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What you should know before purchasing wicker furniture

Posted on July 06 2020

What you should know before purchasing wicker furniture - Cozy Furniture

Buying furniture is always lots of fun! with so many sizes, colours, shapes, styles and specifications. It's not always fun when you are not equipped with the right information.

When buying furniture, many people are not sure what will suit their home. With different materials come different benefits. Wicker is one of the bestsellers, with the features of low maintenance and elegant style.

When faced with buying furniture, many people won't know what wicker is. Wicker is not just the material, but the weaving process of building the furniture piece itself. Wicker can be a natural or man-made material that is pliable and durable enough to be woven into furniture. 

Wicker itself refers to a variety of vines, grasses and plants that are used to weave into furniture. Wicker is not only a viable option for outdoor use but can also be used for indoor use. However, the benefits of wicker are when exposed to outdoor or indoor use, as most wicker can confine against the UV and the rain. 

Indoor or Outdoor use?

So now you have decided to go for a piece of handwoven style furniture for your outdoor entertainment area, most of our manufacturers commonly use synthetic vinyl and resins for outdoor furniture, due to the outdoor elements being tough on furniture wicker has components that help withstand against these elements such as moisture, the sun and extreme dryness depending on the climate. 

When choosing wicker for indoor use, the styles generally come with organic and natural materials as the furniture is not exposed to harsh elements. 

Manufacturing of Wicker

The Weaving Process

When it comes to the weaving, it takes skilled craftsmanship to create the perfect furniture piece. The structure of the furniture piece is most important, once the framing has been created then the wicker is handwoven bit by bit throughout the design of the furniture pieces. Depending on the furniture piece is an outdoor or indoor set, different materials will be used either organic or synthetic materials, this is what makes wicker so attractive.
There are many varieties when it comes to High-density polyethylene wicker, you can find very modern designs as well as traditional pieces. Available in many colours with different texture finishes, helps you find the right colour and style to suit the theme of your home. 
With 4 major types of organic materials which are used for indoor wicker furniture are:
  • Rattan (Most popular for indoor)
  • reed
  • Willow
  • Bamboo

Rattan is a thin, pliable stem of a palm which is extremely resourceful as it can also be used to create the frames which the wicker wraps around. When it comes to using these organic materials, they are not recommended for outdoor use as these materials are not durable when exposed to the outdoor elements.

When it comes to outdoor furniture, wicker is a great choice of selection as the framing generally consists of powder-coated aluminium. The fibres mostly used will be synthetic or man-made as the aluminium and synthetic vinyl and resins help keep the wicker look but have better protection when exposed to the UV or rain, the longevity of outdoor wicker is great as they are made to last when left outside.

How to Protect Your Wicker Furniture

Not only is the sun and rain a problem when it comes to outdoor furniture but also the moisture in the air can lead to mildew over time. If your furniture is exposed to the rain you may require to wipe it down. Also being exposed to the sun for long periods of time can also lead to cracking or splintering in different types of wicker. Generally, a large umbrella can help protect the furniture however we do also supply outdoor protective covers that can help protect your investment. 

We also recommend placing a cover on your furniture if exposed to the outdoor elements. Depending on the wicker you select it will have different strengths and durability when exposed, contact your nearest showroom for more information regarding our wicker ranges

 

 

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