How Long Does Rattan Furniture Last?

Did you know that people have been crafting furniture for thousands of years?

Today, furniture comes in all different sorts of shapes and materials to match many different styles of home decor. Rattan furniture, in particular, has become very popular in recent years.

When it comes to choosing patio furniture, rattan furniture is always high on the list. After all, not only is it stylish but also very durable and long-lasting. But how long does rattan furniture last exactly?

More than that, how can you know if this type of furniture is right for you, your home, and your lifestyle? Keep reading and learn more about rattan furniture, how long it lasts, and how you can take care of it to increase its lifespan.

What You Need to Know About Rattan Furniture

When it comes to patio furniture, there are many options you can choose from. From wicker and plastic to metal and beyond, there are endless options for choosing outdoor furniture. But the problem is that some types of furniture start to decay faster than others.

Of course, if you want to save money and don't want to waste your time repairing furniture, you will want to buy furniture that is sturdy enough to withstand the test of time in the first place. Rattan is currently one of the most popular furniture materials, especially for outdoor furniture. Why might that be, you ask?

While real rattan furniture may look like any other type of wicker furniture, it is actually much more than that. Wicker is actually the style of weaving while rattan is the actual material. Real Rattan furniture is made of rattan vines. These vines are not only very strong but very stylish as well.

Synthetic Rattan

There are also many popular types of rattan furniture that are made from synthetic materials (PVC, PU and PE). Even so, these materials still look very realistic, and they can make for very comfortable chairs and benches. If you've never heard of rattan before, you should know that originates from a tree that is similar to palm trees.

Natural rattan may not be best for outdoor environments for a variety of reasons. That's because natural rattan is not very resistant to water, and if it gets wet, it can start to decay. On the other hand, synthetic rattan is much more durable and it still looks like the real thing while helping keep costs down for you, the buyer.

You can put synthetic rattan out in the middle of a thunderstorm and no harm would come of it. Synthetic rattan is made of a material called polyethylene and it has the same feel as rattan. Even the fibres of this kind of rattan are woven in the same way as real rattan.

Why Do People Like Rattan Furniture in the First Place?

There are many reasons why people love rattan furniture, and its style is one of them. When it comes to wicker vs rattan, you should know that rattan is a material, while wicker is a style of weave. For example, many types of furniture can be considered wicker furniture, including rattan. Wicker is simply the way in which fibres are woven into a particular pattern.

Rattan furniture, on the other hand, is not a type of design but a material. But rattan furniture is one of the most popular types of wicker furniture because of its look and feel, whether it be natural or synthetic. Besides its woven design, natural rattan has a light wood colour and can be perfect for outdoor areas.

It can immediately give any space a more tropical or coastal feel. Because rattan furniture often has holes in it due to its weaving pattern, it can make a space feel much more spacious. This is not to mention that rattan furniture tends to be lighter in weight compared to other types of furniture.

So, if you feel like moving your rattan chair or table to another area, there wouldn't be anything to stop you.

Colour Options

If you don't like the light colour of rattan furniture, there are also variations of rattan that have gone through a dying process. In this case, you can find rattan furniture that is grey, brown, and even black. 

These variations in colour can give you many more options when it comes to decorating the interior or exterior portions of your home. This is not to mention that rattan furniture does not sacrifice its comfort for style. Any piece of rattan furniture you choose will be effortlessly comfortable, and once you sit down, you won't want to stand back up.

How Long Does Rattan Furniture Last Exactly?

As long as you take rattan furniture care into consideration, your furniture can easily last 10 years or even more. As mentioned before, synthetic rattan is particularly durable, especially when exposed to rain. This is important if you live in an area that receives a lot of rain throughout the year. 

Even if your area doesn't get all that much rain, you should also consider how much sun your area gets. Besides the rain, the sun is a big culprit when it comes to the degradation of furniture. The sun's UV rays can strip coatings off of furniture in no time and cause certain materials to become bleached. 

Of course, if you want your patio to look nice, the last thing you want is for it to be filled with a bunch of flaking, bleached furniture. But you won't have to worry about that as long as you choose rattan furniture and offer it a little bit of love and care over the years.

The Details

Synthetic rattan is not only resilient to the rain but to the sun as well.

For that reason, your rattan furniture will be able to withstand the ever-changing UK elements with much more poise than other types of garden furniture. This doesn’t however mean you should leave your rattan furniture to brave the elements all-year round. Taking care of your rattan furniture set will help add a few extra years to their lifespans.

As for natural rattan, there are certain pieces that are coated with resin so that they last longer when exposed to the elements. For that reason, you will be able to enjoy this kind of rattan furniture for a longer period of time as opposed to those pieces not treated with resin.

Even so, you should still keep in mind that synthetic rattan lasts much longer than natural rattan, especially if you keep your furniture outside with the sun and rain.

Consider The Furniture’s Frame

Steel framed garden furniture is very aesthetically pleasing. They look strong, durable and shine in the summer’s glow.

But they will rust.

Rust, of course, will reduce the lifespan of your garden furniture quite dramatically. To ensure your new garden furniture won’t be a victim of rust, be sure that your furniture is manufactured with powder-coated aluminium frames.

This type of framework guarantee’s to be rust-resistant, helping your garden furniture survive the seasonal elements.

How to Take Care of Rattan Furniture the Right Way

If you don't take care of your furniture, there is no way that it will be able to reach its full lifespan. Instead of 10 years, your rattan furniture might only last 5 years before it starts to show signs of damage. On the other hand, if you keep up with your furniture and make sure to take care of it, it might last more than 10 years. 

While synthetic rattan is much tougher and manufactured to help survive the UK weather, you should still regularly clean and cover your furniture as and when not in use.

Rattan Furniture Care Instructions

If you're keeping your synthetic rattan outside, you can keep it in the sun or rain, but only on occasion. Keeping anything in the sun or rain for long periods of time will eventually cause it to become damaged.

That's because the sun's UV rays have the ability to damage certain materials on a molecular level. When you're not using your outdoor furniture, be sure to put it in an area that stays shady for several hours. That way, you won't have to worry much about your furniture and it will stay in good shape. 

You should also clean your furniture every so often. Cleaning it will make sure that it stays looking as good as new. It will also keep any dirt and sand from penetrating the furniture and damaging it. Synthetic rattan is very smooth so the material is easily wipeable with a clean cloth and warm water.

Creating a cleaning routine for your rattan furniture will help ensure its longevity.

It’s very likely that food and beverages will be consumed while using your garden furniture. This makes it susceptible to spills, stains and crumbs.

As for cleaning equipment, you can’t go wrong with the following items:

• Pressure washer
• Bucket of warm water (alternative)
• Duster
• Rubber gloves
• Soft cloths
• Soft bristle brush
• Vaccum

Start by removing all cushions, unzip the protectors and pop them in your washing machine according to the label’s instructions.

The vacuum can be used to help loosen dirt and get into tight areas.

From here you can get to work removing tougher marks, dust and dirt from your rattan furniture with your brush and cloth with the help of washing up liquid and warm water.

Finish off your cleaning job with a pressure washer or garden hose and let your furniture dry for 12-24 hours in a place with great air circulation.

Once you’re happy and the furniture is completely dry, put the cushion back on the seat and store it away for future uses.

Everything You Need to Know About Rattan Furniture 

How long does rattan furniture last? It can last around 10 years, but there are various factors that could affect that number. For example, if you never take care of your furniture and let it bake out in the sun for months on end, you can't expect it to last a full 10 years. On the other hand, if you take good care of your furniture, it might last well beyond 10 years. 

Whatever the case, rattan furniture can be a great investment for your home. If you're in the market for new furniture, contact us here.