Things to consider when buying Rattan Furniture
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]When it comes to buying rattan garden furniture, either online or in a shop, the process can seem daunting and maybe even overwhelming. Who knew that there were so many options to choose from but what about all the other options that you cant see! In a minute we are going to take you on a quick ‘What to look for’ guide through buying rattan furniture.[/vc_column_text][vc_single_image image=”10630″ img_size=”large” alignment=”center”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Initially when you look to buy rattan furniture you might just think ‘What size table do I need?’ or ‘How many chairs can I get?’ or maybe just ‘What colour to choose?’. All of these are very credible questions and we have written some other articles here to hopefully help answers these initial questions.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]But what about all of the other questions that you should ask, but don’t yet know to ask?? Here we will do our best to guide you through the process and hopefully not overwhelm you and put you off your purchase of outdoor rattan furniture.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]So lets make a list of some of the other things we need to consider before going into detail on each.
- Product Sizes
- Framework materials and thickness
- Does it need assembly?
- Cushions included?
- Material of cushions?
- Glass Safety
- Product material
- Delivery options
You may look at this list and say that some of these really don’t matter to you, and its probably true, they don’t. But lets ensure you have as much information available to you to ensure you make the best informed decision on your next purchase of rattan furniture.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_custom_heading text=”Overall product size” use_theme_fonts=”yes”][vc_column_text]This doesn’t just mean, does the furniture fit in your garden. Hopefully, you already have all of the dimensions and have worked this out. But what about some of the other dimensions?[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_single_image image=”10633″ img_size=”large”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Have you checked the table height from floor to top? Not all outdoor dining tables are the same height so its worth double checking. Would you be able to get other chairs underneath should you need to, or is the table designed specifically for the accompanying chairs only?[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]For rattan dining chairs its worth checking the overall seat dimensions. Will they be comfortable to sit in? Are they quite narrow meaning you cant add extra cushions? How tall is that back? Will it support you and your family adequately throughout a meal?[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]For a rattan Sofa, what is the height from floor to seat? Are the sofas very low when sitting meaning you are not in a comfortable position? As with dining chairs – is the back high enough to be fully supported so you can sit back and relax fully? What are the height of the arm rests?[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Your main aim for buying furniture is to be comfortable when using it. There are lots of different designs out there for both dining chairs and sofas so its worth knowing these dimensions. You could be spending a lot of time sitting on your outdoor furniture so make sure that it is comfortable from the start.[/vc_column_text]
[/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_custom_heading text=”Framework materials and sizes” use_theme_fonts=”yes”][vc_column_text]Framework is something you will very rarely see or consider when buying your furniture, but again it is a key area to ensure that you buy a strong sturdy piece of furniture that will last.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Rattan furniture framework will be mostly made from 2 materials. Steel and aluminium. There are pros and cons to both. Steel frames are considerable cheaper to produce meaning that the overall cost of the furniture should be lower. However steel frames can become weaker when exposed to weather. Steel is a material that can rust. If your frame becomes work and damaged then any protectives paintwork could mean that water gets in ad slowly rusts the steel. This not only damaged the furniture but rusty water stains! Any furniture that is sat rusting over winter will probably cause stain damage to the surface it is sat on meaning you may need to replace your patio, aswell as your furniture! Most steel framed furniture would have a lifespan expectancy of around 2 years.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]The standard option that most manufactures now go for is a strong sturdy aluminium framework. When made from aluminium, there will be no rusting and no staining to your patio as the main positive! Although as always your furniture needs protecting during the winter especially, water and cold weather will not damage an aluminium framework. You will usually find that rattan furniture that has aluminium frames will come with a guarantee upto 10 years for peace of mind.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Be sure to confirm this with the shop when purchasing as again this could be a costly point to overlook when making your purchase.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Its also worth noting the size of any framework too. Look mainly at the legs and arms of any chairs and tables. Are they small and thin meaning that they could easily bend or get damaged. Or are they thick and sturdy meaning you would feel comfortable putting your whole weight of the arms of the chairs to stand up, or maybe even your friend or partner perching on the arm of the sofa while they talk to you.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_custom_heading text=”Does it need assembling?” use_theme_fonts=”yes”][vc_column_text]I have seen many comments and reviews on other websites where people have purchased large furniture items only from them to see them arrive in flat-pack box form. For most people, this isn’t a consideration, but it needs to be. When you browse around a website or go to your local garden center to try out the rattan furniture, most people will ask for delivery, but they never ask how it will be delivered. When the van turns up outside your house, the van door opens and you are presented with multiple boxes, all labeled up 1, 2 3, etc. hmmm not what you were expecting?[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]As with other areas of the product, how the product is assembled and delivered is a big key factor in the pricing. If someone needs to assemble the item prior to delivery, there will be a cost involved. If the van can only get your pre-assembled table and chairs order on for delivery then the cost will be far higher than if he could get 10 flat pack sets for 10 different customers.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]All of this aside, there are also some other factors to note from this. If your furniture arrives pre assembled and without the option of flat pack, then it is very likely your furniture is welded together rather than bolted together. This will give you a much stronger piece of furniture that is likely to last longer and be more durable. If the furniture is assembled from flat pack, either pre delivery or by yourselves then the likely hood is that it will use steel bolts and washers for the assembly. As we mentioned above in the frame structure, these can rust and although they are unlikely to break, you may find some staining on your rattan furniture around the framework areas that hold the bolts. This can be very off putting and frustrating! The other downside to having your furniture bolted together is that it may come loose over time. Your chairs may wobble, or your table might become uneven as a leg moves position. The costs of a fully welded framework, although initially it might be higher, the long term benefits are greater.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_custom_heading text=”Have you asked if the cushions are included in the price?” use_theme_fonts=”yes”][vc_column_text]This is always one that I enjoy asking when I look around shops myself. When you look at the pictures on a website, or when you wander around a shop and sit down in the chairs, you instantly feel yourself sink into the luxurious cushions and relax. Its only when you stand up and find out that those cushions that brought a lovely, relaxed smile to your face now cost an additional £200 for the full set! Ouch![/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Don’t fall into this trap as if the cushions aren’t included in the price, then what other hidden extras are there lurking in the small print!Thanksfully for all of our sets, we will include all of the cushions that you see in the pictures for the pirce that is shown so don’t be afraid of any hidden costs![/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Its also worth noting the material that the cushions are made from. These cushions are part of your outdoor rattan garden furniture, the keyword there being outdoor! For most furniture, the standard will be waterproof material that is also washable. You should also look at any stitching that is visible. Try to ensure that this stitching is not normal cotton as this will eventually rot over time with the elements. The stitching should be a polyester style material that will be strong and durable throughout the different weathers.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Before we leave the subject of cushions, there is 1 valuable area that you should ALWAYS check for your furniture. ‘Is the material UV protected?’. Your rattan furniture is going to be outside all day potentially during the summer and the cushions are going to be in full view of the strong sun UV rays. It can be very frustrating when you buy some lovely furniture and then after a few months in the sun the cushions start to look a different colour where they have been exposed to the UV rays. Again this is something that very easily gets overlooked but is a very visible and important part of any outdoor furniture.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_custom_heading text=”Have you considered Safety?” use_theme_fonts=”yes”][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/2″][vc_single_image image=”10640″ img_size=”full”][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/2″][vc_column_text]Do you have young children or even pets that may run around the garden with pure excitement? If yes then safety should always be an extremely important consideration when buying your garden furniture.[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]When you purchase tables predominantly, they can have the option to come with a glass top. Here the alarm bells should be ringing. Some pieces of furniture come with very thin glass tops meaning that any impacts on them could cause them to smash easily. Ideally the thinker the glass, the less likely it will be of smashing should someone accidently fall on it or knock a table over.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]As with all glass furniture, it should be approved tempered glass for extra safety. This increases the strength of the glass and will hopefully greatly reduce any chances of injury should anything happen.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_custom_heading text=”Rattan Material” use_theme_fonts=”yes”][vc_column_text]There are a few consideration to look over with regards to the material for the rattan itself. Although a lot of the pieces with look the same, they could be made from different materials giving different problems potentially.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]We are not going to go into great details here as we have covered this in a lot more depth on another article. This will guide you through the differences in the material and should allow you to make a much more informed choice.
To cover this briefly, look for a rattan furniture set that is made from PE synthetic ratan as this will be the most hard wearing and weather resistant of all the available materials.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]The last thing to consider before handing over your hard earned money is the delivery of the furniture. This again can be a very costly area depending on the retailer. For most people, delivery will be included in the price you pay to give reassurance. From some shops, who don’t have their own vehicles, or don’t usually ship items this could be something that get charged extra.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Most furniture, if already assembled (the ideal scenairio as we mentioned earlier) will need a sizable vehicle for delivery. This can work out very expensive, especially if your order is the only one that is going on the van! It may also be worth asking locally around where you live if anyone has a van and would be willing to help you collect the furniture rather than pay for a dedicated courier. There are always people that are willing to help for a a small fee so shop around and see what works for you.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_custom_heading text=”Conclusion” use_theme_fonts=”yes”][vc_column_text]If you have made it this far down then give yourself a good pat on the back, that’s a lot of reading. But hopefully we have helped you get a better understanding of what we hope will be a purchase of some new rattan furniture. We have put together a small check list below to help you you’re your decision when you look around our products. As always, if there are any issues or questions then feel free to get in contact and we will do our best to help as quickly as possible![/vc_column_text]
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How to choose your rattan dining set?
[vc_row full_width=”stretch_row_content”][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”10648″ img_size=”full”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]When you look around your garden you will probably have some or all of the items listed below:
- Garden Shed
- BBQ
- Washing Line
- Flower Border
- Old Mismatched chairs?
For most, we quite often put up with what we have in the garden, especially when it comes to the garden furniture. We underestimate the impact that some well-chosen rattan garden furniture can actually have on the garden. The main area we are going to focus on today is the benefits of having a well-chosen Rattan Dining set for your garden. So let’s get started…..[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]When chosen correctly, not only can a functional rattan dining set make a garden look amazing, it also provides more functionality than most other garden furniture options. The shape and size of your garden will heavily affect the type of furniture that is recommended. We will get into these shortly further down the article but for now, let’s look at the benefits of each type of rattan dining set.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_custom_heading text=”A quick look at the Rattan Bistro Sets” use_theme_fonts=”yes”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/4″][vc_single_image image=”10608″ add_caption=”yes” style=”vc_box_rounded”][/vc_column][vc_column width=”3/4″][vc_column_text]We start with our smallest style of dining set, the Rattan Bistro set. This set is mostly 2 seater and will offer an intimate dining experience for 2 around a small dining table. There are huge benefits for this type of dining but with the limit of 2 seats, isn’t really a family and friends entertaining setup.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column]
[/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_custom_heading text=”Moving onto the popular 4 Seater Rattan Dining Sets” use_theme_fonts=”yes”][vc_column_text]The next option up is the standard 4 seater rattan dining set option. These are by far the normal choice for most families and by far the highest seller when it comes to rattan dining sets. The options start to open up at this level of dining sets and you can start looking at styling.- Do you want a round, rectangle, or square table?
- Do you want normal chairs, high back chairs, or armchairs?
- Do you want a riser table or a standard table?
- Do you want stools with your chairs?
- Do you want a standard dining set or a compact rattan cube dining set?
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[vc_column_text]A lot of people don’t realise that there are so many options to consider when coming to buy their rattan garden furniture. as you will discover further down this article, some can be very important when looking for the right style for your garden.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_custom_heading text=”Getting bigger with 6 Seater Rattan Sets” use_theme_fonts=”yes”][vc_column_text]After the 4 seater dining sets, it comes to the 6 seater rattan sets. These again take it to a different size level for most. Some sets are the same as the 4 seater sets but simply have 2 extra chairs, nothing more. The same questions above will apply to the 6 seater rattan sets as well so once these general questions are answered, it should just be a case of ‘How many chairs do I want!'[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_custom_heading text=”All the way upto 8 seater Rattan Dining Sets” use_theme_fonts=”yes”][vc_column_text]The next level up is onto the 8 seater rattan dining sets. These are currently the biggest outdoor dining sets that we offer and should be more than accommodating for most garden setups. These dining sets come in rectangle and round styles, all with matching chairs. Again, some of the chairs can be high back compared to others which are standard style. You may also see some other features become available, especially on the tables. Some will now be available with either a lazy Susan or a firepit in the middle. This is helped by the size of the table that is needed to be able to accommodate 8 people.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_custom_heading text=”So, how do i choose my garden furniture?” use_theme_fonts=”yes”][vc_column_text]So now that we have gone over the initial styles of furniture, we should now be able to put together a list of what we want from our furniture and start matching it to our outdoor garden space. This can sometimes mean difficult decisions as to the furniture set that we have fallen in love with simply won’t fit into the garden space we have, so let’s see how we can sort this out.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”2/3″][vc_column_text]So, let’s start small. A Rattan Bistro Set is a fantastic option where space is limited. These are ideally suited for people with only balconies or small verandas where you simply couldn’t have many people. So be sensible and make this space look amazing with a beautiful Bistro set and some other small accessories. Don’t dismiss a bistro set as an additional seating area for a small secluded area in your garden. If you have a little snook or just a small patio area under a pergola at the end of your garden then a small rattan bistro set is again the perfect seating option for this intimate personal area.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/3″][vc_single_image image=”10204″ img_size=”medium”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_custom_heading text=”Family Favourite – Should i choose the 4 seater dining set?” use_theme_fonts=”yes”][vc_column_text]As we mentioned above, the 4 seater option is by far the best seller, mainly because it fits perfectly into most household families and spaces. The ability to have four people, usually perfectly suited for most families, sat outside for lunch is what most people want. For this, the size of the garden is still relevant. If you have a fairly spacious garden then a standard 4 seater rattan dining set is a great option. If you are a bit tight on space and want something that can be stored away easily and neatly then be sure to look at a rattan cube dining set.With a rattan cube set, the storage is built in! They are called a ‘Cube’ set as once the chairs are all pushed underneath, the whole table and chair setup forms a compact cube. If you need a little extra then you can get these rattan cube sets with some rattan footstool that go under the chairs, again not requiring any more storage space.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_column_text]If you are a regular entertainer and enjoy having friends and family around then a 6 seater or 8 seater set will be something worth looking at. With these, think of the shape of your garden and also the space available. Also, consider the styles that you already have in the garden. Is your patio round? If so then a round table set would probably fit better. Do you have a long bordered patio? Then for this style, the long rectangle style table with matching chairs is probably the best bet. From a design perspective, the long lines of the table will match the long lines of the patio.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_single_image image=”10004″ img_size=”340×340″][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]If you are an entertainer then you are probably a bit more relaxed and carefree. Alternatively, you might be the direct opposite and be the kind of person where everything has to be perfect? Don’t be afraid to experiment and try things differently. How about if you put your long rectangle dining table on an angle across your patio from corner to corner? This can make the whole dimension of the patio look bigger and allow the table to become more of a feature rather than just a table.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_custom_heading text=”Conclusion for Rattan Garden Dining Sets” use_theme_fonts=”yes”][vc_column_text]By now, hopefully, you have plenty of ideas and also plenty of answers to help you decide which patio set is right for you. Before you go off looking, there is 1 more small consideration to make. Do you already have rattan furniture? Do you need to match this furniture or will the pieces be far enough apart to make their own statement? Just consider what pieces will match and what pieces will be ok to make their own statement.
Good luck with your shopping, if there are any doubts then please continue reading our articles or simply drop us a mail and we will do what we can to help you.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column]
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