Products woven from wicker can serve their owners for many years, performing not only a practical, but also a decorative function. They are successfully used as a piece of furniture both in the countryside and in the metropolis.

Making willow with your own hands is a science mastered by our ancestors several thousand years before our era. In historical documents different countries throughout the world there are references to various wicker boxes, fences, baskets and much more. The products that can be made by learning how to weave are beautiful and varied. Nowadays, willow weaving is not related to the everyday needs of a person; rather, it is a fashionable hobby and a way to bring beauty and style to the interior.

General information about wicker weaving

Modern willow baskets are not only accessories for the garden, they are full-fledged inhabitants of apartments. They not only bring practical benefits, but are also a highlight, a kind of accent in the design of the apartment.

It is important to note that collecting vines for weaving does not cause any harm to nature, but, on the contrary, rejuvenates the thickets.

Willow weaving is popular today both in rural areas and in large cities. Another advantage of this hobby is that there is no need to purchase materials for work. You can easily prepare them yourself. Willow is a very common plant and grows in almost all regions of Russia. If you love the outdoors, then going for the willow vine will be a pleasant and interesting adventure for you. In some large cities, shops that provide goods for various hobbies are beginning to sell wicker rods. There are not many such stores yet, but this great option for those who don’t know where to find willow thickets in a large city.

Blank for weaving

Not only willow vine is suitable for weaving, but also walnut vine and other flexible species of shrubs and trees. It is better to choose thin, long shoots. Take those twigs that do not branch.

For this type of hobby, both unbarked and peeled vines are suitable. Large products are woven from the unrefined wood: fences, large baskets for fruits and vegetables. Peeled vines are used to make vases, trays, laundry boxes, bread bins and much more. An unpeeled vine is called unrooted, a peeled one is called debarked.

The preparation of materials for weaving is carried out in autumn or spring. In summer, willow shoots from behind active growth They are very brittle and are not suitable for weaving.

Shoots harvested in spring are cleared of bark immediately, without additional preparation. Shoots harvested in the fall are boiled before cleaning. Harvesting and preparing vines for weaving is not a difficult task, but it requires time and effort.

But when willow weaving for beginners will captivate and draw you in step by step, and the finished wicker item will become a source of pride for you, the time and effort spent will be fully repaid by the charge of positive energy that you will receive.

Required Tools

What will we need during the work process? Willow weaving for beginners, described step by step in the article, requires at least a good amount of patience. Making a basket from wicker is more difficult than weaving it from newspaper tubes. Natural material is less pliable to work with and can break.

You also need some tools for the job.

Prepare:

• Awl.
• Secateurs.
• Side cutters.
• A spray bottle filled with water to spray the vines.

Technology

Classically, baskets are woven starting from the bottom. Then they weave the walls and the bend. Handles come last.

For beginners, it is advisable to start step-by-step with willow with round-shaped product models. To make it, you will need to learn just a few techniques:

• Round bottom manufacturing technology.
• Rope weaving.
• Layer weaving technique.
• Bending.

During the weaving process, the work must be compacted and pressed down so that the basket does not turn out to be too flimsy. The rods should be laid tightly and evenly, without covering each other.

Once the technique of making a round basket has been mastered, you can move on to more complex openwork products made from wicker. Experienced craftsmen They decorate their baskets with braids, weaving birch bark, straw and wooden beads into them. The design and shape of such baskets are limited only by the imagination of the master.

You can weave almost anything from wicker. Often landscape designers they order craftsmen to create wicker figures made from wicker to decorate the garden. Decorate personal plot fences, and on open veranda It is quite possible to place a rocking chair made of wicker. You can also weave stools and a small table made of willow for outdoor gatherings.

From this available environmentally friendly material They even make decorations and New Year's gifts. A cradle made of untreated twigs is suitable for a children's room. Children love to sleep in such natural, environmentally friendly cradles.

Rectangular wicker baskets placed on shelves and racks are suitable for storing clothes, magazines and newspapers, and all sorts of household items.

Any housewife can find use for wickerwork in her home. The ability to weave from wicker will definitely be useful to you in life, at least for arranging your own life, and maybe it will become a source of additional income for you.

Now that you have learned about what wicker weaving is and how to weave from willow, the master class below will teach you how to weave round baskets from wicker. With such a basket you can go on picnics with friends or to the dacha with children.

Weaving willow baskets for beginners (master class)

Let's start making the basket by preparing the willow vine. It is best to cut the vine in May, before the willow begins to bloom. You can also cut the vines in August, when new long shoots grow on the willow.

Preparing a vine from willow branches

We immediately remove the bark from the cut branches and leave our vine for five days in the shade in the open air.

After the vine has been prepared and rested, we begin weaving willow baskets. The technology is as follows: we weave the bottom and edges of the product with whole round twigs, and the walls with vines split into several parts.

How to split a vine

To split the vine into pieces, you will need a special hardwood cleaver. An incision is made at the end of the vine with a knife, a cleaver is inserted into it, and the vine is split into 2, 3 or 4 parts.

The split branches are soaked in water for several hours, and then the brown center is removed. It is recommended to use a plane to process split vines.

Before weaving from the vine, it needs to be moistened. This can be done with a spray bottle or by lowering the branches into water for a few minutes.

Having prepared a sufficient amount of vines, we begin weaving willow baskets.

Carefully consider the process of creating a basket in the figure. First, the bottom of the basket is woven, then the ribs are added and the sides are woven along them. At the very end the handle is done.

If you know the technology of making baskets from paper tubes, then know that willow weaving for beginners step by step is almost the same.

We carry out the work in this order:

1. To make the bottom of the basket, split five rods in the middle with a knife and insert five other rods into the holes. We insert the tips of the first two into the same holes.
2. We make a braid of the bottom. The first rod needs to cover the split twigs from above, and the second one needs to cover those threaded into the split twigs from the bottom.
3. We also perform the third and fourth turns.
4. We spread the crosspiece rods in the shape of a fan and braid them with two willow branches.
5. We press the twigs together using an awl.
6. When the bottom reaches the size we need, we install the ribs of the basket into our willow weaving. For beginners, we will explain this process step by step. For the ribs we use round twigs. We cut their ends obliquely to a distance of about 5 cm. We insert the sharp ends into the bottom braid. We cut off the excess ends of the vine. The edges of the bottom are woven from four round twigs, which are inserted 4 cm near the side ribs of the basket. To give the basket the required shape, we make a blank, as in Fig. 9. Nail the bottom of the basket to it using small nails.
7. We finish the braiding of the bottom and cut off the excess twigs.
8. Let's move on to weaving the sides. We cut off the ends of the new twigs. We take twigs of medium thickness. We insert new branches along each twig of the base.
9. We bend the new rods under the two adjacent ones to the left, down, and then up.
10. We also bend the remaining branches of the vine. The last two branches cannot be bent. We simply wrap them around the first ones. We weave the sides of the basket until they reach the height we need.
11. We begin to weave a handle. We take thick shoots of the vine, bend them and determine the length of the handle. We cut off the excess vine.
12. We sharpen the ends of the vine and insert them into the walls of the basket. We insert five branches next to the handle and wrap them around the handle. We hide the extra ends of the vine between the walls of the basket.
13. We take a thin twig and wrap it around the edges of the handle. We hide the ends of the twig and cut off the excess.
14. Weaving a willow basket with your own hands is completed. A simple round willow basket is ready.

Follow the procedure shown in the pictures. A little practice and you will succeed.

Conclusion

Having mastered the technique of weaving round baskets from wicker, you can then learn how to weave square and oval baskets and boxes, learn how to weave a willow fence for beginners step by step, then move on to making wicker furniture and more complex products. The growth of your skills and mastery depends only on the amount of your free time and desire to engage in wicker weaving. Willow weaving is an interesting and accessible activity for everyone.

In this article:

Wicker furniture is used not only for relaxing in the countryside and in country houses. Graceful openwork products made of wicker or rattan will be appropriate in cafes, summer areas, ethnic restaurants, baths and saunas, and even more so in the setting modern apartment(for example, in the kitchen, loggia, recreation area, hallway, hall, winter garden). The originality of the author's handiwork and the high environmental friendliness of the material are what make products made from wicker rods so in demand. And therefore expensive.

But, despite the high profitability of products and the lowest cost of all types of wooden furniture, the market for wicker products is far from saturated and is filled mainly with expensive imported models. Therefore, it makes sense to start production and develop in the middle and low price segment. Fortunately, there are no problems with either raw materials or equipment. It's only up to talented craftsmen.

Types of wicker furniture

If we consider wicker furniture from the point of view of the materials used, it can be divided into:

• made entirely from plant materials (stick furniture with various types of weaving;
• solid wood furniture with decorative braiding);
• combined - furniture in the production of which, in addition to weaving rods, chipboard, plywood, frames made of wood, metal, plastic and soft elements for sitting and lying are used.

With the help of weaving they make:

• chairs, stools – mostly hard, non-dismountable;
• armchairs, chaise lounges, sofas, couches, beds, cradles - can be either soft or hard;
• tables – coffee tables, dining tables;
• shelves, chests of drawers, cabinets, chests.

Raw materials for the production of wicker furniture

Wicker furniture made from any climbing plants with a fairly dense and flexible base.

For the production of wicker products the following can be used:

• willow raw materials– the general name for preparations from a number of plants, which include: vine, willow, willow, shelyuga, willow, sedge, willow. Three-year-old twigs (and older) are used for the furniture frame, and one-year-old vine is used for the weaving itself. Therefore, two types of raw materials are in demand in production: willow sticks for the frame, with a diameter of 10-40 mm and flexible stems-rods with a root thickness of up to 10 mm (Fig. 2);
• roots of pine, spruce, fir, cedar– harvested in cutting areas and uprooting areas;
• birch bark– a layer of birch bark, used for weaving decorative furniture elements. Birch bark strips, 20-40 mm wide, are harvested in the spring and summer from growing trees intended for felling or just felled. This birch bark has a beautiful natural shade(pink, yellowish-white), which lends itself well to coloring and goes well with other plant materials: vine, cattail, rattan;
• rattan– shoots of rattan palm;
• bamboo– tropical (subtropical) grass of the grass family;
• linden bark– washcloth in the form of ribbons various widths serves both for decorative weaving and for connecting individual parts of the product into a single whole;

Today at industrial production Rattan and willow raw materials are widely used. Full cycle production includes independent preparation of rods with subsequent processing (sanding and drying). But you can also use ready-made raw materials, cleared of bark and processed to give the right size and shapes (round, flat, flat-convex rods-blanks). There is also a special ready-made material for making seats for sofas, chairs, armchairs - reed fiber or rattan bark, which is split into fibers, “spun” on special machines into linens and sold in rolls.

The advantage of doing business in wicker furniture- in its availability: you can produce products on an industrial scale or organize piece production to order - it all depends on the volume of sales and the number of working craftsmen.

Wicker furniture market development trends

Reasons for growth and world leaders

According to data for 2012, the volume of the wicker furniture market in Russia exceeded 50 million rubles. It is necessary to take into account that many handicraft industries and “at-home” craftsmen do not officially register their business, so real indicators differ significantly from statistical ones. Of course, on the big side.

But, undoubtedly, the domestic wicker furniture market is actively developing. In 2011-2012 alone, its volume increased by more than 35% (in monetary terms). The reason for this growth was the increase in the volume of dacha and cottage construction. At the same time, owners of new private houses prefer to immediately purchase sets and sets of wicker furniture for furnishing premises and personal plots. And among “old” owners there is a tendency to abandon plastic (which until recently was considered the best option for country and garden furniture) in favor of much more comfortable, strong, environmentally friendly and wear-resistant wicker furniture.

In the world market of wicker products, leadership traditionally belongs to Asian countries: Indonesia, China, Malaysia, and the Philippines. And Russia is an exception here: domestic production occupies no more than 35% of the market volume. Everything else is imported.

Undeniable competitive advantages in the form of low cost of raw materials (rattan and bamboo), large quantities cheap and trained in weaving techniques work force, Asian manufacturers have supplemented with the active introduction of machine weaving, which reduces the quality of products, but allows them to increase volumes and reduce costs. In addition, most Asian countries prohibit the export of raw materials or impose strict restrictions on exports. Therefore, the domestic manufacturer uses mainly local raw materials - willow vine.

Structure of the Russian wicker furniture market:

• rattan furniture – 58%;
• wicker furniture – 31;
• bamboo furniture – 7%;
• furniture made from other materials for wickerwork – 4%.

Market prospects

Industry development trends:

• replacing expensive imported raw materials with independent procurement of domestic ones;
• reduction in imports. In 2012, the Indonesian government announced a moratorium on the export of rattan raw materials. This has significantly reduced the production of wicker furniture by other countries that do not have their own raw material base. Many factories even in the Asian region (for example, China) have converted to the production of furniture from bamboo or artificial rattan. European manufacturers - for the production of furniture from solid wood with decorative rattan braiding, remaining in production reserves;
• use of machinery for serial production wicker furniture;
• tracking fashion trends– unlike Asian manufacturers, local entrepreneurs have the ability to quickly respond to changes in consumer demand;
• development of new furniture designs that would allow us to move away from the stereotype that “wicker” is outdoor furniture for cafes and furnishings for a summer house, as a result of which sales have a pronounced seasonality. In Europe, wicker furniture has long been recognized as comfortable and environmentally friendly for furnishing apartments - products from famous Italian and Spanish furniture companies (Roberti Rattan, Bonacina, Gabar, Rattan Wood, Rattan Deco) cost as much as luxury furniture. The price of an imported chair is about $450, a two-seater sofa is from $1,300, a set of a pair of armchairs and a coffee table is from $2,000. In our country, the direction of “wicker furniture for the home” is just beginning to develop.

In general, over the next 5 years, experts predict the growth of the domestic wicker furniture market by 25-30% annually.

Equipment for the production of wicker furniture

Depending on the complexity of the technological process, in the production of wicker furniture they use hand tool and machines. Workplace The braider is a stable table 750 mm long, up to 65 0 mm high and 400-450 mm wide with drawers for storing tools.

TO manual equipment for mechanical processing of furniture include:

• hand saws;
• shmol (for sharpening ribbons to width);
• plows;
• clamps (steel plates for bending or straightening rods);
• bit;
• iser (a cone-shaped steel plate for aligning rows in products and thickening the weave);
• chisels;
• drills, drill bits;
• screwdrivers;
• emery skins;
• knives and other tools.

Regarding automated production- at the moment this does not exist. There are only machines, the prototype of which was weaving ( Loom technologies), but for natural raw materials such technologies were not justified in terms of quality: even the weaving of a simple fabric after stitching is prone to deformation, and precise fit of the frame with uniform tension of the braid along the entire length can only be achieved by hand.

Technological process for manufacturing wicker furniture

Modern wicker furniture is not just a piece of furniture made from natural plant materials. The design can combine wood, leather, various accessories and even glass.

But the classic technology for the production of wicker furniture consists of the following stages:

• mechanical processing of wood (cutting, bending, planing, grinding, joining parts with screws, knitting);
• heating wood;
• drying;
• weaving;
• gluing;
• decoration and varnishing.

Stages of weaving furniture

Let's take a closer look at how wicker furniture is made from wicker:

1. The cheapest and most accessible raw material in our latitudes is willow vine. It is collected in forests, swamps, and river backwaters. Checking whether willow is suitable for weaving or not is very simple: before cutting the rod, bend it at a right angle. If it doesn’t break, it means the raw material is suitable for harvesting.

Willow harvesting ends as soon as buds appear on the vine. Depending on the period of cutting, the color of the raw material also changes: in the cold season the vine has a creamy tint, and in the summer it is white, the most sought after. But cutting willow in warm weather is not recommended: the butt (remnant of the twig) does not heal for a long time and does not produce new shoots. Therefore, the official harvesting period for vines is late autumn (from the end of October), winter and early spring. And to achieve a snow-white shade, the raw materials are bleached.

2. Stage of cleaning the rod from bark

After cutting, the rod is sorted and sent for debarking. Cleaning is possible in two ways:

• cold– to “revitalize” the rods, soak them in ordinary cold water to cause the movement of juices. This method does not require any special equipment; the rods can be soaked both in bathtubs and natural reservoirs. But for this method, raw materials that have retained at least 25-30% of the original moisture content are suitable. Therefore, on an industrial scale, the hot cleaning method is more in demand;
• hot. Without “cooking” it is almost impossible to peel off the bark without damaging the rod. Therefore, the sorted rods are loaded into a special container cage and lowered into a boiling “bath”, in which the raw materials are kept for about 2 hours. During this time, the hard bark softens and swells (Fig. 4).

The second method, more suitable for small production, is cooking in a kettle in the open air. A small ditch is dug under the metal container and a fire is built in it. Water is boiled and rods weighed down are immersed in it so that they do not float above the surface.

3. Sanding the rod

Next, the steamed rods are sent for sanding. The barked rod should be completely clean along its entire length, with a creamy shiny surface. A high-quality rod cannot have breaks, scratches or other mechanical damage.

And such sanding can only be done manually, in the old fashioned way, with the help of special pincers through which the rod is “driven” along its entire length, which makes subsequent cleaning easier. The whiteness, elasticity and density of the rod depend on the method of its cleaning and subsequent drying.

4. Whitening process

To bleach the rods, use a special solution: bleach (1 part) is mixed with water (15 parts) diluted with two percent sulfuric acid. Bleaching with sulfur is also known. To do this, take 60 grams of sulfur per 1 m 3 of wood, set it on fire and place it in a sealed chamber for 3-6 hours.

5. Drying prepared rods

The debarked rods are sent to dryer- a special room where the temperature is maintained at about 60-70 C°. Here the raw materials are kept for at least 20 hours, after which they are ready for use.

In the warm season, the cleaned rod can also be dried in the sun (at the same time using the natural bleaching mechanism). True, drying in such conditions will last at least 3 days, but it will not require special equipment. During the rainy season, the rods are dried under canopies for at least 6-7 days.

6. Manufacturing of furniture frame

Next they make furniture frame. To do this, a large-diameter vine is leveled with a clamp, bent or bent (depending on the structural features of the furniture). Using the same jig, the rods are bent to necessary details. Then legs, crosses and other structural parts are nailed to the frame.

7. The frame is braided with split vines

Afterwards the frame is braided vine, split on a special machine into three flexible dense strips along the length of the rod. Manual separation is also used: for this, the rods are soaked in water for 4-7 hours (depending on the thickness), after which they are split into 3-4 parts (tires) using splitters.

8. Choosing a weaving technique

The craftsman, when creating a piece of furniture, takes into account its purpose, shape and permissible weight load. Based on these parameters, he selects the most optimal weaving technique.

Moreover, even in one product several types of weaving can be used at once:

• simple (Fig. 8);
• thick;
• solid;
• rare;
• openwork (Fig. 9);
• layer-by-layer (Fig. 10);
• in rows (Fig. 11);
• squares (Fig. 12);
• string (Fig. 13);
• bending (Fig. 14).

To ensure that the rods bend well, they are moistened with water during the weaving process, after which the finished products are dried again.

9. Connecting wicker parts

After weaving, the parts are connected in one of the following ways:

• simple overlay or trimming of wood by 1/3 or 1/4 of the thickness of one part in relation to the width of another part;
• corner connections (overlay);
• overlay with cutting and bending;
• connection of two parts using an oblique cut;
• girth fastening;
• connection by fire;
• tricks;
• leggings

8. Varnishing of wickerwork

After processing the frame with braid, forming parts using various weaving techniques, assembling and subsequent drying and grinding, it’s time for the next stage - varnishing of the product. For this purpose, nitrocellulose varnishes are used (for example, NTs-218,222,223,224), as well as paraffin-free polyester (PE-232,247,250). Such varnishes dry well and make the surface glossy and shiny.

After drying for 18-24 hours, the product is sent to the finished goods warehouse. Since weaving rods are, in fact, the same wood, they can not only be varnished, but also stained and painted in any color, which gives wide possibilities in terms of design.

Features of organizing a business for the production of wicker furniture

1. Legal form of business

For legal registration, it is enough to register an individual entrepreneur, because the end consumer is mainly individuals.

2. Official type of activity

To conduct business activities, you must indicate the following OKVED codes:

• 36.14 – Production of other furniture;
• 52.44.1 Retail sale of furniture.

3. Room

In a workshop for the production of wicker furniture it is necessary to provide:

• a room for drying vines (outside - in the warm season, in a well-heated drying room - in winter);
• room for painting and varnishing;
• main production workshop.

There are no special requirements for the premises: heating, communications, access roads.

4. State standards

To get started, familiarize yourself with GOSTs:

• 25552-82 — Twisted and wicker products. Test methods
• 13025.5-71 Household furniture. Functional dimensions of tables
• 13025.2-85 Functional dimensions of furniture for sitting and lying
• 19120-93 Furniture for sitting and lying. Sofa beds, sofas, chair beds, lounge chairs, couches, ottomans, benches, banquettes. Test methods

5. Increasing benefits

The production of wicker furniture is a highly profitable business, especially if you procure the raw materials yourself. A finished furniture rod costs about 150-200 rubles/100 pieces (depending on the thickness and category).

6. Financial indicators

The cost of a finished wicker chair made according to GOST standards and sizes is 1-1.5 thousand rubles. (includes labor costs and purchased materials). At the same time, the sales price of the product starts from 3,000 rubles. and higher (depending on the region).

It takes about 3-5 days to make a chair or stool by one craftsman (depending on the complexity of the weaving).

This type of furniture will fit perfectly into almost any home, bringing a special feeling of comfort to it. Therefore, it is not surprising that there are many people who want to get their hands on it. The cost of the products is not small and even “bites”, which is why thoughts arise about it self-production. But how is weaving done correctly, what are the stages of preparing the material, what is the assembly sequence. This work is far from being as simple and easy as it might seem. We will consider all the subtleties of this matter further.

Do-it-yourself preparation for wicker furniture from wicker raw materials

Procurement of raw materials To assemble wicker furniture from wicker with your own hands, proceed as follows:

1. Most favorable time for assembling material - winter. During this period, the movement of sap inside the tree stops, which facilitates further processing of cut shoots and branches.

2. Before starting preparation, the material must stand outside (with sub-zero temperature) within a few days.

3. Next, the material is placed in special baths with lids (welded from metal sheets) and boil for about half a day. After this procedure, it becomes more pliable, and the bark is removed from it without extra effort(manually with a sharp knife).

simple textures of wickerwork
patterned texture of wickerwork

4. Thin branches are processed with pinches, which remove the bark from them. Next, they are split into pieces (four or three) with a splitter. To obtain high-quality tires, the broken parts of the rod are driven through a special machine. It scrapes off excess from their surface, thereby making all elements the same thickness and smoothness.

5. Thick boiled branches are placed into templates. Templates are knocked together from a sheet of chipboard and pieces of thick bars stuffed onto it along the edges. Installed in the center round element(for example, a piece of plastic sewer pipe), around which the parts will be bent.

6. The parts installed on the template are tightened. Their edges are connected with temporary ties (thin bars or strong thread attached to driven nails).

7. Without removing the screeds from the parts, they are sent to dry for three days in a special chamber.

After drying, the parts take the shape they were given and you can proceed to assembling wicker furniture from wicker with your own hands.

fashionable wicker furniture
wicker rocking chair

Assembling a rocking chair from wicker and its braiding

First, the rocking chair itself is assembled from wicker, and only after it is completely assembled are the “skis” mounted and the braiding made. The frame is made as follows:

1. First, the rear legs of the product are screwed to the wooden platform with self-tapping screws, which are connected to each other with a piece of the same diameter, then the front legs (they also need to be connected).

2. Afterwards, elements are installed to strengthen the structure (horizontal strips).

4. Removal of temporary ties occurs only after the elements are securely fastened in their designated places.

5. The places where the self-tapping screws enter, the back and seat are decorated with wickerwork made of tires and thin willow twigs.

6. The rods must be stretched before work. To do this, they are wrapped around a cylindrical shape and stretched with tension from one edge to the other.

7. The place that will be braided is coated with glue. For example, after coating, three rods are laid on the armrest. Then their edges are tightly wound to the armrest with shredders. After simple winding, weaving begins.

8. From the bottom of the armrest, the bars are simply wrapped, from the top - they are pulled over and under the rods in a certain sequence (for example, in a checkerboard pattern).

9. After the braiding, the runners and supports for them are installed. The quality of the product's swing depends on the correct installation. At correct installation the product will move from the hand placed on the headboard.

10. After assembly and braiding, the wicker rocking chair is coated with furniture varnish in several layers (with a wide brush for easier application).

If you want to add variety to your interior country house or create rustic chic in a city apartment, then wicker furniture made from wicker, for which willow and hazel twigs, elm, turf, and bird cherry are used as raw materials, will help you. The 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 were decorated with almost every country house. Modern products have smoother contours and greater practicality. For weaving on an industrial scale, specially cultivated varieties of willow with high decorative properties, increased flexibility.

Cut young rods are subjected to heat and cleaned of bark. It is possible to plan strips for weaving from rods. Next, the frame of the product is made, which is then braided with rods or ribbons.

• According to the type of weaving, all products are divided into groups: in frameless types of furniture, the stiffening ribs are the strongest rods. Frameless technology is popular in the manufacture of wicker furniture from wicker. small sizes
• : bedside tables, chests of drawers, whatnots;
• frame models are made on the basis of frames made of metal tubes and rods. The equipment is suitable for products with high loads: sofas, armchairs; stages of weaving furniture from wicker with your own hands based on wooden frame

allows you to create combined models. They can be chairs, armchairs, tables.

Frameless

Frame Finished goods original design have the natural light beige color of dried wicker or are covered with wood-based stains. They fit harmoniously into any interior and evoke memories of a hot summer. The external fragility and openwork of furniture does not affect its durability, while correct operation

The products will last at least 25 years.

Global 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 - willow rod breathes, does not emit toxic fumes when heated, does not accumulate dust, and has a light woody aroma;
• affordable cost allows you to update the interior without significant investments;
• The openwork of the weaving ensures good ventilation of the backs and seats. The heat exchange of human skin is not disturbed, he does not sweat in the heat;
• finished products are light in weight, 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 country house;
• furniture in natural colors unique design fits into the interior of any room. The vine combines perfectly with glass, wood, leather, mirrors, and forged metal;
• the wicker surface is easily cleaned from dust and dirt;
• exclusivity of products - weaving a vine turns out differently every time.

Making furniture from wicker with your own hands is difficult; it requires skills and prepared willow twigs. The disadvantages of wicker furniture include the need to comply with operating rules: protection from temperature changes, humidity, and direct sunlight.

Kinds

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

• tables and dining tables different forms. Elegant openwork tabletops look light and elegant. When combined with glass, the table can be conveniently used as a dining table. Coffee tables can have high carved legs or be made using Asian techniques like boxes;
• chairs, ottomans, stools have shapes ranging from smooth cubes to ethnic tambourines. Despite their apparent fragility, they can easily support the weight of an adult. Combined products with metal or wooden legs are designed for heavy loads;
• armchairs and rocking chairs with ornate arms, comfortable seats, and exquisite weaving of the backrest will become a real decoration for your office or living room. Slowly swinging will help you relax at the end working day. The vine has a comfortable temperature, regardless of the surrounding air. It will be comfortable to sit in the chair even in a cool room;
• sofas with soft cushions will become the most best place rest or sleep. The openwork weaving of the backrests does not interfere with heat 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 children's room if necessary;
• sun loungers and deck chairs for relaxing by the pool or in the garden will give maximum pleasure and comfort. The products spring together with your body, the load on the spine is optimally distributed. To prevent the sun lounger from cracking from the sun, it is periodically moistened with water. Natural material will never cause allergies or irritation to bare skin;
• chests of drawers and nightstands have smooth shapes and fancy patterns. It is convenient to store things, bedding, towels in them; textiles will be able to breathe and absorb the subtle aroma of the vine. With small dimensions, chests of drawers are spacious;
• shelves are designed for storage useful little things, documents, books. Elegant and light, they do not take up much space and are easily moved inside the room;
• wicker screens will allow you to hide your bed or baby's cradle from prying eyes. The products have different dimensions: from narrow partitions to large folding screens. If you install the screen near the window, you can refuse to use curtains.

A separate category includes furniture for children's rooms: cradles, cribs, changing chests, carrying cradle, wicker table. The products are absolutely safe for the baby's health and have Beautiful design. Weaving of wicker furniture for children's rooms is often carried out on individual orders.

What style does it suit?

Highly decorative furniture made from willow twigs is easy to fit into any interior. Especially when using the desired decor and in combination with other materials. The basic rule is that it is not recommended to use single wickerwork in a setting. It is optimal to choose headsets with the same weaving style and color.

Here are some successful combinations:

• modern style requires the use of combined wicker tables with glass tops;
• In high-tech interiors, wicker furniture with metal fittings and decor is used. A set of chairs is sufficient to furnish the kitchen;
• country style allows you to furnish the entire room with wicker furniture. Decorative decoration pillows, textile ruffles will add zest;
• the safari style allows the use of armchairs and sofas in light colors with decor made of leather or natural fur;
• V classic interior sets made from unpainted wicker will fit harmoniously. A rocking chair will decorate a living room or relaxation room, a light dining set with embossed backrests will fit into the interior of the dining room;
• minimalism allows you to use wicker furniture in gray and black shades of the simplest forms. There should not be a lot of 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 from coarse fabrics.

If you couldn’t find a suitable product for your interior in stores, make it yourself. To master the technique of weaving wicker furniture with your own hands, you first need to choose the simplest products: poufs, stools, bookcases.

Domestic wicker products made from wicker have more joints than those made from rattan, due to the shorter length of the rod. However, their cost is lower than imported ones. The weaving must be without 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 sag or wobble.

Finished furniture is varnished; a crunch or squeak during first use occurs in places where the varnish is soldered and does not affect the quality.

When choosing products, be sure to study the quality of the joints. To fasten the rods, wooden or metal pins are used, which are masked decorative elements. Fastenings must be strong and reliable.

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

Rules of care

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

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

Small cracks on willow rods can be easily masked with beeswax. If the varnish coating has cracked from time to time, then the defects must be sanded down with sandpaper, covered with paint, and a new layer of varnish. Colored stain helps to renew the color of faded dark products.

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

Video

Photo

Wicker furniture refers to exclusive items interiors that amaze with their originality at first glance, delight with their elegant appearance, reliability and ease of use. The popularity of its various types is constantly growing thanks to the modern hobby of owners of private houses, dachas and city apartments with large loggias with ethno interiors.

It should also be noted that wicker furniture is made very quickly, and if certain nuances and requirements are met, a very high-quality product can be obtained. Features of self-production from natural materials largely depend on the type and structural structure of each item. In particular, there are differences in the frames of products and methods of weaving, which can be single, combined, openwork, etc. In the process, you can make original drawings, combine various options or get by one way.

Do-it-yourself wicker furniture should be safe, reliable and durable. It is very important to monitor the quality of connections of all elements and components of the structure, while simultaneously creating the necessary rigidity and strength. The connections used in manufacturing can be detachable or permanent.

Detachable elements greatly simplify the process of assembly and disassembly, but the number of individual connections is limited by the specific nature of the furniture. One-piece products are most often created using nails and glue. They are considered the most reliable and durable, although they limit the possibility of transporting and moving products.

For weaving furniture, you can use branches of many various plants: willows, alders, bird cherry, hazel and even nettles and raspberries.

Experts advise beginners to start weaving from bird cherry, as it is more pliable, easier to cut into small pieces and ribbons, preserving long time nice shade and natural shine.

For preparing rods best time The period from October until the onset of frost is considered, as well as all spring months. During these periods of the year, the rods are very well cleaned and can be stored dry for a long time. For openwork weaving, it is best to cut the thinnest twigs in the spring. The most important indicator of twig quality is the thin core. Rods with a thick core are used for making the frame of large products, gazebos, braiding of flower beds and sunbeds. You can choose the material according to the width of the leaves: the narrower the leaf, especially for willow, the more flexible the vine and the more openwork the product will be.

Eat special technology to obtain a white rod, it must be boiled. To do this, take a large container with boiled, hot water, and then the workpieces are lowered into it. Cook the rods over high heat for one hour. They are boiled for another couple of hours to obtain light shades. To obtain a darker color, it is necessary to cook the material for at least 4 hours. After boiling, the rods are immediately cleared of bark so that they do not lose their beautiful view. Remove the bark with a splinter or a rough glove.

Very impressive products are obtained if whole rods and glossy ribbons are used simultaneously in one weave. To make such tapes, the rods are divided into 2–4 parts with a knife or a special small splitter. The thinnest strips are cut from the resulting parts of the blanks.

The main structure of a wicker chair consists of the following parts:

• seat;
• sidewalls;
• back;
• kings;
• legs.

Armrests are an additional part of the product. Basically, willow sticks with a diameter of no more than 30 mm and thin willow twigs (from 5 to 10 mm) are used to make the chair. Usually for the production of one chair, depending on its design features And design solutions, takes up to 20 long rods. All bending is done using a specialized tool - a jig, which is used to level out the unevenness of the twigs. The manufacture of products begins with cutting the twigs into individual parts. To make a bent part, you need to bend a soaked stick to fit a special template.

A wicker design lounge chair consists of several parts:

• lower bench;
• comfortable seat;
• backrests;
• armrests.

The frame is made of thick sticks, and the braid is left at the joints of the elements. This design has beautiful decorative features, and wide and high armrests perform two functions simultaneously: they provide convenience and comfort, and also increase the strength and durability of the chair.

basis load-bearing frame The chair is considered the bottom bench, which is important for the reliability and stability of the structure. It consists of a covered leg, legs, a load-bearing crosspiece, supports and a frame to support the seat. The back of the chair is formed from the upper elements of the rear legs, transverse parts and the rod of the upper part of the back. The seat of the chair is made of durable and reliable paired rods. They are attached to the transverse rod of the seat and to the frame rods (front and rear).

During the manufacturing process of the frame, its legs are attached to the crosspiece of the leg and the seat frame. Next, the leg is tightened and the shoots are installed. Then the top of the backrest, the transverse rods of the seat and backrest are mounted. The armrests are formed from pre-processed parts - curved and soaked willow sticks.

Armrests are nailed to the seat frame, to its front rod, and butt ends are attached to the side arms. Next, attach the upper ends of the armrest rods to the upper ends of the rear leg rods. Having finished installing the main rods, install the decorative rods of the armrests, going around the back along the top, and also braiding all the connections with willow ribbon. After this, set rods for the back and seat are installed.

Video

This video shows the process of making wicker furniture.

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