Weaving artificial rattan furniture. Production of artificial rattan furniture

Most people who decide to start their own business first of all pay attention to trading. WITH minimal investment You can open a small point in the market. A large store will require large expenses. But in order for a business to become truly profitable, an entrepreneur should come up with his own twist. Otherwise, there will be no difference from competitors.

To earn money almost immediately, you need to start a type of business that is not yet so widespread. You can start producing furniture from artificial rattan. This is both exciting and will bring considerable income.

Artificial rattan

Many people already know rattan furniture. Original wicker tables, chairs and armchairs can decorate any interior. At the same time, natural rattan is a fairly expensive material that not everyone can afford. Exists cheap analogue, called artificial rattan. This is a special synthetic thread, which is obtained by pressing material through a hole of a certain diameter. As a result, the resulting raw material has almost the same properties as natural vine.

Artificial rattan looks beautiful and natural. In addition, there is an opportunity to preserve nature. After all, natural vines do not have time to grow at the rate at which they are used in furniture production.

Advantages

Artificial rattan does not require special handling. It is very easy to maintain, easy to clean and repair. It is recommended to periodically wipe furniture that is placed outside with a damp cloth. Synthetic material does not react to weather changes and does not change under the influence of ultraviolet radiation.

Natural vines, from which expensive furniture is made, can sprout. This problem does not exist if garden chair made of synthetic thread. At the same time, many artificial products practically no different from natural ones.

Reviews of artificial rattan furniture

Buyers note that tables and chairs made from artificial wicker are practically no different from furniture made from natural raw materials. At the same time, artificial rattan has great amount benefits. This the best option for the street. After all, the material does not deteriorate under the influence of direct sunlight or precipitation. This cannot be said about natural raw materials. Garden furniture made from artificial rattan can last for years, while chairs and tables made from natural materials quickly lose their shape. In addition, artificial thread is much cheaper.

Manufacturers also share the benefits of making furniture from artificial rattan. All you need is a machine for making synthetic thread. The production employees can do everything else manually. In order to open your own business, you do not need to have a large start-up capital.

What can be made from artificial rattan?

Items made from synthetic thread should not only be beautiful, but also practical. The most popular is garden furniture made of artificial rattan. Small armchairs, coffee tables, stools, swings - all this is perfect for a small courtyard. This furniture is very comfortable. In addition, it will add zest to the garden.

In the house, wicker furniture made from artificial rattan will also look very original. You can decorate not only the living room, but also the kitchen or bathroom in a special style. After all, artificial rattan is not at all afraid of moisture, unlike natural material. You can decorate wicker furniture with small matching pillows.

Equipment for the production of

First of all, you will have to spend money on equipment for making artificial thread and weaving it. Of course, you can buy ready-made raw materials. But in this case, the business will not be so profitable. Additionally, those who have a special machine for making artificial rattan can experiment with colors and shapes. You can make a thread that will not differ in color from natural vine, or you can add bright colors to the product.

Additionally, wicker furniture made of artificial rattan will require costs for the following installations: a cooling system, a winder, a mixer, a crusher for processing secondary raw materials. Purchasing all this equipment will be quite expensive. You will have to spend at least 1 million rubles. On initial stage All these installations can be rented with subsequent purchase.

What else can you make money on if you have your own equipment?

Your own installation for the production of artificial rattan can itself generate good income. It is possible to produce artificial thread for those who want to engage in furniture production, but do not have the initial capital to purchase their equipment. That is, artificial thread can be produced for sale. In addition, artificial rattan is not the only material that can be made. If you purchase additional attachments, you can make synthetic reeds, raffia or other materials that you can use in your own business or sell to partners.

It is worth noting that equipment for the production of artificial rattan is difficult to maintain. You will have to periodically invite specialists to set up the installation and check its operation. Prevention should not be neglected. High quality artificial rattan can only be produced using appropriate equipment. Synthetic threads must be uniform in structure and durable.

Sales market

Artificial rattan furniture appeared on the domestic market relatively recently. This is due to the fact that natural raw materials are quite expensive. Previously, only a few could afford wicker furniture. But there were no installations for the production of synthetic threads on Russian territory. The artificial rattan set, brought from abroad, also cost a lot of money.

Today, the domestic wicker furniture market is developing quite actively. At the same time, competition in this niche is still low. Not everyone decides to make their own furniture from artificial rattan. And those who have a special installation can offer quality tables, armchairs and chairs affordable price. The low cost of quality products has always attracted consumers. Therefore, those who decide to engage in this type of business will definitely not have problems with the sales market.

If you master the technology of weaving from natural or artificial materials, you can extra costs decorate your house, apartment, country cottage area stylish original furniture, interior items. It is not difficult to make artificial rattan furniture with your own hands; the prepared frame is braided with rattan cord or ribbons, and a pattern is created according to the chosen pattern.

What materials are used for wicker furniture?

In our region, willow vines are traditionally used for weaving; in tropical latitudes, rattan palm stems (calamus) are used. Vine is an accessible raw material, but harvesting it yourself is a rather labor-intensive process. Wicker furniture is less strong and durable compared to rattan. Natural rattan, like vines, is harvested and subjected to multi-stage processing - the stems are cleared of bark, sorted by thickness, steamed, acquired elasticity and straightened. Thick stems after this treatment can be bent, giving the shape necessary for the frame elements, and dried. Thin stems and bark are used for weaving; they are cut into fragments of the required length. It will not be possible to prepare natural rattan with your own hands - it does not grow here, and purchasing prepared raw materials, taking into account transportation costs, will be very expensive.

Natural rattan has a synthetic analogue - polyrottan or technorattan. It is made by extruding a soft polymer through holes of different diameters and cross-sections. The material has many modifications:

• flat strip with a textured surface, ribbed surface, possible imitation of tree bark;
• tape, braid with smooth surface;
• round or oval cord;
• cord with a crescent-shaped cross-section;
• rattan rod.

Artificial rattan is more popular compared to natural rattan for a number of reasons:

• the price is significantly more affordable;
• synthetic rattan is superior to its natural counterpart in flexibility and elasticity;
• environmental friendliness and safety are not inferior to natural raw materials, does not have a specific odor characteristic of some polymers;
• Polyrattan is more durable, furniture made from it can withstand significant loads without deformation;
• the furniture is moisture-resistant and frost-resistant, not afraid of changes in temperature and humidity conditions;
• furniture is easy to care for, it can be cleaned of dirt using various detergents;
• rattan strips and cords are available in any length, which allows you to weave furniture without joints;
• the raw materials are completely ready for use;
• big choice modifications different shapes, colors and textures allow you to create attractive furniture that will fit into any interior.

The disadvantages of technorattan include its relatively low rigidity, so furniture made from it necessarily needs a rigid frame. There is a risk of damaging the weave during use, and it will begin to unravel.

For light furniture that will be used in high humidity, for example, in the bathroom or under open air, it is better to use plastic or aluminum rather than wooden frame. If the furniture will be subject to significant loads, a frame made of metal or wood is preferable.

Furniture making technique

To weave artificial rattan furniture with your own hands, you need to choose a model, decide on the frame configuration and weaving pattern, draw up a project and draw a sketch of the product, and calculate the amount of material. To make a chair, 2 kg of poly rattan is enough, for a small two-seater sofa it will take 5-7 kg, for a large sofa - up to 10 kg.

Beginning craftsmen are better off sticking to regular checkerboard weaving if they combine rattan different colors or texture, even a simple pattern will look impressive. If you have work experience, you can choose more complex circuit, openwork weaving.

To create furniture you will need:

• a frame that you can assemble with your own hands or order a blank from a carpentry workshop or a hardware workshop;
• tape or rod for guides that are attached to the frame; a pattern will be created on them;
• ribbon, braid or cord for weaving;
• fasteners for fixing the guides to the frame;
• pins, bolts or thin strips of leather to connect parts of the finished product (if it is assembled from separate elements).

Sequence of work:

1. Assemble or buy a ready-made frame (frame elements).
2. Fix a number of guides on the base. A rod or tape is wrapped around the frame; as a rule, one turn is enough, but for reliability, several turns can be made with overlap, after which the end is attached to the base. For high-quality weaving, strong tension and density of the guides are important; it is better to connect 2-3 strips of tape and use them as one guide.

Depending on the frame material and the thickness of the rattan rod, it can be fastened with self-tapping screws using ordinary furniture stapler(to wood), pneumatic stapler with narrow short staples (to aluminum frame). The most difficult thing is to fix the guides to steel frame from furniture pipes. There is a way out - the frame is wrapped with rattan tape, the end is braided with an overlap, the touching fragments of the tape or rod are welded with a soldering iron with a point tip. Then the guides are welded to the base with the same soldering iron.

1. The ends of the rods extending beyond the frame are cut off construction knife, scissors or wire cutters.
2. A pattern is created on the basis of the guides in accordance with the selected pattern.
3. The weaving is constantly trimmed to ensure a neat pattern without distortions, and at the end the final alignment is carried out. The cord (tape) can be moved, compacting the rows as necessary or increasing the gaps between them; during the weaving process, alignment is done by hand; when the fabric is finished, you can use a sharpened pencil to move the tightly closed rows apart in some places.
4. The ends of the cord are fixed with a stapler or soldering iron to the base from the inside out, the excess is cut off.
5. The frame itself, legs and similar elements, useful for pulling the tape special tool with a curved tip.
6. If the product consists of several elements, they are connected after each is braided with rattan, after final assembly the ends are masked.
7. If desired ready-made furniture can be painted with acrylic spray paint, but a sufficient selection of technorattan colors allows you to do without additional painting.

You can make it easier to pull the tape or cord between the guides and avoid scratches and abrasions by wiping the weaving material with a solution soaked in vegetable oil a piece of rag.

It is better to create complex rattan furniture (for example, a sofa) in the following sequence: first, the frames of individual elements are braided - the back, the seat, the sides and armrests, and then they are connected to each other with bolts or another method. For sitting large area Before starting weaving, it is necessary to secure longitudinal and transverse stiffening strands made of dense nylon tape to the frame.

Wicker furniture has always been in demand and testified to the wealth and refined taste of the owners. Its cost is quite high, since the products are made by hand and are original in their design. Natural rattan is considered the most popular material for its manufacture, but it is quite expensive and not everyone can afford it. To make rattan furniture more affordable, an artificial analogue was invented, which turned out to be much cheaper and stronger than natural rattan.

Wicker furniture has always been in demand and testified to the wealth and refined taste of the owners.

Amazing structures are also made from artificial rattan: houses for cats and indoor dogs, flower stands and other products.

After its invention, specialists began to quickly master it, and in a short time Artificial rattan products have appeared on the furniture market, characterized by elegance, comfort and durability.

To make rattan furniture more affordable, an artificial analogue was invented, which turned out to be much cheaper and stronger than natural rattan.

Home craftsmen immediately appreciated the advantages of the new material, and those who did not yet have weaving skills looked with envy at the amazingly noble and beautiful products. But there is nothing in our life that cannot be mastered. Therefore, more and more often there are beginning home craftsmen who want to learn how to weave furniture themselves. Practice shows that the science of weaving is within the capabilities of everyone, especially since it is so durable and comfortable material, like artificial rattan, which is most often used in wicker furniture, today can be purchased relatively inexpensively.

Home craftsmen immediately appreciated the advantages of the new material, and those who did not yet have weaving skills.

To make artificial rattan furniture with your own hands, you will need the material itself for the work.

Making wicker furniture from artificial rattan at home has its advantages:

• significantly saves the family budget;
• has a long service life;
• low weight of products;
• with external lightness and delicacy, it retains strength and reliability with careful handling;
• not subject to temperature changes and exposure to sunlight;
• does not contain harmful or toxic components;
• hypoallergenic;
• easy care.

But there is nothing in our life that cannot be mastered.

Important! Myself light material, convenient for transportation, attractive from an aesthetic point of view, has high strength, not subject to deformation from moisture.

Therefore, more and more often there are beginning home craftsmen who want to learn how to weave furniture themselves.

It must be taken into account that the material has different lengths and differs in material thickness and width.

It is convenient to work with artificial rattan, as it is flexible and comes in the form of long threads, which does not require constant gluing or other methods of connecting small parts of the material.

Making wicker furniture from artificial rattan at home has its advantages.

Deciding on design and construction

The material provides ample opportunities for the implementation of design ideas. It can be used to make products of varying complexity, including relaxation sets consisting of wicker chairs, a sofa, and a table of an original shape. Interesting bookcases, bedside tables, chests, ottomans. Amazing structures are also made from artificial rattan: houses for cats and indoor dogs, flower stands and other products.

Significantly saves the family budget.

It is available with a smooth and ribbed surface and is presented in a variety of color scheme and texture.

Attention! With all the breadth of choice, a novice craftsman should start with the simplest products that allow him to master weaving skills. The easiest way to start is by making an ottoman: an elementary design, the opportunity to master weaving skills, and in case of failure, it is easy to remake the defect, which turns out to be preferable in the first stages of mastering the skills of weaving from artificial rattan.

With external lightness and delicacy, it retains strength and reliability with careful handling.

In addition, you cannot overdo it so as not to overtighten one of the sides, otherwise the result will not be satisfactory.

Necessary materials

To make artificial rattan furniture with your own hands, you will need the material itself for the work. In this case, you can select the desired configuration, taking into account the fact that it is available in the form

• long stripes
• braids
• rod
• imitation tree bark.

Not subject to temperature changes and exposure to sunlight.

At the initial stage of work, when a simple product is selected for manufacturing, a minimum of equipment will be required for weaving.

It must be taken into account that the material has different lengths and differs in material thickness and width. It is available with a smooth and ribbed surface and is available in a variety of colors and textures.

The material itself is lightweight, easy to transport, and attractive from an aesthetic point of view.

But if you want to make it even more elegant, you can use bright soft blankets and pillows as decoration.

Required Tools

At the initial stage of work, when a simple product is selected for manufacturing, a minimum of equipment will be required for weaving. To get started, you will need:

• stapler - for attaching rattan to the base if a wooden base is used;
• small pliers;
• small hammer;
• a convenient sharp knife or cutter;
• soldering iron connecting elements material or glue.

It is convenient to work with artificial rattan, as it is flexible and comes in the form of long threads.

In order for the manufacturing process to proceed without unexpected interruptions, it is necessary to take into account the recommendations experienced craftsmen.

Manufacturing process: step-by-step instructions

In order for the manufacturing process to proceed without unexpected interruptions, it is necessary to take into account the recommendations of experienced craftsmen who suggest organizing it in a certain order:

1. Prepare the structure chosen as the base, wooden or metal. It can be made with your own hands, but you can also use a ready-made one.
2. To make it convenient to work, install the guides on the base and secure them with self-tapping screws, a stapler or bolts.
3. Level the surface of the frame by cutting off the protruding rods with scissors.
4. The next step is weaving on the frame. Its type is chosen according to your taste and depending on the selected raw materials.

1. Excess material is removed after completion of the work, and the ends are “masked” on the finished product.

The material provides ample opportunities for the implementation of design ideas.

In order for the product to be smooth, durable and neat, when weaving, it is necessary to constantly check how the rows of rattan “lay down”.

Attention! In order for the product to be smooth, durable and neat, when weaving, it is necessary to constantly check how the rows of rattan “lay down”. In addition, you cannot overdo it so as not to overtighten one of the sides, otherwise the result will not be satisfactory: the product will turn out to be lopsided and it will be impossible to use it.

Interesting bookcases, bedside tables, chests, ottomans.

Wicker furniture made from artificial rattan looks rich, it is elegant and graceful.

The final stage is decoration

Wicker furniture made from artificial rattan looks rich, it is elegant and graceful. But if you want to make it even more elegant, you can use bright soft blankets and pillows as decoration.

With all the breadth of choice, a novice craftsman should start with the simplest products that allow him to master weaving skills.

The product will be lopsided and will be impossible to use.

VIDEO: Making artificial rattan furniture

Fashion does not stand still. Once upon a time, wicker furniture was unrivaled, then soft corners and armchairs forced it out of constant use, but not for long. Already today, rattan furniture is returning to its position, occupying important place in the interior modern cottages and houses. Such products can not only replace modern furniture, they also have many advantages over it. Rattan is a high-quality, strong and durable material. In addition, it has unique aesthetic properties. This is why there is high demand for it. And if someone wants to purchase rattan wicker furniture, others, who are more enterprising, launch small production in this area. This direction is suitable for those who are looking for a way.

What is artificial rattan?

Rattan is a polymer thread that is produced by extrusion. The plastic is melted to a certain temperature, then passed through a specialized mold. Depending on the type and nozzle of this shape, it is possible to obtain a synthetic thread in the form of a rod, a crescent, an imitation of wooden bark and much more. The result is raw material for further weaving of different textures and colors. The plastic components must meet all specified criteria and ISO 9001 standards, be pleasant to the touch and odorless.

Features and advantages of artificial rattan:

• aesthetic appeal;
• high degree of material strength;
• moisture resistance;
• lightness of the material, which makes it easy to move around the house and during transportation;
• ease of assembly;
• duration of operation;
• does not require special care - just wipe with a damp cloth to remove dirt.

Rattan has many advantages for manufacturers as well. It is easy to work with the resulting raw material (plastic thread); due to the flexibility of the material, you can make products of any shape, even extraordinary ones (which is now popular in the interior design of houses). In addition, rattan plastic thread is very long (some manufacturers produce it up to 200 meters), so it is easy to work with. And you don’t need to think about connecting the lashes, which is important for natural materials.

Equipment for making artificial rattan furniture

The production and weaving process can be done manually (suitable for beginners). It is based on the purchase of ready-made rattan, which is supplied in reels. This option does not require large investments and consists of purchasing raw materials and hand tools.

More professional approach- This is the installation of a production line that not only produces furniture, but also makes polymer tapes, which minimizes the cost of raw materials. Professional equipment costs from 1.5 million rubles, but having such a “factory”, you can produce furniture of any shape and size.

Equipment for making furniture from artificial rattan:

This equipment allows us to produce a wide range of products - chairs, armchairs, sofas, chaise lounges, beds, cribs, tables, shelves, cabinets.

Advice: The final price of the finished rattan furniture production line is not limited to the above cost. Depending on the planned scale of production, the volume of investment can reach up to 3.5 million rubles. But in practice, a high-power extruder and other professional machines are not needed in the workshop of a novice entrepreneur.

Search for markets

The demand for do-it-yourself wicker furniture made of artificial rattan does not depend on seasonality. You can organize a business in two directions:

1. select certain models of furniture and produce them for individuals, try to expand sales channels through cooperation with furniture showrooms;
2. conduct advertising campaign and work to order, fulfilling the wishes of clients.

New entrepreneurs who do DIY production still need to spend a small amount of money to attract customers. The first orders can be completed for your friends and relatives, but in the future you will need:

• advertise in local newspapers;
• post information on the Internet, on city portals, forums;
• Post advertisements around the city, leave your business cards in places where potential clients gather.

In this business, as in business, it is important to provide quality services. We need to make sure that customers are satisfied with the completed order and tell their friends about it. There are masters who do not spend a penny on advertising, while they are provided with orders through word of mouth.

When entering larger-scale production, it is necessary to enter into contracts with specialized stores that sell furniture, or organize a sales point yourself.

Advice: great option expanding sales channels - creating your own website. By collaborating with different delivery services, you can go beyond the domestic market and sell throughout the country or even abroad.

Save the article in 2 clicks:

The production of wicker furniture from artificial rattan is. It can develop into a profitable business that is in high demand, although the market is not sufficiently saturated with such offers and has great prospects for beginners.

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The fashion for light and beautiful pieces of furniture made of wicker or rattan is experiencing a new rise. Surely you want to diversify your interior with something special. Do-it-yourself wicker chairs, tables or chairs are what you need.

Features of wicker furniture

Story wicker furniture dates back thousands of years. Archaeologists often find it all over the world. Weaving from wicker and others natural materials plant origin was common in populated areas located near water bodies. The proximity of suitable raw materials in large quantities contributed to the fact that people made most of the products used in everyday life on their own.

Wicker furniture was used more often in the homes of the poor, as the cheapest and affordable option. But quite quickly wealthy people and representatives of the nobility appreciated its beauty, functionality and possibilities of use in the interior. Since then, not only single craftsmen, but also entire artels, and subsequently factories, have been engaged in weaving. There are even special schools wicker weaving.

Prince Golitsyn brought the fashion for wicker furniture to Russia. Often traveling abroad, he appreciated the properties of wicker products and created an entire workshop for their production on his estate.

Wicker furniture can be a real work of art

Now wicker furniture very popular. Making it becomes a favorite hobby for many, even generating income. In addition, it has many advantages. These include:

• low cost, especially compared to products made from other natural materials;
• light weight, thanks to which you can easily move the furniture anywhere without outside help;
• environmental friendliness: wicker interior items not only look beautiful, but are also safe for health and do not have a specific odor;
• easy care: most often it is enough to wipe off dust from the furniture with a cloth dipped in water;
• durability, subject to high-quality weaving, performed according to all the rules.

True, there are also disadvantages that need to be taken into account. Furniture woven from wicker and similar materials is not resistant to the vagaries of the weather. In heavy rain it gets wet, and with prolonged exposure to sunlight and high temperature may dry out. This leads to loss of shape and disruption of the weave. Repairing a damaged product is very difficult. Therefore, it is not recommended to keep such furniture in open areas for a long time.

Nowadays wicker furniture is very popular, and many people are starting to make it at a professional level.

Types of wicker furniture

According to the structure and manufacturing principle, wicker furniture is divided into several types:

1. Frameless products. In them, the rigidity of the structure is ensured by strong stick-ribs.
2. Frame furniture, in which the body is made of durable material, such as steel rods. Metal parts the frame is braided with vines or other suitable material.
3. Wooden furniture, which load-bearing frame made of wooden sticks that give rigidity and durability.

Pieces of furniture made of wicker or rattan - photo gallery

Summer garden impossible to imagine without convenient items wicker furniture A rocking chair is the dream of anyone who loves comfort Even a bed and an entire bedroom set can be woven from wicker or rattan A cozy basket chair with a low base will appeal to kids and pets A comfortable rattan hanging chair is a good place to relax after a hard day. An airy openwork set of a sofa, armchairs and table will decorate any dining room

Video: wicker furniture made of wicker and rattan in the interior

Weaving materials

Several types of materials are used in the manufacture of wicker furniture. Each of them has its own characteristics:

1. Willow vine is a fairly flexible and resilient material, but short-lived. Traditionally they use willow, broom, almond or goat willow(willow). Some varieties are used for coarse weaving, others for finer work.

   Willow vine is the most common material for weaving

2. Rattan is a flexible and durable material from which interior items are most often woven. This liana-like plant is found in Asian countries and on the islands Pacific Ocean. Due to its high resistance to moisture and wear, furniture made from it is ordered for baths and saunas. There is also artificial rattan - synthetic material, which is a polyurethane tape. It is more pliable and easier to handle than natural wicker or rattan, and costs much less, so it is absolutely universal for wicker furniture.

   Artificial rattan is very durable and flexible, it is practically not afraid of moisture

3. Banana leaves (abaca), 75–350 cm long, were previously used to make ropes and ropes. Over time, their strength and lightness were appreciated, and the material began to be used for weaving furniture.

   Banana leaves are often used in furniture weaving

4. Bamboo, due to its rigidity, is not very common as a material for making furniture: it is difficult to weave. More often you can find decorative items made from bamboo shavings.

   Bamboo is very hard and difficult to weave

5. Water hyacinth is used because of its resistance to moisture and sunlight. But the technology for preparing the material is very labor-intensive: it needs to be collected, dried, compressed and rolled into rolls. The process will take six months, so it is better for beginners to pay attention to something simpler, for example, artificial rattan.

   Products from water hyacinth are not afraid of moisture and sunlight

6. Seaweed. Furniture made from this material is not very durable, but it looks impressive. Most often, dried seaweed in the form of ribbons is used to braid furniture frames.

For weaving, you can take what is at hand - bird cherry, hazel, raspberry, alder or even nettle. The bird cherry vine is more pliable to work with: it is plastic, flexible and easily cleared of leaves and shoots.

Frame materials

To produce a stable structure that will last long time, we recommend using ready-made frames of furniture - chairs, sofas, tables, armchairs. They can be metal, wood, polyurethane foam. The principle of operation will be to braid the base, and you will have several advantages:

• saving of basic material;
• simplification and acceleration of the weaving process;
• additional strength of the product;
• increasing the service life of furniture.

How to choose the right material

Before preparing materials for weaving, read the recommendations from professionals in this craft:

1. Before you cut willow twig, bend it tightly or even wrap it around your finger. Only those rods that do not break during such manipulations are suitable for cutting. They must be smooth, clean, without any defects.
2. Choose the longest rods without branches. The most suitable shoots are those that grow directly from the ground or from the lowest branch. As a rule, these are young annual shoots without knots and side branches, in place of which creases can form.
3. Take a closer look at the cut core: its diameter should ideally be less than 1/3 of the diameter of the entire cut. If the core is thick, red or Brown, discard the rod.
4. Make the cut at an angle with a sharp movement. Use a very sharp knife.
5. For the frame, choose thick rods that were harvested in late autumn or winter. Make decorative elements from branches collected in the spring during sap flow.
6. For shoots, good taper is very important, that is, the ratio of the diameters of the branch at the base and at the tip along the entire length. The norm is considered to be a thinning of the branch by 1 mm every 20 cm.

You can prepare the rods yourself. If you don’t have enough skills, time or desire, then acquire ready materials in specialized stores. You can use twigs with bark (green) or without it (white). It is easier for beginners to work with the first ones: they are more flexible. Cleaned branches can be given any shade or color using chemicals:

• hydrogen peroxide for a snow-white color;
• manganese solution - brown;
• iron sulfate - grayish;
• aniline dyes for dyeing in any chosen shade.

Bark-cleaned twigs turn white

Tools for work

Weaving from wicker is a labor-intensive task that requires scrupulousness. You just can't do it with your hands. You will have to stock up on a whole set of tools:

• special knives and garden shears for cutting and trimming twigs;
• ladder for sorting raw materials;
• large capacity, tank for soaking the rod;
• boiler for cooking and bleaching workpieces;
• squeezers for cleaning twigs from bark;
• splitters for dividing rods into parts;
• shof for obtaining planed strips;
• shmyg for figure processing, notching;
• iser for aligning rows;
• jigs for straightening frame blanks;
• pruner;
• measuring accessories - ruler or tape measure;
• pliers;
• saw on wood.

Weaving patterns and methods

There are several ways to weave furniture and interior items. Each combines decorativeness and functionality.

Weaving patterns - table

Weaving methods - photo gallery

This simple weaving pattern is easy for beginners to master. The edges of the product are often braided Rope weaving is created from two or more rods Openwork weaving will give the product lightness, airiness and transparency. Using checkerboard weaving, you can decorate furniture with a three-dimensional pattern.

Making furniture from wicker or rattan

First, the vine needs to be properly processed to give it the necessary flexibility and strength. This process will be needed no matter what product you choose to weave:

1. Place the harvested vines in a large container of boiling water. Keep the material in conditions of moderate boiling water for at least an hour. After this, remove the bark.

   Prepared vine rods need to be cleared of bark

2. Thick rods used for frame base, fix them in special devices to give them the desired shape. For example, a rocking chair will need rounded runners. To achieve this look, lay a thick thick rod along a round object and secure it.

   Thick rods are given the shape necessary to make the frame of the selected product

3. Use a splitter to split thin vines into 3–4 parts. This is not difficult to do: make a cut at one end of the rod with a sharp knife, insert a splitter there and hit the back of it with a hammer. The sharp end of the tool will go along the entire length of the vine.

   Thin vines are split into pieces using a splitter

4. The resulting parts of the rod are called shanks. Pass them through a press until they look like braided ribbons. You can also use a special device for planing vines.

   To obtain braiding tapes, use special device or wood press

5. Thick rods in a fixed form and place the tapes in drying chamber, leaving there for three days. There they will dry and take the desired shape.

   The prepared parts of the future chair need to be dried

Simple braiding of the frame with artificial rattan

It will not be easy for a beginner to weave something serious from natural materials right away and without mistakes. We suggest starting your training with simple things - stools, tabletops coffee table, covers for the ottoman - and use artificial rattan. Simple rectangular shape braided like this:

1. First of all, make a frame from strong boards. It consists of 4 legs and a frame. You don’t have to bother with treating its surface: the weaving will cover the entire product completely.

   The frame of the future product is made from boards

2. On the upper part of the product (seat on a stool, table top or ottoman cover) make reinforcement strands. You can make them from rattan by braiding or twisting, or use a thick ribbon with minimal tension. Secure the bundles with a stapler and secure them to the screws with a block for strength.

   Strengthening tourniquets are pulled onto the seat of a chair or ottoman.

3. Now start braiding. It is better to use dense weaving in a checkerboard pattern. Lay the rattan strip in one direction, alternating 2 short pieces with one long one. In this case, fasten the short ones with a stapler to the seat, and the long ones to the crossbar.

   Rattan strips are laid and secured to the frame in the required sequence

4. Having laid the first layer of artificial rattan, begin to weave ribbon into it. Alternate 1 long and 2 short sections. For convenience, use ribbons of different colors. Each subsequent ribbon is woven with a shift of 1 ribbon to the left. Be careful, it is easy to get confused in the sequence at this stage.

   Rattan is woven into the base, choosing a simple pattern

5. Secure the remaining ponytails and trim off any excess tape. The seat is ready.

   At the end of the work, secure the remaining tails and remove excess tape.

6. Now let's move on to the sides. Take one long piece of ribbon and weave it around the sides in a circle. The length of the tape is difficult to determine, so if it runs out in the middle of the job, attach another piece to it using a soldering iron. The beginning of the tape can be attached in any corner under the vertical strip.

   The sides are braided in a circle with one long ribbon

7. Braid the product to the very bottom in a circle. When finished, carefully bend the remaining tails inside the product and cut off the excess.

   You can braid not only the seat, but also the sides and legs of the chair

8. You don’t have to braid the sides all the way to the bottom, but leave the legs. Braid them separately according to the same pattern. Add rattan strips to the legs in a vertical direction, sliding them under the braiding of the sidewall and securing with a stapler. Braid the leg in a circle.

   You can weave a rocking chair from a vine

   Then they braid it with flexible rods using glue for more reliable fastening. When the main part is done, rounded runners are attached. Make sure the structure is stable: rock the chair and check that it moves easily and does not tip over. The finished product is coated with furniture varnish or painted.

   How to make a rocking chair from wicker - video

   Vine braiding of a chair frame

   The frame can be bought ready-made or made from sticks 15–20 mm thick. Due to weaving, the frame will not only take on a beautiful appearance, but will also be significantly enhanced. Stages of making a chair:

   1. Fix racks made of rods 15–20 mm thick to the frame.
   2. At the seating area, make a continuous weave of thick rods with a diameter of 10 mm.

   You can buy a chair frame in a store or make it yourself

   Simple garden sofa

   A light openwork sofa made of wicker will decorate your veranda or garden.

   A wicker sofa, in comparison with a carpentry one, has two additional middle legs. They are attached to the structure frame between the side front and rear legs in order to protect the furniture from sagging and breaking the seat frame elements.

   For the frame you will need sticks 20–30 mm thick of different lengths:

   • 100 cm and 45 cm, 2 pcs. - for the seat frame;
   • 40 cm - 3 pieces (front legs);
   • 65 cm - 2 pieces (rear side legs);
   • 75 cm - 1 pc. (posterior middle leg);
   • from 125 cm - 1 pc. (for the upper arched part of the back).

   To give additional strength and stability to the frame, stiffening ribs are attached between the legs at a distance of approximately 20 cm from the seat. To do this, you will need 3 sticks of 45 cm and 2 sticks of 100 cm. All elements are attached using self-tapping screws.

   Operating procedure:

   
   

   How to weave a chair from willow vine - video

   Finishing wicker furniture

   When a chair, table, sofa or other item is ready, all that remains is to give the item a marketable appearance. Finishing work is carried out in several stages:

   1. Inspection for item various defects, eliminating them: correct the uneven density of the weaving by slightly moving the rods, align the legs, cut off the tips of the rods and smooth out the irregularities with fine-grained sandpaper.
   2. Bleaching and painting. To make the product white, it is treated with lime or sulfur dioxide. To give a different color, use regular paint. Decoctions are also used onion peel, wolf berries, heather, alder bark or moss, if you like naturalness and environmental friendliness.
   3. Varnish coating. In order not only to preserve the texture of the material used, but also to make it even stronger, apply 2-3 layers of varnish (each subsequent after the previous one has completely dried).

   Caring for wicker and rattan products

   Wicker furniture needs special care, which is due to the characteristics of the material used: wicker and rattan can become very fragile if used improperly.

   
   

   Wicker furniture is a rather difficult product to repair. In the event of a breakdown, it is difficult to find a repairman who will undertake the repair. That's why proper care mandatory and necessary for products made of wicker and rattan.