How is wicker made

When it comes to craftsmanship, the process of synthetic wicker is just like the process in weaving natural wicker. The weaving patterns we use with synthetic wicker are just as hand-crafted and artistic as the natural rattan weaving patterns.

The result of crafting this hand-woven synthetic wicker over the rest of the frame is that the HDPE is what gets exposed to sunlight and rain. Even if you were to remove the HDPE from the furniture, you would simply expose aluminum underneath, a material that is highly weather-resistant.

The same essential process—starting with a strong, lightweight frame and weaving wicker over it—is what we use for both synthetic and natural wicker furniture. Aside from these key differences, much of the process of crafting wicker furniture from natural and synthetic materials follows the same basic steps.

After all, no one is going to sit down on a piece of wicker furniture without a proper cushion to make the piece comfortable. For indoor natural rattan furniture, we focus on cotton fabrics filled with foam.

The effectiveness of these cushions also makes for easier furniture maintenance. Like the materials from which your wicker furniture is crafted, the fabrics that line your cushions need to be strong, durable, comfortable, and attractive.

Fabrics, like wicker materials, come in both natural and synthetic versions. Look for fabrics with higher stitch counts if you want a fabric that wears well. Synthetic fabrics are generally very strong. Mostly made out of spun polyester or acrylic materials, synthetic fabrics are also difficult to dye. This sets the dye on top of the fabric without dyeing it through—cotton, in contrast, can be dyed through. Another advantage to synthetic fabrics, like synthetic wicker, is that they can include added ultraviolet UV ray protection.

When we at Wicker Warehouse use synthetic fabrics, we generally use spun polyester with a minimum of hours of UV protection. There are synthetic fabrics available with higher-grade UV protection, such as Sunbrella acrylic fabrics, which offer some 2, hours of UV protection. These fabrics employ a more expensive dying process, but the end result includes better wear.

It is possible to receive spun polyester floral fabric with no UV treatment. This fabric will be less expensive, but the trade-off is that it will wear out faster when exposed to the sun. As is so often the case with furniture, you get what you pay for. After all of the craftsmanship—shaping the materials, painting the aluminum, creating a wicker weave, selecting a fabric—has been finished, the wicker furniture piece is nearly complete.

However, the specific final step in finishing a fully-crafted piece of wicker furniture depends on how it was made. Shop With Confidence, Read our Reviews. Contact Login Join Now Cart 0. Where We Ship. Click For Menu Bar Menu. Craftsmanship: How Wicker Furniture is Made. In order to weave this pattern, you lay down one strand of fiber. You then lay another perpendicular fiber over that and continue in this pattern. Double weaving: Double weaving is the same technique as above, only using two different fiber strands instead of simply one at a time.

Waling: This is a weave typically used when building up the vertical spokes of a woven piece. Adding Levels, Spokes, and Sides Wicker weaving gets complicated as you enter three dimensions. Processing Rattan When you understand all there is to know about wicker weaving, you begin to discover why rattan is perfect for wicker furniture.

Starting with Large Rattan Poles When buying rattan wholesale, furniture makers often encounter large, solid rattan poles. Shaping and Integrating Wicker Weaving The basic process of rattan furniture assembly is easy enough to understand: you construct a frame and weave in different patterns and textures of rattan over that solid frame. Understanding the Role of Rattan Poles and Frames In the previous section we covered a little bit about the important role broom handle-sized rattan poles play in the craftsmanship of rattan furniture.

For example, on an end table, the construction process will loosely follow these steps: Constructing the frame first. This includes using a heavier rattan for the frame.

This part will vary depending on the type of piece being created; a loveseat, for example, will require more work on the frame to ensure it can support enough weight. Covering the joints and connections.

Wrapping the joints and connections with rattan either using rattan skin or smaller cuts of rattan is essential so that nothing but rattan shows. Creating crossbars for the shelf underneath. While the shelf itself will be mostly smaller rattan, it will still bear weight; that means the crossbars that support this weight will have to be inserted next. Once the basic structure is finished—featuring both the frame and the crossbars for the shelf—we will hand the furniture off to our wicker weaver.

The piece will then be hand-woven and hand-tied to create the overall look of complete wicker covering the piece. If the worksmanship is done properly, there will be no additional rattan sticking out; it will instead be a cohesive whole.

Wicker Weaving Craftsmanship The wicker weave on the exterior of the furniture is going to be the most noticeable part of the entire set; it needs to be done right.

Constructing Synthetic Frames The first step in creating a piece of rattan furniture is to process the raw material. Putting it All Together The same essential process—starting with a strong, lightweight frame and weaving wicker over it—is what we use for both synthetic and natural wicker furniture. Painting and sealing: In natural rattan, sealing helps to preserve its longevity and painting brings it from its natural colors to the color of your choice. Another note: the water seal around natural rattan will eventually start to wear down.

The sealing process makes it better capable of handling water, but it will still eventually wear away. Full coloring: Painting a rattan chair can be done after the whole structure is completed. Instead, we will paint the aluminum frame first in order to ensure a proper color match and then weave the HDPE wicker to the outside.

Kennedy had a prized rocking chair fitted with a seat and back of woven rattan, one of the materials used to make wicker furniture [source: John F. Some of the oldest surviving specimens of woven chests and boxes made of dried palms or reeds have been found in the ancient Egyptian pyramids, while ancient Syrian statues depicting wicker crafts have also been found [source: Olsson and Saunders ].

These wicker crafts spread throughout Asia and Europe. Early U. Yet, it was not until one young American took the old adage -- one man's trash is another man's treasure -- that the large-scale wicker industry was launched in the United States. In thes, a young man named Cyrus Wakefield observed rattan, used for packing material around ships' cargo, being cast off of ships in the Boston harbor [source: Adamson ].

He saw the rattan's potential as a raw material for furniture manufacturing and made a career from selling both the material and the furniture made from it. By the s, wicker furniture was growing in popularity as a functional piece of art in America. From to , the majority of wicker furniture was only for indoor use, but slowly it started moving outdoors [source: Saunders ].

As tastes evolved, manufacturers began to offer specialized items such as baby carriages and music stands along with painted pieces.

Due to new design trends and materials, wicker's popularity waned in the s. Yet, the style and comfort were rediscovered by the s and continue to be popular today [source: Adamson, Olsson and Saunders ].

According to the American Institute of Architects' Home Design Trends Survey, homeowners are increasingly interested in expanding their living space outward [source: Baker]. Wicker has been a great option for outdoor living since the Victorian times, and with new advances in technology, it's an even more logical choice for today's patios and porches. In this article, we will take a closer look at what makes this unique weaving style work and how it continues to appeal to consumers today.

Wicker is not, as some may think, an actual plant from which certain furniture is made. It's actually the term for any piece of woven furniture.

Creating a piece of wicker furniture uses many techniques that are also used in basketry [source: Miller and Widess ]. The weaves are made up of spokes, or vertical supports, and weavers, which are the horizontal strands. In order to be shaped or made pliable, reed, one of the most common materials used in wicker furniture, must be soaked in warm water. The thickness of the material will dictate how long it needs to soak before it can be used to create the weave pattern for a particular piece [source: Saunders ].

Due to the individual nature and age of wicker craftsmanship, there have been a variety of weave variations used to create unique patterns. The most standard weave is the simple over-and-under, which is similar to weaving a rug. This technique consists of going over one spoke and under the next. Along the edges, the weave is likely to change to a form of braiding intertwining two to four pieces at a time [source: Gonyea ]. Caning, which generally refers to weaving seats and backs only, incorporates different types of weaves.

These weaves can range from a simple open weave leaving large stop-sign shaped openings throughout the piece to an intricate snowflake weave that predominately uses hexagon-shapes [source: Miller and Widess ]. Using combinations of weaves, intricate patterns are produced to form the piece.

Some wicker patterns are so detailed that actual images are created out of the weaving such as flags, hearts and even guitars [source: Saunders, Olsson and Saunders ]. The actual materials used to create these pieces of woven furniture are diverse.

Let's take a closer look at the two different types of wicker furniture. There's a new way to go green even after you have passed on. Wicker coffins are an emerging trend in burial containment. There are two general types of wicker furniture: natural and synthetic. While both still use weaving as the main construction method for the pieces, the final products differ greatly.

Natural wickers can be made out of rattan, willow, sea grass and raffia. For a time, wicker was even made from spun paper about the size of pipe cleaners [source: Gonyea ].

One of the most popular materials, rattan, is the stem or trunk of a climbing palm. The plant uses its spines to climb and wind itself up nearby trees [source: Miller and Widess ]. The rattan can grow up to feet almost meters in length [source: Adamson ].

The outer layer is called cane, and the inner bark is reed [source: Saunders ]. It's important to note that one piece of furniture may incorporate many different types of materials. Natural wicker furniture has been popular for years because of its feel and look. Due to its woven nature, wicker furniture offers a certain amount of elasticity. Steven Cyr, owner of CottageWicker. Pressure washers are way too strong for wicker furniture — including synthetic wicker.

Instead, use a nylon brush and, as mentioned above, a minimally damp cloth to wipe your outdoor furniture. A good rule of thumb? Search for:. Jessica from White Picket Farmhouse styles her Medan Lounge Chair inside — but the synthetic wicker works just as well outside. Natural Rattan vs. How can you keep your Capra Sectional looking this good?

A solid maintenance and cleaning plan, of course. Share on.