Although outdoor wicker furniture is made to withstand the elements, you should always take care to ensure that any type of outdoor furniture lasts a long time. Furniture made of natural rattan or real wicker cannot be left outdoors for an extended period of time. Natural rattans are designed to be used indoors. If you want wicker furniture for your lawn, garden and pool, resin wicker is the way to go.
Paper fiber wicker or natural rattan cannot be used outdoors for long periods of time. Doing so will only force you to replace furniture regularly. In short, if you want patio furniture that can be left outdoors during the winter, premium teak is the way to go. If you have organic wicker furniture, it is better to keep it indoors, period, as both sun and rain will cause serious damage to the delicate fibers.
Unlike organic patio furniture, synthetic wicker furniture is made of a durable plastic that can be left outside no matter what the weather. There is nothing in a synthetic wicker and aluminum patio set that is destroyed by rain; however, like everything else on your patio, if you want to extend its life and keep it looking good, you will need to take good care of it. Avoid this by regularly cleaning your furniture with soapy water and dealing with spills as soon as they occur. Cover it in excess of hot or cold temperature, and your outdoor furniture will last a long time.
In addition to being damaged by excess moisture, wooden garden furniture can crack and warp if there is too much heat or UV rays. For durability, look for PE resin wicker that has been completely dyed rather than painted. As with all furniture, it is always advisable to cover it to protect it from bird droppings, insects or dirt. Then, check and clean your wicker, looking for any spills or bugs that may have settled into the fabric.
Plastic wicker will withstand most weather conditions and is one of the strongest types of outdoor furniture on the market. Organic rattan wicker patio furniture can definitely get wet and rot if left in the rain (even painted), and could not even be classified as water resistant. So, wicker furniture can be made from a variety of materials, including natural rattan, willow, bamboo or even man-made synthetic fibers made to look like those natural wicker materials. The original wicker furniture was made of rattan, which is a type of vine that relates to the palm tree.
Faraway Furniture points out that natural materials, such as rattan, cannot withstand exposure to the elements.
