Rattan and wicker furniture is that woven furniture you see in many outdoor megastores on display that has that very unique look to it. Pretty much all of it is made from wood reeds or strips that have been selected for their size and type of wood. This type of craft utilizes rattan, bamboo, and willow. Strips are graded for sizes by number with a #3 being one of the easiest sizes to work with and durable yet bendable enough to weave. Strips are soaked for several hours in water until they are saturated to a point that they become useable.
For the main weight bearing frame portion of a wicker chair or table you simply use thicker pieces suck as 2 or 3 inch tree limbs. Bending the limbs to suit can be done by hand if you are strong enough to force them the way you want them. Clamps are used to hold the formed limbs in place until dry. Once dry they maintain their shape fairly well along with some weaving. Pipe benders are used by people who want to do this craft but aren’t strong enough. These pipe benders make the job much easier and can be found at any industrial supply outlet for metal working. Frame pieces can be attached together by drilling proper size holes to seat the pieces into each other and wood screws with glue to secure them permanently. Always use a pilot hole for the wood screw so the rattan or other material doesn’t split.
Weaving is a matter of adding thread of material as needed and securing them with small nails to secure the threads at equal distances from each other to create a weave. I recommend looking over some of this type of furniture at a store, so you get the idea of just how to weave. To make longer threads you can simply tie and know them together end to end.
Your first attempt at this craft is always a bit of a learning curve but well worth the effort.
Once your piece of furniture is done you should spray paint it to seal it and give it a nice finish. Some colors such as white are very common making beautiful white wicker furniture pieces that go with most patio décor. Backyard adventures of this kind can save you a good deal of money if you want to make all your furniture by yourself. You may enjoy it so much it could become a hobby to pass the time or even a business.