Post #249831 by Sneakytiki on Sat, Aug 19, 2006 12:31 PM

Rattan is a member of the climbing palm family, traditionally found deep in the tropical rainforests of the Far East, with most of the supplies coming from the Philippines, Indonesia and Malaysia. Harvesting is difficult because it must be cut by hand and then floated down mountain streams or carried out of the jungle by horse, buffalo oxen or elephants. This tropical vine grows as tall as 600 ft. and is a solid, yet pliable specimen. The hard outer shell and tough fibrous center core give this raw material its strength. Rattan is as strong as steel, yet has some "give" or flexibility, lending itself to comfort when used for making furniture. To "mold" this vine into the beautiful furnishings you see today, the vine is heated by steam and then molded into place. Once it has cooled, it is again, as strong as steel.

Bamboo is a tropical grass that grows straight up from the ground; it is hollow and stringy, and is limited in its usage. Bamboo is not flexible like rattan and is subject to splitting over time. It is best suited as an accent on furniture or used to create unusual and one of a kind accessories and accent pieces.

Rattan is stonger and sturdier than bamboo. Bamboo is strong, yes, but it depends on the bamboo, and the strength as cited almost always goes by green bamboo, not dried, try stomping on a solid piece of rattan and then a piece of bamboo of the same diameter, you'll barely bruise the rattan, you'll likely bust the bamboo, splitting and smashing it.

[ Edited by: Sneakytiki 2006-08-19 12:34 ]