Rattan Dining Sets
Rattan Garden Furniture Dining Sets
Stylish and comfortable, rattan garden furniture continues to grow in popularity as people look for something other than the traditional hardwood and metal outdoor furniture ranges.
For maximum visual effect, rattan is best suited to large items such as outdoor dining sets and outdoor sofas. There are a number of rattan dining sets available, ranging from 4 seater sets through to 6 seater and 8 seater plus. Rattan is available in two different forms, natural and synthetic poly rattan.
Natural Rattan
Natural rattan is a type of fast growing tropical palm found growing in Africa and Asia. Due to it’s lightness and strength, rattan is often used for making furniture and wicker baskets. Natural rattan furniture is not cheap, but you’ll be buying the real thing as opposed to ‘wicker effect’ or woven plastic. Natural rattan furniture is best suited for indoor use.
Synthetic Poly Rattan
Most modern rattan garden furniture is made using synthetic material known as poly rattan. Poly rattan offers a practical alternative to genuine rattan and appeals to people who want weather-proof garden and conservatory furniture with the ‘woven’ look. Good quality synthetic rattan garden furniture will be UV and mould resistant, water repellant and virtually maintenance free.
True Rattan versus Poly Rattan
Rattan furniture is favoured for its authentic, stylish looks and versatility, looking just as good indoors as it does on your patio. If you want the genuine, authentic look of woven furniture, natural rattan is the way to go. Bear in mind though, natural rattan furniture is more expensive than poly rattan and won’t last long if allowed to get wet.
If you plan to use your new rattan dining set primarily as outdoor furniture, the weather resistant nature of poly rattan provides the wisest option. Just don’t forget to bring the cushions indoors when it does start to rain!
Lloyd Loom
Rattan is a term often used to describe other types of woven furniture. The hugely popular and timeless range of Lloyd Loom furniture is manufactured using a unique, patented process that doesn’t involve rattan at all. Kraft paper is wrapped around wire which is then woven together, dipped in glue and painted. Although extremely tough, you don’t want to leave Lloyd Loom outside in bad weather!