That's an excellent question, and it gets to the heart of why recycled plastic lumber has become so popular. The short answer is: modern recycled plastic benches come remarkably close to mimicking the look of real wood, but the texture tells a more innovative story.
Initially, the surface feels smooth and solid to the touch, free of the splinters, cracks, or rough grain you might find with weathered timber. Run your hand across it, and you'll feel a consistent, dense material. However, manufacturers use advanced molding techniques to emboss incredibly realistic wood grain patterns directly into the plastic. Visually, from a few feet away, it's often indistinguishable from oak, teak, or cedar. The texture you feel is that detailed grain, providing grip and visual depth, but without the porous, absorbent quality of wood.
Where the experience truly differs is in performance. Unlike wood, this texture never changes. It won't become rough from sun exposure, absorb moisture and become slimy, or rot and soften. The feel remains consistently smooth and clean year after year, with no maintenance. It's cooler to the touch than metal but retains less heat than dark wood in direct sun. Ultimately, the texture offers the aesthetic warmth of wood paired with the resilient, low-maintenance feel of a high-performance composite, giving you the best of both worlds for your outdoor space.