Difference Between Cane and Rattan Conservatory Furniture
When you shop for rattan conservatory furniture, you would find websites, brochures and even salespeople who would claim that this style of conservatory furniture is just like that made of cane. That could create a bit of confusion. After all, if conservatory furniture made of rattan is just the same as conservatory furniture made of cane, then what is the difference?
Perhaps in order to understand the difference between rattan conservatory furniture and those made of cane, you would need to understand just what rattan is.
What Is Rattan Conservatory Furniture?
As the name of the style suggests, rattan conservatory furniture are pieces of furnishings made of rattan. Rattan is a plant considered to be a species of the tropical palm tree. However, instead of shooting up straight like a tree, it acts like a vine, climbing and snaking through other trees in the forest with the use of hooks along its cane.
As a climbing palm, rattan can actually grow up to 152 metres in length, and its cane can have a circumference of up to five centimetres. When rattan is harvested for making rattan conservatory furniture and other products derived from rattan, the rattan canes are cut into five-metre lengths.
Some sections of the rattan cane are bent and steamed to create frames for rattan conservatory furniture. When rattan cools down from its exposure to heat, it retains its bent shape. Some sections of the cut rattan have the skin peeled off and processed so they would be used for the wickerwork required for the furniture. The core of the rattan cane is utilised for other products, such as percussion mallets and as weapons in Southeast Asian styles of martial arts such as Arnis and Eskrima.
Rattan grows natively in South and Southeast Asia. In fact, 70% of the world's supply of rattan comes from Indonesia, whilst the remaining 30% is sourced out from Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Malaysia and the Philippines. Thus, it is no wonder that manufacturers of rattan conservatory furniture have their shops and factories located in these regions.
How Different Is Cane from Rattan Conservatory Furniture?
So, what difference does rattan conservatory furniture have over those made of cane? As described above, rattan is a climbing palm. Its canes are solid to the core. By comparison, cane conservatory furniture pieces are made of bamboo. Bamboo canes are essentially hollow inside.
But for all the fact that rattan conservatory furniture pieces have frames that are solid to the core when compared to bamboo, rattan is actually lighter in many cases than bamboo. Rattan is also more resistant to splintering, which means a person sitting on a rattan chair is relatively safe from getting snags on his or her clothing.
It is also interesting to note that some cane conservatory furniture pieces have wickerwork made with rattan. Rattan is probably one of the oldest materials used in wicker weaving.
Using Rattan Conservatory Furniture
Rattan is one of the most popular choices when it comes to choosing conservatory furniture. You will not go wrong with selecting rattan conservatory furniture for your own conservatory. Rattan blends well with the typical conservatory decor and is durable enough to withstand exposure to direct sunlight and to moisture. This kind of furniture is also inexpensive, so you are sure to get your money's worth for a long, long while.
Rattan conservatory furniture pieces are also light enough to move around as you please. In addition, they are resistant enough from snags so that you do not have to worry about a guest complaining that a snag ruined her dress.
But no matter how wonderful rattan conservatory furniture pieces are, you should take care of them the best you can so they will last you a long time. Fading caused by direct exposure to sunlight is always an issue with conservatory furniture, so you should move your furniture on a regular basis so that the varnish or paint finishing will fade evenly.
Cleaning rattan conservatory furniture can be quite a chore for those who are not inclined to housework, but the job can be completed with the effective use of a clean but damp rag and some elbow grease. You should mind that the cleaning rag you use is only damp instead of soaking wet because the excess moisture will ruin the finish of your furniture.
It is possible to use furniture polish on rattan conservatory furniture. This actually helps a lot in preserving the varnish on the rattan. However, make sure that the furniture polish you are using does not have harmful chemicals that will bleach away the finish on your furniture. They will make your furniture fade a lot more quickly than sunlight.
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