Difference between Wicker Furniture and Rattan Furniture
If you are looking for wonderful Vietnamese outdoor or indoor patio furniture, you may have seen these two materials many times– Wicker Furniture and Rattan Furniture. The point is – some people think that wicker and rattan are the same, and some believe that these are very alike. Wicker and Rattan can be interchangeable which may cause problems in maintenance of furniture. Despite the fact that wicker and rattan furniture fall under similar category, there is still an extraordinary difference between them. This blog will highlight the differences between wicker and rattan furniture o you can choose what is right for you.
What is Rattan?
Although rattan is similar to the palm tree, it’s not a tree! It is a kind of a vine that grows very quickly in tropical and sub-tropical regions of South Eastern countries like Vietnam. For this reason it is also known as climbing palms.
Main Qualities of Rattan:
Growing in the shape of a pole, rattan reaches the diameter between one to three inches when fully grown. It also has the ability to grow to one hundred feet, rattan is thought of as one of the strongest woods and is used in making various furniture styles.
Unlike the bamboo pole, rattan has a strong centre, is very hardwearing and even more difficult to break. The solid centre of rattan as well as the vertical grains is harvested, and is chopped into smaller pieces and is usually steamed to give assorted shapes. The skin outside of the rattan pole, the peel, is usually used as binding for furniture joints.
What is Wicker?
Wicker is a material made of plant stalks, branches or shoots formed by a kind of weaving into a rigid material, most often used for baskets or furniture. In fact, it is an ancient technique and is used to produce numerous items out of natural materials, such as willow, rush, cane, rattan core and more. Natural wicker is well known for its strength and durability, and for the high level of beauty and comfort that an expert craftsman can produce. The materials are produced when wet so they can be easily woven to create different designs and patterns in furniture pieces. For more information, have a look at our different wicker furniture styles at our wicker furniture factory.
Rattan is a specific material, hence rattan furniture can be crafted out of rattan only, but wicker furniture may be crafted out of different materials such as bamboo, straw and even rattan. Recently, synthetic materials are also being used to manufacture various wicker furnishings. Hope this article has helped you to develop an understanding of the differences between rattan and wicker.
Check PORA furniture article that tells lots of useful information about rattan furniture and wicker furniture separately.