Wicker furniture creates a special sunny mood in the house. It is not only beautiful and elegant, but also durable and comfortable. Despite the apparent complexity, you can make such furniture yourself. The main thing is to know some features of weaving.

The most popular material for weaving furniture is willow.

Branches of many plants are used for weaving, but willow is the most popular. The thinner the core of the rod, the better the raw material will be. Rods with a thick core are also suitable for work. They make the basis for large products. But for openwork and airy creations, it is best to choose a material with a thin “heart”. When harvesting, you should pay attention to the width of the willow leaf. The narrower it is, the more elastic the vine will be and the more openwork weaving.

It is possible to harvest raw materials from October until the onset of severe frosts, as well as in spring. During this period, the rods are well cleaned.

Willow weaving tools: A - a knife, B - a pinch, C, D - a chipper and work with it, D - a planar plow, E - an edge plow.

Before you start making furniture from willow, you should decide how it will be made. Two types of wicker furniture are known: frameless and stick. The peculiarity of the first type is that ordinary sticks are used in the manufacturing process. In the finished structure, they play the role of stiffeners. In products made by the second method, a supporting structure is constructed from sticks.

You can weave furniture in different ways. The main types are single, openwork and combined weaving. They allow you to create both integral surfaces and make patterns.

To fasten parts of wickerwork, two types of connections are used: detachable and one-piece. The first method will be convenient when it is planned to disassemble the furniture, for example, for transportation. However, it should be noted that it is rarely used. The second type of connection is more popular. In this case, conventional fasteners (nails, glue) are used, which makes the finished structure more durable. In addition, this method is much easier to use, especially for a beginner braider.

Frame manufacturing

You can make any thing from willow branches with your own hands. A small wicker sofa will always be appropriate both in the country yard and on the balcony in a city apartment. To do such a necessary thing, you need to prepare. For work you will need:

1. Willow rods.
2. Strong sticks with a diameter of 25-30 mm.
3. Sandpaper.
4. Hammer.
5. Sharp knife.
6. Secateurs or scissors for trimming rods.
7. Roulette.
8. Self-tapping screws and small nails for fastening.
9. Hacksaw.
10. Glue.
11. Screwdriver.
12. Stain.
13. Foam rubber and fabric for seat drapery.

First you need to prepare the material. Remove the bark from the sticks and rods and leave to dry. Before starting work, lightly sand the raw materials with sandpaper to protect your hands from splinters.

Elements of wicker furniture frames: 1 - shooters, 2 - substrings, 3 - cross, 4 - horseshoe-shaped prong, 5 - U-shaped prog, 6 - I-beam, 7 - I-beam with two longitudinal rods.

Making a sofa begins with the creation of a frame. For the future seat, 4 blanks are cut from prepared sticks: 2 by 600 mm and 2 by 400 mm. You need to fasten them together with screws to make a rectangle.

In order for the sofa to be more stable, it is better to install 3 legs in front and behind. For the front legs, cut blanks of a length that corresponds to the distance from the seat to the floor, for example, 400 mm. They should be attached with self-tapping screws to one of the sides of the seat frame at an equal distance, in this case every 200 mm.

As for the rear legs, here it is necessary to add the height of the back to the height from the seat to the floor. For example, a height of 250 mm is selected. Then you should prepare 2 legs of 650 mm, which will be fixed on the sides. The leg, which will be installed in the middle, is better to be made higher, for example, 750 mm. This will make the back with a beautiful bend. Attach the legs to the seat frame.

To decorate the back, you need to cut a blank that will be longer than the seat. Using self-tapping screws, fix it on the upper ends of the rear legs. The result is a back in the form of an arc.

The frame needs to be reinforced. The same sticks that were used for the frame itself will act as stiffeners. Be sure to mount them at the same height. First, the side and middle legs are fastened together. To secure these stiffeners, it is necessary to attach 2 blanks along the length of the seat. The next step is to connect the extreme legs with the middle back. The blanks are attached diagonally. The edge that will be attached to the extreme legs should be placed at the level of the rib that fastens the rear and front legs, and the other slightly below the seat.

Completion of weaving

When working with willow, a beautiful elegant product is obtained only when combinations of whole rods and ribbons are used.

Wicker chair with a plywood back: 1 - back, 2 - tight seat and back, 3 - a bunch, 4 - wrapping with a wicker tape, 5 - a rounding rod of a proleg, 6 and 9 - legs, respectively, front and rear, 7 - seat ring, 8 - seat, 10 - cross rod of the proleg.

From them you can weave various patterns. Thanks to the tapes, it will be easy to hide the hats from the screws that fasten the frame.

To make them, willow twigs are split with a special cleaver or knife. A stick carved in the form of a four-pointed figure can become a cleaver.

At the end of the rod, make a cross-shaped incision and divide it. Then insert into the recesses on the stick and press. This will result in 4 ribbons. All parts on which the heads of self-tapping screws and nails are visible must be wrapped with these tapes. So that they do not unwind, fasten them with glue.

To form the back, you need to take a rod and roll it with an arc. With the help of small nails, you should fix it on the right side of the back: with one end to the extreme leg, the other - to the middle one. The upper point of the arc is attached to the back. On the other side of the back, do the same operation.

A larger willow twig is also folded into an arc and attached with nails to the upper parts of the side front legs. The top of the arc is attached to the seat at two points. On the other hand, do the same.

The seat of furniture woven from willow can be made from plywood. In accordance with the dimensions of the seat, cut out a rectangle from a sheet of plywood and attach it with self-tapping screws.

The finished sofa is treated with wood stain. After it dries, foam rubber can be glued to the seat and draped with a cloth.

If you want to add variety to the interior of a country house or create a rustic chic in a city apartment, then wicker furniture made of wicker will help you, for which willow and hazel twigs, elm, turf, bird cherry are used as raw materials. Products are made by hand, they are flexible and durable. Wicker tables and chairs will decorate the kitchen, sofas, armchairs and chests of drawers will add coziness to the living room.

The technique of weaving furniture has been used since ancient times. Baskets, boxes, chests of drawers made of wicker decorated almost every village house. Modern products have smoother contours, greater practicality. For weaving on an industrial scale, specially cultivated willow varieties with high decorative properties and increased flexibility are used. Cut young rods are subjected to thermal effects, cleaned of bark. From bars it is possible to plan tapes for weaving. Next, the frame of the product is made, which is then braided with rods or tapes.

By type of weaving, all products are divided into groups:

• in frameless types of furniture, stiffeners are the strongest rods. The frameless technique is popular in the manufacture of small-sized wicker furniture: bedside tables, chests of drawers, whatnots;
• frame models are made on the basis of frames made of metal tubes and rods. The technique is suitable for products with a high load: sofas, armchairs;
• the stages of weaving furniture from a wicker with your own hands on the basis of a wooden frame allows you to create combined models. They can be chairs, armchairs, tables.

Frameless

frame

Finished products of the original design have a natural light beige color of the dried vine or are covered with wood stains. They harmoniously fit into any interior, evoke memories of a hot summer. The external fragility and delicacy of the furniture does not affect its durability; with proper use, the products will last at least 25 years.

Advantages and disadvantages

World trends in the use of natural products are also reflected in the furniture industry. The demand for wicker products is constantly growing, due to a number of advantages:

• high environmental friendliness of the material - wicker breathes, does not emit toxic fumes when heated, does not accumulate dust, has a light woody aroma;
• affordable cost allows you to update the interior without significant investments;
• openwork weaving provides good ventilation of the backs and seats. The heat exchange of human skin is not disturbed, it does not sweat in the heat;
• finished products are lightweight, they are suitable for rooms with wooden floors;
• high mobility of chairs, tables, chests of drawers allows them to be moved inside an apartment or a country house;
• furniture of natural shades with a unique design fits into the interior of any room. The vine is perfectly combined with glass, wood, leather, mirrors, forged metal;
• the wicker surface is easily cleaned from dust and dirt;
• exclusivity of products - weaving a vine each time turns out differently.

It is difficult to make furniture from a vine with your own hands; this requires skills and prepared willow twigs. The disadvantages of wicker furniture include the need to comply with the rules of operation: protection from temperature changes, humidity, direct sunlight.

Kinds

Many types of furniture are made using the weaving technique. The main ones are:

• tables and dining tables of various shapes. Graceful openwork countertops look light and elegant. When combined with glass, it is convenient to use the table as a dining table. Coffee tables can have high carved legs or be made in Asian technique like boxes;
• chairs, ottomans, stools have a shape from even cubes to ethnic tambourines. Despite the apparent fragility, they can easily withstand the weight of an adult. Combined products with metal or wooden legs are designed for heavy loads;
• armchairs and rocking chairs with ornate handles, comfortable seats, exquisite weaving of the back will become a real decoration of an office or living room. Slow swinging will help you relax at the end of a hard day. The vine has a comfortable temperature, regardless of the surrounding air. Sitting in a chair will be comfortable even in a cool room;
• sofas with soft pillows will be the best place to relax or sleep. Openwork weaving of the backs does not interfere with the temperature exchange, a reliable seat frame made of wood or metal creates a feeling of confidence. Light weight allows you to move the product from the living room to the guest room or nursery if necessary;
• sun loungers and deckchairs for relaxing by the pool or in the garden will give you maximum pleasure and comfort. Products spring together with your body, the load on the spine is optimally distributed. So that the deck chair does not crack from the sun, it is periodically moistened with water. Natural material will never cause allergies or irritation to bare skin;
• chests of drawers and cabinets have smooth shapes, fancy patterns. It is convenient to store things in them, bedding, towels, textiles can breathe and absorb the delicate aroma of the vine. With small dimensions, chests of drawers differ in capacity;
• bookcases are designed to store useful little things, documents, books. Graceful and light, they do not take up much space, they are easily moved inside the room;
• wicker screens will allow you to hide your bed or baby cradle from prying eyes. Products have different dimensions: from narrow partitions to large folding screens. If you install a screen near the window, then you can refuse to use curtains.

A separate category includes furniture for children's rooms: cradles, cribs, changing chests, carrying cradle, wicker table. Products are absolutely safe for the health of the baby, have a beautiful design. Weaving of wicker furniture for children is often done on individual orders.

What style suits

Highly decorative furniture made of willow twigs is easy to fit into any interior. Especially when using the right decor and in combination with other materials. The main rule is that it is not recommended to use single wicker products in an environment. It is optimal to choose headsets with the same weaving style and color.

Here are some good combinations:

• modern style requires the use of combined wicker tables with glass tops;
• high-tech interiors use wicker furniture with metal fittings and decor. To furnish the kitchen, a set of chairs is enough;
• country allows you to furnish the entire room with wicker furniture. Decorative decoration with pillows, textile ruffles will add zest;
• safari style allows the use of light-colored armchairs and sofas decorated with leather or natural fur;
• headsets made of unpainted vines will harmoniously fit into the classic interior. A rocking chair will decorate a living room or a relaxation room, a light dining set with embossed backs will fit into the interior of the dining room;
• minimalism allows the use of wicker furniture in gray and black shades of the simplest forms. There should not be many products inside one room;
• the luxurious shabby chic interior is in harmony with wicker sofas, bookcases and openwork screens. In addition, choose textile bedspreads made of coarse fabrics.

If you could not find a suitable product for your interior in stores, make it yourself. To master the technique of weaving furniture from a wicker with your own hands, you first need to choose the simplest products: pouffes, stools, whatnots.

Domestic wicker products from a rod have more joints than those made from rattan, due to the shorter length of the rod. However, their cost is lower than imported ones. Weaving should be free of torn or broken rods. A hole will soon form at the site of the defect. When choosing a chair, armchair, sofa, be sure to sit in it. The product should be comfortable, not bend or stagger.

Finished furniture is varnished, a crunch or creak at the first use occurs in places of varnish adhesions and does not affect the quality.

When choosing products, be sure to study the quality of the joints. For fastening the bars, wooden or metal pins are used, which are masked by decorative elements. Fasteners must be strong, reliable.

Tables, whatnots, chests of drawers are chosen stable, without tilting when placing objects on them. Drawers in cabinets and chests of drawers are checked for ease of opening, reliability of fixation. The color of the furniture does not affect its quality or service life. It is chosen based on personal preference. The most popular models of wicker furniture for beginner decorators are light-colored dining room sets.

Care rules

Natural willow twigs do not like high humidity. If they are constantly wetted or stored in rooms with high humidity, the bars will swell and lose their shape. Wicker furniture should be periodically wiped with a moistened soft cloth. To maintain the elasticity of the bars, they are treated with linseed oil 1-2 times a year.

Grease stains on chairs, countertops are easily removed by dry cleaning with talcum powder. White marks from hot dishes are removed with an alcohol solution mixed with vegetable oil. If the spots are old, then a mixture of coarse salt and sunflower oil is applied to their surface. After 2 hours, the grains are brushed off, and the surface is polished with a soft flannel cloth.

Small cracks in wicker can be easily masked with beeswax. If the varnish coating is cracked from time to time, then the defects must be sanded with sandpaper, covered with paint, and a new layer of varnish. Color stain helps to update the color of burnt dark products.

If armchairs, chairs or deck chairs are used outdoors, then protect them with fabric capes from the sun's rays, plastic covers from the rain. Wicker wicker furniture will create coziness and unique charm in your interior.

Video

Photo

From a tree.

Today we will talk about an artificial substitute for rattan (it is also called techno-rattan or poly-rattan), which is used to make wicker furniture. This material is supplied in the form of multi-colored ribbons, threads, circle segments rolled into coils. Unlike its natural "colleague", artificial rattan does not fade under the influence of ultraviolet radiation and is highly resistant to adverse weather conditions. Therefore, I often make outdoor furniture or wicker decorative items from it, which can be left outside all year round in snow and rain.

Many owners of suburban areas would like to put furniture made of this material in a gazebo or recreation area. But the high price of these products, which are considered a “handmade” product, stops them. It was the money issue that prompted the FORUMHOUSE user with the nickname Lulava master weaving from artificial rattan and all the wisdom of this craft in order to equip the living room in your house near Moscow with beautiful and functional furniture, on which you can sit and relax on long winter evenings.

Lulava Member of FORUMHOUSE

After searching, I found wicker furniture, which I really liked. Having caught fire with the purchase, when I saw the price tag on it, I cooled down, but the desire to have something like that overcame. Having studied the Internet, I made a firm decision - to start make wicker furniture yourself.

And here are the samples of furniture that the user liked.

Now let's announce the price tag for it: an armchair costs 45 thousand rubles, a corner sofa - 124 thousand rubles. No wonder that Lulava ordered 26 kg of techno-rattan - strips 9 mm wide and 1 mm thick.

Artificial rattan is sold in kilograms. This ratio of width and thickness, as indicated above, ultimately gives the maximum length of the coil for a given weight, which allows savings.

Also, according to the user, if a do-it-yourself rattan sofa or chair is made with a platform used as self-supporting, then it is better to use a more durable polyrattan, in the form of a circle segment, 1.2-1.4 mm thick, although artificial rattan 1 mm thick has sufficient strength and bearing capacity.

The work should begin with the choice of the base, which will be braided with rattan ribbons. One of these options may be a metal frame made of galvanized or aluminum pipes. But Lulava I settled on the most technologically advanced version - a wooden one, from a bar with a section of 4x4 cm, which is then treated with antiseptic impregnations.

Rattan weaving for beginners: the nuances

The most difficult thing in the manufacture of artificial rattan furniture is the weaving process itself. Despite the many training videos on the Internet, it is not always possible to see the nuances of the technology on them. Information is not enough. Therefore, the user had to learn a lot by trial and error.

Start weaving rattan furniture with the simplest products. This will allow you not to “burn out” ahead of time, and also not to lose interest in work. And only "filling your hand", move on to more responsible subjects.

Lulava

I started the weaving work with an ottoman. Moreover, I had to redo it 3 times until I figured out how to do everything right. Then I moved on to the manufacture of the frame - the basis of the sofa. To do this, I took the dimensions of the Swedish counterpart - 2240 (length) x 660 (height) x 860 (width) mm.

The design of the wooden frame is shown in the following photo.

The assembly was carried out on the "75th", the so-called. "black" screws. Although such fasteners are not the best option for connecting critical structures (it can cut off hats on self-tapping screws), the main thing is to think about how the load is distributed.

The armrests of the sofa should not "hang" in the air. The part must rest directly on the load-bearing frame, and the main load is redistributed on it. Self-tapping screws are needed only to fix the armrest - to connect it to the base in the desired position and prevent shifting.

When weaving artificial rattan, it is important to remember that one wrong stitch made at the very beginning will lead to a marriage of the product. Everything will have to start over. Making furniture from polyrattan is the lot of the attentive and patient.

Lulava

It is most convenient to work by placing furniture on a stand. Even after watching the video with weaving master classes, I still have questions about the secrets of work. Everything had to be learned through experience.

Of the weaving tools we need:

• Stapler - it is necessary for fixing strips of polyrattan with staples to a wooden base;
• Small pliers, with their help it is convenient to remove the bent bracket;
• A hammer of small weight, needed for finishing staples;
• Knife or cutter;
• Soldering iron or superglue.

A soldering iron is needed to solder the lock - at the junction of the strips.

Practical advice on working with techno-rattan is interesting. We assemble the frame with maximum geometric accuracy. Misalignments or inaccuracies in measurements can cause more stitches to be sewn on one side than on the other, or gaps or slits remain.

According to Lulava, not important- the length of the sofa, the width of the armrest, because the pitch of the vertical threads can be changed.

But especially important- the height of the sofa, the length of the armrest and the height of the sofa on the front side (from the seat to the bottom edge).

The weaving itself is carried out without the use of a shuttle, because Polyrattan is a tough material and pulls well through the rows. The use of the shuttle will only complicate the work of threading it between the strips.

A rocking chair is increasingly becoming an integral attribute of every country house. From a wide range of such structures, vine products are popular, which wonderfully fit into the interior of the cottage and provide the owners with a comfortable outdoor recreation. This chair is easy to make yourself at home.

Positive and negative sides of wicker structures

Rocking chairs from a rod have a number of advantages. The advantages of such products include:

• availability of material for work;
• the ability to withstand significant weight;
• small mass;
• the possibility of location in any convenient place;
• ecological cleanliness;
• unique design thanks to openwork weaving;
• ease of maintenance and operation.

A chair made from wicker also has some disadvantages. For example, when exposed to atmospheric precipitation and direct sunlight for a long time, rocking chairs darken, crack, and lose their shape.

Material preparation

Several types of trees are used for weaving furniture items. More often it is a willow (due to its wide distribution). In addition to it, hazel, rakita, alder and bird cherry are used. Alternatively, a vine from grape or raspberry bushes is suitable.

The best time to collect raw materials begins with the onset of cold weather and ends with the onset of a thaw. At this time, the juice inside the tree does not move and the material is easily processed. Harvested vines are kept outdoors in an upright position for 3-5 days.

Sorting of the material is carried out based on the purpose of the rods. For the manufacture of the frame of the structure, a vine with a diameter of up to 4 cm is used, for weaving - 0.5-1 cm.

Thematic material:

Raw material processing

Weaving from a vine is possible after the prepared material has undergone some preparation. The order is as follows:

The period of complete drying lasts about 72 hours. After that, proceed to the assembly of the rocking chair.

Create a structure

A wicker chair should be durable, the basis of which will be the correct manufacture. The procedure for forming the skeleton of the structure is as follows:

Braid construction

This exciting process begins when the skeleton is fully assembled. The braiding procedure includes the following steps:

When the braid is ready, support skis and supports are attached.

Mounting skids

To increase the life of the rocking chair, it is recommended to install skids that are wear-resistant. The procedure is as follows:

• Turn the structure upside down.
• Heat the skis with a hair dryer, place them on the skids in turn and wrap them with cotton tape along the entire length.
• After the pads have cooled down and taken the desired shape, glue them to the runners, after removing the fabric. For high-quality fastening, fasten the ends of the planks with nails.
• Let the glue dry for 48 hours, then remove the nails and replace them with self-tapping screws. Close the mounting points with a mixture of glue and sawdust.

Final steps

The finished structure is treated with an antifungal agent and a liquid that will prevent the appearance of wood pests.

To increase moisture resistance, special varnishes with water-repellent characteristics are used. Before coating with a protective agent, the product is given the necessary shade. To do this, use stain or paint.

The finished rocking chair will bring beauty, comfort to the house and will become a favorite vacation spot for every member of the family.

Do-it-yourself wicker furniture, made in the best traditions of folk craftsmen, is an exclusive interior item distinguished by its reliability, originality, elegance, and ease of operation. Vine has long been used to create exquisite and at the same time inexpensive household items. Having mastered the basic techniques of weaving, you can easily make almost any furniture. In addition, the vine is an environmentally friendly, durable and free raw material.

Before you start making wicker furniture yourself, you should carefully study the step-by-step instructions for beginners. They describe in detail the process of creating furniture from a vine, from the moment of procurement of material to the assembly of the finished structure. Pay attention to the design, as well as the arrangement of the frame part, because this is what will guarantee the strength of the product being created.

The unique appearance of the furniture is given by the way of weaving. It can be single, openwork, combined. To make reliable and durable furniture, you need to decide on the method of fixing individual parts of the structure. Mounts can be detachable or non-detachable. In the first case, the assembly process is significantly simplified, in the second, the strength and reliability of the finished product is increased.

The flexible branches of many plants can serve as material for weaving: bird cherry, willow, alder, hazel, raspberry, and also nettle. Masters advise beginners to work with bird cherry blanks, such rods retain their original color and luster for a long time, are easy to dissect, cut, and are very elastic.

How the vine grows

The best place to collect twigs will be the river bank, where many willow shoots sprout. It is best to harvest material for weaving in autumn (from October until the first frost) or spring. Cut the vine with a sharp knife, at an angle of 45o. The rods collected during this period are easily cleaned of bark. The prepared vine can be stored dry for a long time. It remains suitable for weaving up to 2-3 years.

If you want to make furniture with openwork patterns, you will need thin rods, which you need to cut off in the spring. When choosing a vine, pay attention to the thickness of the core. If it is thick, then it is better to use rods for the frame of the product. Also, when choosing blanks, you should pay attention to the width of the willow leaf: the narrower it is, the more flexible the vine will be.

Finished material for weaving

When it is necessary to achieve a light shade of wood, the rods are subjected to additional heat treatment by boiling them. This can be done by lowering the blanks into a large vat of boiling water. To achieve a light color of the vine, it must be boiled for 3 hours. To get darker shades, the rods are kept in boiling water for at least 4 hours. Immediately after the heat treatment, the rods should be cleaned of bark, this will preserve the beautiful shade of natural wood. To do this, use a split or a rough glove.

How to make a wicker chair

Making a chair involves weaving the following elements: seats, backs, sidewalls, legs, sides, additional elements (armrests). Willow twigs are perfect as a material for work. For the frame, a vine with a diameter of 25-30 mm should be prepared. Thinner rods up to 10 mm thick will be used to braid the product.

Depending on the complexity of the design and the skills of the master, the manufacture of the chair takes up to 7 days.

On average, you will need 25-30 strong long blanks. Bend the rod, smooth out its defects will help a special tool - Zhamka. First, cut the material into the necessary elements. To make a bent part, the soaked workpiece must be bent according to the template.

The chair intended for rest will consist of:

• lower bench;
• seats;
• backs;
• armrests.

The frame should be made of strong rods. The armchair is a refined and functional piece of furniture, the armrests will make it not only more comfortable, but also give additional strength.

The base of the structure frame is the lower bench, which is necessary for the reliability and stability of the chair. It consists of:

• covered proleg;
• carrier cross;
• podluchki;
• seat frame.

For the manufacture of the seat, large, durable paired rods are chosen. They are attached to the frame bars and the cross bar of the seat. The back will consist of the upper part of the rear legs, the twigs of the back detail and the horizontal elements.

During the manufacture of the frame of the chair, the legs are fixed on the frame and the crosspiece of the seat.

After that, shooters are installed and the legs are fitted. This is followed by the installation of the backrest and transverse rods of the seat. For the manufacture of armrests, pre-soaked blanks bent in the desired shape are used. This element is attached to the shooters and seat frame with small nails. The upper ends of the rods of the armrests should be attached to the side shooters.

After completing the installation of all the main parts of the frame, you can start braiding the product with a thin vine. Particular attention should be paid to the joints to hide the fasteners. After installing the typesetting rods on the seat and back, the chair takes on a finished look, it becomes ready for use. The indisputable advantage of wicker furniture is its environmental friendliness, strength (can withstand up to 200 kg) and durability (such furniture lasts more than 20 years).