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Know
your Rattan and Wicker before you buy!
Aware that the market place today can be confusing, Roatan
Furniture offers this information to assist the consumer
in making a wise selection. The furniture buyer is confronted with
many choices, often look-alikes, so that the ability to recognize
and identify a quality product is essential for making the right
decision. While style and appearance is important, quality rattan
furniture which will last is always the best investment. Roatan
Furniture’s combination of the two results in pride
of ownership, complete satisfaction, and assures years of pleasure
knowing you have invested your money wisely.
Why Rattan and Wicker?
From a practical standpoint, rattan is extremely rugged and durable,
and if well constructed, rattan furniture can last a lifetime. Families
with very active children select it because of the tremendous beating
it can take. Most of us know a family who has passed rattan or wicker
furniture down for generations. It's requirement for very little
maintenance is preferred by many homeowners. The timeless appearance
of rattan, when well designed, is enduring and extremely versatile.
It never goes out of style. Rattan seating pieces sometime have
the added advantage of separate seat and back cushions which can
be easily replaced or recovered eliminating expensive upholstery
costs.
The current trend toward natural materials has brought an even greater
appreciation for rattan furniture. It goes well with live plants,
pottery, basketry, and other hand crafted accessories. It can reflect
a warm springtime feeling in any season. Rattan and wicker blends
with ease into formal or informal settings. It is equally comfortable
as a stand-alone accent in a formal setting or as a coordinated
grouping in a complete room.
What is Rattan?
Rattan is actually the stem of a climbing palm, a rugged woody vine
which can be steamed and formed into any desired shape. There are
a number of varieties, several of which are commonly used for the
various structural parts of a quality frame. The large rattan palm
vines grow up to 600 feet in length and are cut when they are 7
to 10 years old. The vine is usually cut about three feet above
the ground. The remaining shoot continues to grow and in seven years,
is ready to harvest again. Rattan is an extraordinarily versatile
material, extremely durable and tough, as well as resilient and
flexible. Rattan offers unique possibilities to the furniture designer
since no other natural wood can be formed into the intricate, graceful
curves that rattan assumes so easily.
Rattan is sometimes confused with bamboo because distinctive joints
or nodes every few feet make the two look similar. Rattan, however,
is solid and bamboo is hollow. Bamboo cannot be bent or machined
and will not accept nails or screws without splitting.
How to determine First-Quality
Rattan Furniture
First quality rattan furniture is built of hand selected quality
rattan poles. A variety of coloration in the wood is normal and
is caused by the combination of minerals in the soil where the particular
plant was grown. This helps to give each piece of rattan furniture
it's own unique personality. There truly are not any two pieces
alike.
The individual poles should be uniform in size and not have a noticeably
knobby look. The joints should be close fitting for greater strength
and a pleasing appearance. Joints should be glued and secured with
nails and screws. Bindings should be either quality genuine peel
(the tough outer bark of the rattan pole) or genuine leather. In
either case the binding should be tightly woven and secured for
lasting durability. Roatan Furniture’s rattan
peel and leather bindings are applied wet because as they dry they
shrink, forming a more rigid joint. Leader's bindings are glued
and nailed to assure permanent adhesion eliminating loosening or
unwinding.
Well made furniture has a rigid frame. The quality of the seat frame
is basic to overall strength of any piece. Lift the seat cushion
and assure that the manufacturing is clean and strong. Tables should
also be strong. They should not be wobbly. Moldings should be smooth
and close fitting. They should be attached with glue and counter-sunk
fasteners.
All
mechanisms should be properly manufactured and rigidly mounted.
Swivels should operate properly and freely. Quality casters should
be mounted in reinforced caster sockets at the base of each leg.
Roatan Furniture 's special technique and high
quality standards virtually eliminate weakness in motion and caster
mounts.
Finishing
is highly important. It creates the desired look that you will enjoy
for years to come. The application of multiple step finishes over
thoroughly sanded and sealed rattan is the final step in quality
furniture. Roatan Furniture uses the most beautiful and durable
finishing processes available today.
What
is the Difference between Rattan and Wicker?
There has always been a confusion as to the difference between rattan
and wicker furniture. The two terms tend to be used interchangeably
when they actually have very distinct characteristics. Rattan furniture
is constructed by joining rattan poles. Wicker is a woven effect,
much like a basket. Some weaves are plain, emphasizing texture,
while others may be very intricate in design. However, all wicker
has a "woven" look.
While
the term "wicker" only refers to woven, there are a variety
of materials used to produce wicker furniture. The most desirable
modern day material is referred to as "core" wicker. It
is cut from the core of the rattan pole. It can be tightly woven
in a variety of patterns to produce extraordinary strength and beauty.
Other canes, reeds, and grasses are sometimes used to produce various
effects.
Rattan
and Wicker Care and Maintenance
Rattan is one of the most maintenance-free furniture materials in
the world, and requires very little care in comparison to other
types of furniture.
To
remove dust, use a soft brush or the brush attachment on your vacuum
cleaner.
To keep furniture looking its best and to protect the finish, wipe
occasionally with a damp cloth followed by an application of a good
furniture polish. We find lemon oil to be an excellent polish for
Rattan. Omit the lemon oil on white or whitewash finishes.
For removal of body oils or dirt, we recommend Murphy's Oil Soap.
If your rattan is a dark finish, Old English Scratch Cover is easy
for small touch-up of scratches followed by a clear lacquer spray
available from any hardware store. The clear lacquer is also perfect
for touch-up on natural finish. Small touch-up on white or whitewash
is easiest by brushing on a very small amount of correctly colored
paint with the tip of a finger.
If
binding or wrap loosens, return it back to its original position
after applying white Elmer's Glue to the area. Hold it in place
while the glue is drying by covering the repaired area with plastic
wrap and tightly wrapping tape over the plastic wrap. When dry,
remove the tape and the wrap for an invisible repair.
As
you can see, there are no sophisticated materials or techniques
needed for you to maintain your rattan or wicker furniture for a
lifetime.
If
you have additional questions about rattan or wicker furniture,
please feel free to ask one of our knowledgeable sales people. They
will be happy to assist you.
For
more information please feel free to contact us at:
info@roatanfurniture.com
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