When comparing various styles and brands of wicker patio furniture, it could often be frustrating to understand the quality and what is just a knockoff.
You should have a close look at the appearance, cheaper wicker is often thin and looks like shiny vinyl, so you shouldn’t be taken advantage of! On the other hand, quality wicker is made using polyethylene, an eco-friendly synthetic resin infused with UV inhibitors to keep off from the sun exposure.
Materials
Plastic fabric is mostly used to craft cheap wicker and it will easily be scratched, torn, and unraveled with time. As you understand, plastic isn’t biodegradable and it will finally fill the landfills with trash.
Cheap wicker looks and feels unreal. It appears to look like a glossy vinyl piece. Besides being flimsy, plastic wicker patio furniture sticks to the skin once you sit on it. You’ll notice uneven texture in that material.
Weave
High quality wicker furniture is expertly hand-woven, by doing only several rows each time. Once manufacturers try to prioritize quantity over quality, ten wicker rows are woven each time.
That often leads to patterns that sway in a particular way and different or symmetrical spacing. Poor-quality weave has scattered threads as a result of the nearly hard to practically adjust the PE strands and keep straightening while working with a huge quantity of rows.
The Frame
The second-most-used metal in the world, aluminum, is non-rusting. Over time, it will oxidize, but this won’t weaken the substance. Aluminum is a common material to use for outdoor furniture frames since it doesn’t rust.
Although it’s a lightweight material, some producers utilize aluminum that is either too thin or of low quality. Seek for outdoor furniture constructed with a minimum 1.2-millimeter gauge aluminum frame.
To cut costs, wicker furniture can alternatively be constructed with a stainless-steel frame. Although it will corrode over time, this material is still quite strong. Better is a frame made of aluminum. An effective method for maintaining and shielding furniture from the weather is powder coating.
Powder coating is a very long-lasting, safe method that helps prevent rust, chipping, and sun-fading color fading. When it comes to wicker furniture with high-quality aluminum frames, powder coating is primarily a cosmetic procedure because the uncoated material already has a high corrosion resistance.
The Cushioning
There are two primary types of foam used as cushioning material in wicker furniture: dacron-based “sandwich” foam and ordinary foam sponge. Regular foam sponge is a less expensive option and works well for goods that are only sometimes used.
A more durable substitute is sandwich foam, which combines foam layers with a substance known as dacron. One layer of foam and one layer of dacron are “sandwiched” together, hence the name. Dacron is a synthetic polyester that has been hardened and given elastic properties. This makes it the perfect material to employ between foam layers.
Low density foam cushions offer little support or comfort, so stay away from them. You shouldn’t sit on low density foam; it gives you a bad rear prop. Every cushion on our wicker furniture at Joy Side Home has a minimum density per cubic meter.
Support System
Another method that businesses should try to cut expenses is by making cheap wicker frames. It makes the frames to become bent and wrapped quickly. A high-quality wicker set should have a substantial aluminum frame that is ideally powder-coated for both aesthetic appeal and rust resistance.
Aluminum frames are lightweight and sturdy, so you can quickly rearrange the patio furniture while still providing support for the seating area.
Take Away
A smooth and well-finished surface, a sturdy frame construction, and consistently even and tight weaving patterns are characteristics of high-quality wicker furniture. The color exhibits attention to detail because it is consistent and well-applied.
Overall, the appearance conveys a dedication to quality, with distinctive design elements enhancing its longevity and visual appeal. These visual signals are trustworthy markers of excellent craftsmanship and entire product quality when selecting wicker furniture.
Wicker patio furniture is a distinctive furniture style that has gained a lot of popularity recently. It always generates an ambiance that allows you to smoothly transition from the past and the present moment.
