Understanding garden furniture materials
At White Stores, we understand the importance of the materials used for garden furniture. It needs to be long-lasting and of a high standard. We wouldn’t expect you to purchase poor-quality products and we wouldn’t sell them either.
That’s why our garden furniture is made from the highest quality materials, within a wide range of options including Rattan, Aluminium, Rope, and Outdoor Fabric. To learn more about the finer details of our materials used, read below for more information.
Rattan
All our rattan furniture is manufactured in the Far East. Our products are handmade and handwoven, therefore the rattan may not be identical, so differences in the weave are natural - this can apply to the colour of the weave. The rattan is treated with a UV additive which makes the rattan more flexible, allowing us to create so many different furniture styles and shapes with this material. This flexibility also prevents the rattan from cracking or breaking.
Our rattan furniture comes with four different weaves, the flat weave, half-moon weave, wide weave, and the ‘M’ weave. See a breakdown below. For more details on Rattan product warranties, visit our warranty page.
Flat weave / Classic
The Classic collection features the flat weave across the Cambridge, Amelia, Olivia, Ruxley and Sienna ranges, to name just a few! The weave strands are 7mm and this collection comes with 5mm tempered glass tops.
Flat weave furniture products have a 5-year warranty and come in two colour options, brown and grey.
Half moon weave
The half round weave, also known as the half-moon rod weave, also features full rod detailing. The weave is 7mm and is referred to as a ‘double skin’ which means it has rattan on the inside and outside of the frame.
This weave is used on our Heritage collection which features the Camila, Carolina, Leeanna, Thalia, Ciara, and Skylar ranges, and many more. It has a 7-year warranty and comes in two colours, willow, and whitewash. This collection also comes with 8mm tempered glass tops on all dining sets and 5mm on casual dining.
'M' weave
The ‘M’ weave is part of the Heritage collection and is a 7mm ‘M’ rattan weave with a full rod finish. It’s also referred to having a ‘double skin’, too.
This collection comes with 8mm tempered glass tops on all dining sets and 5mm on all casual dining. It also has a 5-year warranty.
Wide weave
The wide weave is a 15mm wide flat weave with rod weave support and a rod weave finish on the arms. This weave is exclusive to our Oyster collection and comes with 8mm tempered glass tops. It comes in one colour, you guessed it, Oyster. This weave has a 7-year warranty.
Aluminium
All our aluminium furniture is finished with AkzoNobel powder coating, which is a well-known and industry-leading technology that has worldwide recognition. The finish is exceptionally weather-resistant and rustproof.
The aluminium requires no other treatment, but it can be painted. It can scratch and a touch-up paint will be provided for this should your furniture arrive with any scratches.
Our aluminium ranges include the Vogue, Enna, Milano, and Venice. The tables are topped with ceramic glass and this range comes with a 2-year warranty.
For more details on Aluminium product warranties, visit our warranty page.
Cast Aluminium
Cast Aluminium is a lightweight metal that is more resistant when compared to iron or other traditional metals. The cast aluminium is powder-coated and is completely rustproof. It’s hand-brushed with bronze/black paint to achieve a weather-resistant and sophisticated appeal.
The powder coating is for aesthetic reasons only and doesn’t impact the quality of the product.
In this collection, all the dining tables come with parasol holes, including the small bistro table. This is different from our rattan ranges. This collection has a 5-year warranty.
Cast Aluminium
Cast Aluminium is a lightweight metal that is more resistant when compared to iron or other traditional metals. The cast aluminium is powder-coated and is completely rustproof. It’s hand-brushed with bronze/black paint to achieve a weather-resistant and sophisticated appeal.
The powder coating is for aesthetic reasons only and doesn’t impact the quality of the product.
In this collection, all the dining tables come with parasol holes, including the small bistro table. This is different from our rattan ranges. This collection has a 5-year warranty.
Fabric
Our fabric range is made from aluminium frames, quick-dry foam and a weatherproof fabric designed in partnership with Sunbrella. This makes the furniture weatherproof and rust-resistant, meaning it can be left outside all year round. It also won’t fade or bio-degrade either!
The Sunbrella fabric repels light showers, and the water will bead and run off the surface. Heavy rainfall will run through the quick dry foam and out the other side. It shouldn’t take any longer than an hour to dry in the sunshine.
The furniture is also extremely stain-repellent and stains like chocolate, ketchup, wine, and fizzy drinks can be cleaned off when dealt with immediately. Tap water or soapy water should do the trick!
The outdoor Fabrix collection comes with a 5-year warranty.
For more details on Fabric product warranties, visit our warranty page.
Rope
Rope is the newest garden furniture material on the block. Whilst it's been available in Europe for a few years, it's only just making its way to UK gardens. The 6mm Olefin rope material is hand-woven around a rustproof aluminium frame for a fully weather-resistant finish.
Designed to be left outside all year long, Rope is resistant to UV rays, salt water, frost, and snow. This stunning, modern collection that features our Jude family, comes with a 3-year warranty.
Rope
Rope is the newest garden furniture material on the block. Whilst it's been available in Europe for a few years, it's only just making its way to UK gardens. The 6mm Olefin rope material is hand-woven around a rustproof aluminium frame for a fully weather-resistant finish.
Designed to be left outside all year long, Rope is resistant to UV rays, salt water, frost, and snow. This stunning, modern collection that features our Jude family, comes with a 3-year warranty.
Hopefully, this has been an informative deep dive into the materials we use, and you’ve learned more about us and how seriously we take our product quality.
If you want to learn even more about our garden furniture then come down to one of our showrooms and speak to a member of our showroom staff, after all, they’re the White Stores gurus.