bottom line

Sort by material, scrap the metal, wrap the glass, and haul the rest as bulky waste. See strapping bulky furniture in place.

Hauling it yourself? If the load won’t fit in the truck bed, a 6×10 ft open-rail utility trailer or a 4×8 ft folding trailer (it folds upright to store in a garage) can cost less than a couple of hauler trips. Tie everything down with ratchet tie-down straps; many sites charge extra for loose or uncovered loads. Bag loose debris in 55-gallon contractor bags so it’s quicker to unload.

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