Wicker furniture can be fashioned out of willow, rattan, bamboo, or reed.
The use of wicker for household objects dates back to when ancient civilizations used it for baskets and chair seats. The oldest wicker pieces still in existence are storage boxes and hassocks dating back to the time of Cleopatra. During the Victorian era in the mid-1800s, wicker furniture came back into vogue because the Victorians believed that its smooth surface was more hygienic than upholstered furniture.
Despite that belief, caring for wicker furniture can be difficult. The very nature of their woven surfaces causes them to be dust magnets. For maintenance of your wicker furniture, follow these easy steps:
- Vacuum or dust regularly and treat with clear furniture polish
- Protect your wicker furniture by applying a thin layer of clear lacquer
- For deeply soiled areas, wipe your wicker furniture gently with mild soap and water
- Dry your wicker furniture quickly if it gets wet - standing water can cause cracking or gaps between the weave
- For sharp edges or cracks, sand carefully with fine-grade sandpaper
Bamboo is also used as a construction material. It is an extremely hard substance. Since it is a quickly growing grass and can grow in dense conditions, it is considered one of the best renewable resources on the planet. Bamboo was used to create the earliest suspension bridges in China and today it is used in a variety of building projects. It has also been used to craft boats, zeppelins and airplanes. Have you ever seen the construction scaffolding that they make out of bamboo? It doesn't look strong to me, but it is.
Here in Northern Minnesota we make furniture out of logs and willow. The willow is harvested young and bent into shape while still wet and pliable. If you love trees, it is likely you also will love these types of furniture. They allow you to bring the spirit of the outdoors into your home, so you can enjoy it year-round. Best of all, the willow is a rapidly renewable resource, taking only a few short years to grow back after being harvested. The trees for the log furniture just take a bit longer.
Kathleen Lordbock
Re$ale Design
Specializing in Property Presentations
Welcome from the Brainerd Lakes - where outdoor and indoor recreational opportunites abound. Looking to buy on one of our many lakes? Ready to move up or down? Having trouble selling your home? Falling behind on payments or already in the foreclosure process? I am a Certified Short Sale Specialist as well as a Home Staging Expert.
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Kathleen, You got my attention with the headline. I like these kinds of furniture. You are so right -- it is somewhat difficult to keep clean.
We have a different problem. The folks who lived in our house before we purchased it planted bamboo on both sides of the back door. It is trying to do a number on our foundation. We have tried everything we can think of to get rid of it. We have dug it up. We have poured salt in the ground where it lives. We have tried commercial treatments. We have screamed at the shoots, hoping they would understand we hate them. That isn't quite true. I think it is a pretty plant. I just wish they had not planted it against the foundation of our home. From your research for your blog, did you learn anything about getting rid of bamboo which I swear grows by the foot overnight.
I've got it. Bring your transportation -- those lovely horses -- out here and we will let them have all they want. You did say it was a grass, right?
http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/load/vagard/msg010826269231.html
Yvonne - there is actually a bamboo haters support group on the above link. They do have advice on how to try to get rid of it.
Oh Kathleen, I had no idea that I might someday consider joining a hate group. How very funny. I am going to look it over. Can't hurt, I guess. But if you guys see me in the next few days doing naughty things it will be because that naughty Kathleen showed me how to get in touch with my very own hate group.
Theresa, Thanks for the wishes. Now, I'm off to join the hate group of my choice. Can you just see it? A blog describing all the fun we bamboo haters have gathering to burn standing groves of that dreadful grass; stinking, rotten, no-good-for-nothing, hateful, environment consuming bamboo from hell. Gotta go.
Thanks for the information. I have a house full of antique bamboo and wicker furniture. Those are the materials of choice for me. I love them because they are not smoothe finish. I have a bent willow rocker my grandmother bought from a "tramp" (her words) during the depression. Seems that to make money men would fashion these rockers then travel around selling them. I've seen them recently but they are new. As for the invasive bamboo plant, there are several kinds. If you want to grow your own plants because they are beautiful swaying in the wind, and are low maintenance make sure you buy the kind that doesn't spread.
Terry Haugen - STAGE it RIGHT!