Decent quality Rattan furniture
Discussion
I would love to know… the internet only ones have messed me around, really after a double hanging egg chair if anyone has recommendations.
Eventually got this table set from here: https://www.gardentrends.co.uk/collections/rattan-...
Eventually got this table set from here: https://www.gardentrends.co.uk/collections/rattan-...
https://www.shackletonsonline.co.uk/product/4-seas...
We got this set about 7 years ago, it’s been left out all year round and still looks brand new.(came with a10 year guarantee which we haven’t needed)
The chairs are very comfortable too.
The good stuff is expensive, and you're also shopping at the wrong time of year.
I'm considering some upcycling of conservatory furniture, rattan or bamboo. If you go on Gumtree etc, good garden furniture is still dear, but not conservatory furniture. It sells for giveaway prices.
Example:
£20, treat the wood or paint it, bin the cushions, then get some new outdoor weatherproof cushions. Voila. New garden furniture.
I've done a bit of upcycling of other stuff. My old patio and paths were grubby and needed replaced at huge costs. So I just cleaned them and painted them. Needs done annually, but takes 2hrs and £40 of paint.
The fence is just a regular fence, but framed by some old decking boards and finished with a premium paint.
As part of my outdoor tidy up, I had some old paving that the missus wanted me to bring to the dump. I literally couldn't be arsed doing that, so while I was painting the patio, I painted the paving blocks afterwards and made a display for some of our plants. Was easier to do that than take them to the dump
So in amongst all this outdoor tidy up, I'm considering upcycling some conservatory furniture into patio furniture and putting it in our side patio area where the existing furniture is looking a bit tired. It's a much cheaper way.as new cushions aren't too expensive.
I'm considering some upcycling of conservatory furniture, rattan or bamboo. If you go on Gumtree etc, good garden furniture is still dear, but not conservatory furniture. It sells for giveaway prices.
Example:
£20, treat the wood or paint it, bin the cushions, then get some new outdoor weatherproof cushions. Voila. New garden furniture.
I've done a bit of upcycling of other stuff. My old patio and paths were grubby and needed replaced at huge costs. So I just cleaned them and painted them. Needs done annually, but takes 2hrs and £40 of paint.
The fence is just a regular fence, but framed by some old decking boards and finished with a premium paint.
As part of my outdoor tidy up, I had some old paving that the missus wanted me to bring to the dump. I literally couldn't be arsed doing that, so while I was painting the patio, I painted the paving blocks afterwards and made a display for some of our plants. Was easier to do that than take them to the dump
So in amongst all this outdoor tidy up, I'm considering upcycling some conservatory furniture into patio furniture and putting it in our side patio area where the existing furniture is looking a bit tired. It's a much cheaper way.as new cushions aren't too expensive.
Absolutely, and I followed through today and bought this fairly hideous looking set, sofa, 2 armchairs and side table.
I'm only interested in the frame as I'll be getting new cushions. This set was on for 3 weeks and still available so I offered £100 and he countered with £110
Brought it home and lifted the cushions from some of my other patio furniture to see how they would look:
Looks miles better already with the cushion change. Went out and bought some Danish oil as that'll protect it from water. Being rattan, it's already a sun hardy wood and can withstand tough climatic conditions so some Danish oil will give further protection. It'll be under a gazebo and put in the garage in Autumn so it won't be under too much duress. Just needs waterproof cushions to make ideal patio furniture.
Did a quick test of the Danish oil on the side table:
I literally just gave it a brush down and slapped it on with a paintbrush. 2 mins and it was done. Here's it after a few brush strokes:
2 mins and it was done. Just brings the wood back to life a little and it will be a matt finish when dry.
When looking for what to buy, I ignored the overall look and just studied the frame. As that's all I was buying, the furniture frames.
This is high quality craftsmanship at giveaway price. Some of the features and little details are very nice.
And the sofa:
Delighted with the purchase and will get it all painted with the Danish oil during the week and set about ordering proper cushions for it.
I'm only interested in the frame as I'll be getting new cushions. This set was on for 3 weeks and still available so I offered £100 and he countered with £110
Brought it home and lifted the cushions from some of my other patio furniture to see how they would look:
Looks miles better already with the cushion change. Went out and bought some Danish oil as that'll protect it from water. Being rattan, it's already a sun hardy wood and can withstand tough climatic conditions so some Danish oil will give further protection. It'll be under a gazebo and put in the garage in Autumn so it won't be under too much duress. Just needs waterproof cushions to make ideal patio furniture.
Did a quick test of the Danish oil on the side table:
I literally just gave it a brush down and slapped it on with a paintbrush. 2 mins and it was done. Here's it after a few brush strokes:
2 mins and it was done. Just brings the wood back to life a little and it will be a matt finish when dry.
When looking for what to buy, I ignored the overall look and just studied the frame. As that's all I was buying, the furniture frames.
This is high quality craftsmanship at giveaway price. Some of the features and little details are very nice.
And the sofa:
Delighted with the purchase and will get it all painted with the Danish oil during the week and set about ordering proper cushions for it.
Edited by soupdragon1 on Sunday 12th May 23:55
It is important to understand what the OP means by Rattan.
Does he mean actual real rattan, the natural material, or does he mean the 'all weather' synthetic rattan that is usually made from Polyethylene (PE).
Personally, I would go for the synthetic rattan every time. It looks great and will generally last a lot longer. I bought a set from Maze, and couldn't be happier with it. Leave it outside all year, and just give it a wash and hose down with car shampoo and a wash mitt a couple of times a year, and it comes up like new.
https://www.mazeliving.co.uk/shop/garden-furniture...
If you want something higher quality, then look for a brand called Bramblecrest - https://www.bramblecrest.com/dining-sets/
If you want to go a lot cheaper, have a look on Ebay. There are loads of rattan sets on there brand new straight from the container for £500 upwards, but all may be of varying quality.
Irrespective of how much you spend, it all comes from china. But the quality does vary as all the brands have their own specifications and quality standards. Many of the cheaper to middling brands will be the same thing with just a different name on them.
Does he mean actual real rattan, the natural material, or does he mean the 'all weather' synthetic rattan that is usually made from Polyethylene (PE).
Personally, I would go for the synthetic rattan every time. It looks great and will generally last a lot longer. I bought a set from Maze, and couldn't be happier with it. Leave it outside all year, and just give it a wash and hose down with car shampoo and a wash mitt a couple of times a year, and it comes up like new.
https://www.mazeliving.co.uk/shop/garden-furniture...
If you want something higher quality, then look for a brand called Bramblecrest - https://www.bramblecrest.com/dining-sets/
If you want to go a lot cheaper, have a look on Ebay. There are loads of rattan sets on there brand new straight from the container for £500 upwards, but all may be of varying quality.
rallye101 said:
It all gets made in China and shipped over in containers.....
This.Irrespective of how much you spend, it all comes from china. But the quality does vary as all the brands have their own specifications and quality standards. Many of the cheaper to middling brands will be the same thing with just a different name on them.
I also bought Maze during lockdowns and have been very pleased with the product. Lives outdoors all year (but with a cover most of the time). Cushions we keep in a Keter large box during the summer when not in use (they are not the waterproof kind) then move to the loft in a bag for winter.
Year 4 and it still looks great and super easy to clean. Also very light if you need to move it.
Year 4 and it still looks great and super easy to clean. Also very light if you need to move it.
For those interested, I finished oiling my conservatory furniture. Took about 1.5hrs and was easy to apply. Just need to order the cushions now but using other patio cushions in the meantime.
Not sure how long it will last but I should get at least a handful of good years out of it. Looks like I'll be spending £160 on outdoor cushions. On top of the £110 purchase price and £15 on oil, total cost coming in a £285 which is very palatable for a functional and (IMHO) a stylish patio set.
Not sure how long it will last but I should get at least a handful of good years out of it. Looks like I'll be spending £160 on outdoor cushions. On top of the £110 purchase price and £15 on oil, total cost coming in a £285 which is very palatable for a functional and (IMHO) a stylish patio set.
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