How To Reuse Broken Rattan Outdoor Furniture Instead Of Throwing It Away

People choose rattan outdoor furniture for its comfort, durability, and low maintenance. The natural, woven look adds an elegant touch to outdoor spaces, making it a popular choice for patios and gardens. Rattan furniture is lightweight, but sturdy, allowing for easy rearrangement while withstanding the elements without quickly deteriorating. However, rattan can sometimes break or wear out over time, especially with heavy use or prolonged exposure to direct sunlight. When this happens, instead of discarding the broken furniture, many people choose to repurpose or upcycle. If your furniture's rattan is beyond repair, but the metal frames remain intact, there is a way you can spruce up your outdoor furniture by transforming it into a beautiful wooden slatted set.

This is a fairly involved project, but the end result is a brand new-looking patio furniture set. You'll need a box cutter, pliers, scissors, and a flathead screwdriver to remove the old rattan. Metal filler, sandpaper, spray paint, and superglue will be needed for the rest of the project. The tools you will need include a drill, screwdriver, table saw, scroll saw or jigsaw (only for curved furniture), and a C-clamp.

First, use scissors and a box cutter to cut the rattan away from the metal frame. Then, use a flathead screwdriver and pliers to remove the rattan where it is connected to the frame, also removing the staples. Next, fill the staple holes with metal filler, allow it to dry, and sand everything smooth. Now, go ahead and wipe it clean and spray paint it. At this time, you should also spray paint the crossbars for the seat and back of your chair since they should match the frame. (The crossbars should be cut to the depth of the seat and height of the back.)

When everything is dry, use a c-clamp to hold the crossbars in place and secure them with screws. Now, measure, cut, bend (use steam to bend), sand, and stain your wood slats. The length of each slat should match the length of your furniture frame, but the width is up to your personal preference, as is the spacing between slats. If you find that any curve-shaped pieces are needed for the top and armrests, a scroll saw or jigsaw can be used. 

Drill equally spaced pilot holes in the underside of the furniture and glue your first slat to the frame, securing it with screws. Repeat this process with the rest of the slats, using shims to ensure your seat and back slats are evenly spaced. Secure the top and armrests as well.

Now that you have a beautiful new-looking outdoor furniture set to enjoy, you may be wondering if there is anything that can be made with some of the salvageable rattan. The answer to that is a resounding yes. There are plenty of items that can be made with your old rattan, as long as you get a little crafty and creative.

For example, you can use small rattan pieces to make drink coasters to complement your new patio set. To do this, you just need to cut your rattan pieces to fit whatever base you want for the coasters. (You can use anything from cork to pieces of synthetic flooring for your base.) Brush some clear heavy-duty glue onto the underside of your rattan pieces and press them onto your coaster bases, and that's it.

Another great idea for your old rattan scraps is to transform them into covers for your planters. For this DIY faux rattan planter, you would measure the amount of rattan you need to cover the planter and cut it to the appropriate size. The edges of the rattan can then either be glued or tied together and slid over the planter. This idea could also be applied to vases or decorative candles.