If you have been searching for some new garden furniture then one style that will keep coming up is rattan. Rattan outdoor furniture is a type of furniture that is made from one of the hundreds of different types of palm tree in certain regions of Africa and Asia. While in most cases the rattan outdoor furniture that you buy won’t actually be made from these palm trees but is instead synthetic it is based on the style of this furniture.
The reason that most rattan furniture that you can buy for your garden is synthetic is that ordinary rattan furniture would not be able to survive being left outside in harsh weather for a long period of time. By being synthetic, rattan furniture can have the same style as that of the traditional rattan furniture while at the same time being practical for use in our gardens.
When you are buying rattan furniture you should make sure that it has been designed to be used outside. It will need to have been treated correctly if you are going to leave it outside otherwise it probably won’t last that long!
The reason that rattan outdoor furniture has become so popular is that it provides a different and unique look compared with other kinds of modern furniture. It is also generally easy to clean and will last a long time even in harsh weather conditions making it perfect for outdoor use.
One thing to look out for is that many people seem to use the terms rattan and wicker as if they mean the same thing. This is actually not correct – rattan is a type of material used when making furniture and wicker is a method of making furniture. That means that it is quite possible to have rattan wick furniture as they refer to different aspects of the furniture creation process. The reasons that this mistake is made is that often rattan furniture will be created by using the wicker method and hence they have started to mean the same thing.
When buying rattan outdoor furniture you need to think about the same things as buying any other kind of furniture. Mainly whether your budget can afford it and whether it is the right style for your garden. Rattan is a very versatile material meaning that will go well with most styles of garden but there are always exceptions so make sure it is the right choice for your garden before buying.
There is a lot of confusion when it comes to rattan furniture, probably because when manufacturers have talked about their rattan or wicker in the past they haven’t been very strict about using the correct terms. There is a difference between rattan and wicker though – rattan is the type of material whereas wicker refers to the way the furniture is made. In this article I’ll talk about what rattan furniture actually is so you can choose whether it is right for your garden.
Rattan starts its life as a tropical palm tree that is found in Africa and parts of Asia. There are actually around 600 different types of bamboo plants that can be referred to as rattan so it doesn’t refer to just one species. The rattan bamboo plants originally grow upwards and then start to bend and grow back towards the ground. Usually they are left to grow for a while until they reach a certain length and then are taken away to be dried.
The reason that rattan is often used for furniture is that it is one of the strongest types of wood around. Because it grows vertically upwards unlike other forms of wood which grow in rings it is extremely strong making it perfect for chairs and tables. Also, once the rattan has dried into the shape that the furniture manufacturer wants it will never change shape.
When people talk about wicker what they really mean is the way that the rattan material is woven into the shape of a chair or table. Most rattan furniture is made in a way that makes it wicker but the two words don’t mean the same thing.
When you are buying rattan outdoor furniture you should make sure that it has been treated to be UV resistant. That means that you’ll be able to leave it outside all year around in the sun and rain and it won’t be damaged. All high quality rattan furniture will be UV treated but you shouldn’t assume that the furniture that you buy will be. Also, the best kind of rattan furniture will be made by weaving the rattan around a solid metal frame to make it stronger. If you get a piece of rattan furniture that isn’t made like this then you may find that it isn’t strong enough to bear weight over a long period of time. You should always ask the manufacturer about this before you buy.
Rattan makes a great piece of furniture, and can be used both indoors and outdoors. As we have discussed, the benefits of rattan for furniture are that it is durable, dense, easily worked, and attractive. Of course these qualities lend themselves to a range of other uses around the home, both inside and outside!
Rattan is traditionally used to weave baskets and hampers. These can be a great addition to a home in which you are going for a earthy, natural vibe. Try decorating your patio with some tall woven baskets, containing interesting dried branches or other found objects – this will complement your rattan furniture too!
Another interesting use of rattan is in musical instruments, particularly rhythm instruments – as rattan is a form of bamboo, the hollow stems can be dried and tuned by cutting them to different lengths.
Because of its strength, rattan makes excellent matting and flooring. Woven rattan mats are another attractive way to add interest to a room. As rattan takes paint and dye quite well, these mats can be colored to suit your own décor. Don’t be limited by natural colors if you are more interested in a contemporary look – think outside the box and try a bright primary color to act as the centerpiece of a room.
Finally, rattan can be used as a strong flooring option. Rattan flooring is laminated, and formed into panels which can interlock – just like regular floating flooring. As with any bamboo flooring, rattan flooring can be made of panels set lengthways so the texture is quite a broad stripe, or on edge so that the texture is stippled and finer grained.
These ideas are just the tip of the iceberg – see what other creative applications you can find to add a tribal and creative touch to your outdoor area!
