Kitty Bartholomew visits wicker expert Larry Cryderman to learn about repairing wicker, rattan and cane.
- All three materials have the same source: rattan. It grows in poles, the skin of which is removed to make cane and the pith of which is put through dies of varying sizes to make wicker.
- Wicker comes in strips and can be circular, half-round, flat or flat-oval in shape .
- When you buy a new piece of wicker, seal it by brushing a mixture of one-half white glue and one-half water all over it. This extends its life by making a glue joint out of every place where the wicker touches; it also makes the entire object stronger and more durable and gives it a better finish.
- Wicker needs moisture in order to remain resilient, so once a year you should pour a bottle of lemon oil into an old coffee can and brush it on the entire piece. Let it dry a few hours to overnight, then use a mild detergent, a scrub brush and a hose with a sprayer to clean off the oil residue. This will help the wicker last a lifetime .
- The standard size for cane is half-inch open-mesh. You can buy as much or as little as you need to mend a chair; just buy an inch more all around than the measurement of the area you're mending. Soak it a minimum of one hour before using, and remember to use the shiny side up. Use a metal wedge to push it firmly down into the rim of the area that needs mending, then cut off the excess flush with a utility knife. Squirt a bead of glue around the edge, spread it with the wedge and hammer in the spline (the piece that fits around the edge). Let it dry overnight, then stain.
- If you have items you'd like to mend yourself, Cryderman recommends looking in the Yellow Pages under "Caning" or "Wicker Supplies."
