Many people, including salespersons who sell furniture tend to believe that wicker furniture and rattan furniture are almost alike. As a result, the terms are often used interchangeably to address outdoor/indoor furniture commonly found in homes during summer months. The fact is that wicker and rattan furniture fall under the same category but there is a remarkable difference between the two.Rattan is a close relative of the palm tree. Rattan is one of the strongest woods and possesses the ability to grow up high as hundred feet.Unlike the bamboo pole, rattan boasts a strong core and is thus durable and even hard to break. The solid core of rattan along with vertical grains is harvested, and is cut into smaller sections and is generally steamed to give varied shapes. The outside skin of the rattan pole, which is the peel, is generally used to bind the furniture joints together.On the other hand, wicker is not a material but an ancient technique used to manufacture items out of natural materials, such as willow, rush, rush, rattan core and more.
The natural materials are made wet so that they can be easily woven to create wicker design furniture pieces.So here is where the difference lies – Rattan is a specific material, hence rattan furniture is 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 for manufacturing wicker furniture.In terms of versatility and durability rattan furniture scores much more than wicker furniture. It basically varies with the material used for manufacturing wicker furniture.Natural rattan furniture is sure to fade if exposed to sunlight. What could be more peaceful and relaxing than spending quality time outdoors with a cup of coffee or a glass of wine in hand? When I’m hanging out outdoors I like to not only enjoy the view beyond my terrace, but also the view on my terrace and the Roberti garden collection offers a view that never looked or felt better.What could be better than relaxing on Roberti’s Portofino Swing Sofa suspended from a tree or a porch ceiling?
Designed by Technical Emotions the Gravity Garden Hanging Chair is elegant, charming and dare I say decadent? Made from powder coated Stainless Steel in a champagne finish these gorgeous seats are about as cozy as they come.For similar furniture for the inside use, see Indoor Hanging Seats.If you prefer having your feet firmly on the ground this Gravity Loveseat Sofa with its geometric Stainless Steel cage and Robin’s egg upholstery is just the answer.Of course you could stay on the ground and be suspended at the same time by attaching the Gravity Swing Sofa to a supporting structure.The rope details on the Gravity Swing Sofa are Nautic Rope.Gravity isn’t just about comfortable seats, it is also about tables and the Gravity Coffee Table has an aluminum top with the Stainless Steel base.Roberti has also manufactured a Portofino Garden Bed designed by Sagntiago Sevilano that is made from Stainless Steel epoxy coated frames and hand-woven Nautic Rope elements.The Portofino Garden Bed comes with a canopy for sun protection so you can spend as much time in the sun as you want without actually being in the sun.
The Portofino Garden Bed has built in side tables with aluminum tops – they really thought of everything!As much fun as it would be to spend an afternoon in the sun on the Portofino Garden Bed, I really love the idea of cuddling under a blanket on it and stargazing.Santiago Sevillano designed Roberti’s Portofino Swing Sofa and it has its muse in the seafaring culture.Suspended from Nautic Rope and made from powder coated Stainless Steel in a Terra finish, the upholstered colors are either of earth, clear sky or deep blue water.The only question with Roberti’s outdoor furniture collection is should you choose one design, several or all?Looking for our store? Click here for our outdoor wicker furniture collection! Wicker outdoor patio furniture has always been durable, but it was not until the arrival of synthetic wicker furniture that its aesthetics caught up with its brawn. Quality all-weather wicker furniture is impervious to the forces of both Mother Nature and your day to day use.
In fact, it will not: It accomplishes all this and still requires no maintenance. Unlike traditional wicker furniture which is woven from abaca (palm) strands, modern outdoor wicker furniture is woven from new weather resistant synthetics that are far more durable than abaca. Make sure you know what type of synthetic is used to make your furniture, as not all synthetics perform alike, and some are also extremely toxic! As long as you know that the outdoor wicker furniture set that you are interested in is made from Polyethylene, then you do not have to purchase a brand name synthetic wicker fiber. However, like most industries, many furniture manufacturers and retailers will tell you whatever it takes to make a sale. If you are unsure, brand name fibers such as Ecolene®, Rehau® and Viro® are a guarantee that you are purchasing top quality furniture that does not destroy the planet. Quality synthetic wicker furniture can resist fading and cracking for decades. When combined with quality outdoor fabrics such as Sunbrella and other outdoor rated fabrics, synthetic wicker furniture will keep its color far longer than traditional outdoor furniture.
It is truly amazing!When exposed to the elements steel will rust. Even if powder coated steel will rust because the powder coating will inevitably become scratched with use and expose the steel. Not only is rust ugly, but as steel rusts it expands and weakens. Our competitors say that Aluminum does not rust, which is actually half-true. Aluminum will oxidize when exposed to the elements but you cannot see it like you can on steel or iron. Aluminum "rust" is the same color as regular aluminum so it will stay beautiful for decades. Furthermore, it does not expand and weaken like steel so you will never be faced with flimsy patio furniture again! Because of its non-corrosive properties, aluminum is also used to make important components in the automotive industry as well as in spacecrafts and rockets. For long lasting outdoor furniture, buy aluminum! It's important to look at the way wicker furniture is designed as some synthetic wicker furniture can look cheap and very fake. Furniture weaved from perfectly smooth strands with no texture will be glossy and look unnatural.
To solve this, some manufacturers will add multiple colors to each strand in attempt to make the strands look natural. However the best way to make synthetic wicker furniture look and feel natural is by combining natural colors in a single strand along with textured ridges. This way each strand has texture and dimension, each strand is unique, and with so many angles, each strand will pick up and reflect light naturally rather than have a glare like cheap plastic. You may have noticed a wide range of pricing online and in stores for various outdoor wicker furniture sets. There are many reasons why one set may cost three to four times as much as another. Here is a quick list of ways cheap importers cut quality to offer better pricing, and why you should avoid these cheap products: Let us know if you have any questions about outdoor furniture. We take pride in providing the most knowledgeable customer service staff in the industry and would love to help you get the product you are looking for, even if it's not with us.