The best wicker furniture for your garden and conservatory

Wicker furniture has returned as a favourite for patio and conservatory seating - and we're glad to see it come back into fashion. This garden furniture will bring an organic feel to your outdoor space, perfect for those who prefer a natural look. We feel particularly passionate about showcasing what wicker has to offer, so we’ve recruited the help of Modern Gardens' contributor Jill Morgan to find you the best wicker furniture for your garden and indoors.

Jill suggests choosing “from high-backed winged armchairs, benches perfect for chatting over coffee, and statement dining chairs that will help you entertain in style.” Adding garden accessories to your wicker furniture, such as “all-weather cushions, plenty of lush planting and a geometric outdoor rug”, can help your garden impress for the year ahead. We’ve listed our favourite pieces below.

Best wicker furniture at a glance:

• Best wicker chair: George Rattan Lounge Chair - Buy now on George
• Best wicker loveseat: Abubacarr Wide Outdoor Garden Loveseat - Buy now on Wayfair
• Best wicker dining set: Habitat Four-Seater Bamboo Patio Set - Buy now on Argos

As you'll see from our carefully curated selection, wicker furniture comes in many different sizes, shapes, and styles and can vary from simple sofas to coffee table sets and even outdoor dining solutions. Whether you're shopping for your conservatory, balcony, patio, deck, or even lawn area, we think you'll find a wicked wicker solution to suit your needs.

Best wicker furniture for your garden

How we chose the best wicker furniture

All of this wicker furniture has been hand-selected by our team of Modern Gardens shopping experts. We carefully considered the style, durability, and materials in our selection of the best. Our team has spent hours investigating and researching wicker furniture to make it easier for you to find the very best, and we'd never recommend a product we don't believe in.

Where possible, we also test and share the latest and best products you should know about. And with help from Modern Gardens Magazine, Garden News and Garden Answers, we share expert gardening knowledge to help you get the most from your product.

FAQs

What is wicker?

Wicker is a weaving practice that dates back 5,000 years ago and is allegedly the oldest furniture-making method known in history. Your outdoor or conservatory space can’t get any more natural or organic than that. Sometimes made from rattan, wicker is woven uniquely and known for its strength, durability and good shape. But it may require some maintenance down the line.

Can wicker go outside?

Having some wicker furniture outdoors sounds more than ideal. According to Jill, this “new-look seating” will bring a softer look to your patio. She adds: “Gently looping strands of natural or synthetic rattan form open grid-style seats and back panels, letting you see through them and enjoy what’s planted behind.”

However, natural wicker is not intended to be outside. As it’s a raw material, it can’t cope with the sun, moisture, mould and mildew for more than a year. Luckily, you can get wicker imitations made of resin, which can last up to 15 years outdoors with the proper care. If you find some quality sets, they can look just like the real thing – and are durable, too.

What to look for when choosing wicker furniture?

As more and more open-weave furniture pieces (like hairpin-style) are reintroduced into the market, it’s good to know how to spot good quality wicker furniture. We’ve made sure to take the brand’s reputation as well as product quality into account when picking out our list of the best wicker furniture.

Even so, with the help of Jill, we’ve put together a small checklist on what to look out for:

Quality and durability

Sturdy and supportive options have little give when you sit down. This proves that the weave (and frame) have been made with care and can “withstand frequent use,” says Jill. Plus, you can check durability by seeing how the material is attached to the frame. Jill suggests choosing models where the “strands have been wrapped around without metal fixings.”

Natural or synthetic?

We’ve listed both natural and synthetic. So, it’s good to be clued up on the pros and cons of each.

Natural wicker is the stem of a climbing palm, which typically grows in tropical forests.

As for pros, Jill appreciates natural rattan wicker for its strength and flexibility as it's long been used to “make everything from shelters to clothing.” As well as this, it’s lightweight, so works well for decorative furniture as it can be woven into intricate designs. Natural rattan has an “unrivalled warmth, texture and beauty,” says Jill.

However, natural wicker will start to degrade when left outdoors for a while. This beautiful, tropical-inspired furniture aesthetic is, unfortunately, not weatherproof as it “doesn’t cope well with direct sunlight, prolonged wet conditions or wide fluctuations in temperature,” says Jill. Although you cannot weatherproof it for the outdoors, you’ll have to cover and store it away when not in use.

Synthetic wicker should be on your radar, also. PE Rattan, for example, is polyethylene resin rattan (or wicker).

Synthetic wicker has been manufactured to remedy the high maintenance requirements of natural wicker. Luckily, manufacturing techniques have been refined in recent years, meaning it looks much more like the real thing now. Not only that, but synthetic wicker is also far more capable of withstanding wet weather conditions and fluctuating conditions, which is a plus.

Of course, we want the look. But, will we get the quality to go with it? Jill doesn’t seem to think so. Though it's weatherproof, synthetic rattan lacks the charm that comes with the natural variation. To be more technical, synthetic rattan can be durable and of good quality, but this is often reflected in the cost. You’ll need to be making an investment for a good set.

Is wicker the same as rattan?

No, wicker and rattan are not the same. Rattan is a natural material often used in weaving. However, wicker is a specific style and method of weaving. However, to make it a little more confusing, wicker can be weaved from rattan, as well as other materials.

What is the best way to clean wicker furniture?

Jill Morgan has given us some tips on how to keep your wicker furniture looking as good as the day you brought it home:

• Dust your chairs with a soft duster whenever needed

• Use a soft bristle brush to gently dislodge dirt. Work along the fibres, following the direction of the grain. Circular bottle brushes are handy for getting into smaller gaps.

• If it’s still dirty, use a non-abrasive, slightly damp, soapy sponge, working from top to bottom. Dry with a soft, dry, lint-free cloth. Be sure to remove any foam residue that could trap more dirt.

What is the best paint for wicker furniture?

If you're a little bored of the beiges, why not spice it up a little? According to Jules Barton-Breck, strong terracotta oranges and copper colours are on-trend for gardens this year. Of course, wicker can be a little tricky to look after at the best of times, so finding the best paint for wicker furniture is only half the task at hand.

According to H2O Bungalow, a paint sprayer is the most effective method of sprucing up your wicker. Unfortunately, spray paint and using a brush may take much longer due to all the nooks and crannies that give wicker its charm. You can use chalk paint, mineral paint, milk paint, urethane, or even oil-based paint on wicker, rattan and woven furniture.

Should wicker furniture be covered outside?

To get your money’s worth with your wicker furniture, it’s best to keep it covered. After all, when wicker furniture gets wet, it can rot, mould and even smell bad. In the colder months, it’s best to keep your precious rattan in the trusty old garden shed. Luckily, wicker is “very light, so it’s easy to move,” according to Jill Morgan.

Or, if you haven’t got the luxury of a shed, you can invest in some weatherproof furniture covers. Rattan furniture must be covered and kept away from the elements. Some of our picks have their own covers available to buy - or have as add-ons - but you can buy generic covers, too.

Can you treat wicker furniture for outdoor use?

Unfortunately, treating wicker for outdoor use is not possible. Investing in 'spray-on' or 'weatherproofing' your wicker dining set wastes time and money. If you're desperate to keep it outdoors, "you’ll have to be prepared to cover it or store it away when not in use if it’s to last," says Jill. If you’re looking for a pretty outdoor sofa made from wicker, it’s best to go with something non-glossy for a natural look.

What to read next:

Best garden deckchairs to lounge out in the sun

Best wooden garden chairs for your outdoor oasis

Best hanging cocoon and egg chairs buyer’s guide

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Piper Huxley is a Homes, Garden and Wellness Product Writer for Modern Gardens Magazine, an all-rounder. When she’s not writing about houseplants, she’s tending to her own growing collection…