Caring Vintage Rattan Furniture

Vintage rattan furniture – Rattan furniture consists of sections made of woven rods, a climbing species of palm trees. Rotting resembles knowing and care and restoration is about the same. Rotting furniture can be cleaned, painted or rewoven. Natural-colored rattan is coated with a layer of boiled linseed oil that is painted or sprayed and absorbed by rattan water.

Check joints in furniture fame for density. All loose joints must be seen glued. Work the glue down in conjunction with a sharp dime rod or use a needle glue injection. Use a clamp or rope tied around the joint to hold it in place while the adhesive dries. Repair loose leads in larger pieces of vintage rattan furniture with screws. Pre-drill smaller in diameter than the screw used. Fill the hole with glue and insert the screw. Do not pull. Replace damaged weaving by weaving in new rattan. Study pattern weaving and make notes and charts or take pictures of the pattern. Practice weaving by building a small wooden frame of scrap wood and using the same size of rattan whey that will be used on the actual furniture.

Clean painted vintage rattan furniture using the steps above and allow to dry. Spray with primer and allow drying. Do not brush the primer on, as a brush will cause too much build up in woven patterns. Spray on one to two layers of coat and allow drying. Natural finish rattan should be cleaned and sprayed with a clear finish. All discolored areas can be touched with oil stain before transparent results are applied. Polyurethane is not recommended as the finish wipes very hard and will crack. Natural finish rattan that is not clearly coated should be cleaned and sprayed with a thin layer of boiled linseed oil and allowed to dry.