If you’ve ever stopped by a backyard patio, a sunroom, or a cozy café nook, chances are you’ve sat in a wicker chair. As a wicker chair supplier of more than a decade, I’ve spent hundreds of hours talking to customers, inspecting products coming off our production line, and troubleshooting the same small headaches that come with these beloved, lightweight, and aesthetically versatile pieces. Wicker chairs carry a warm, rustic charm that’s hard to beat—they’re relatively affordable, easy to move, and work with everything from bohemian decor to minimalist outdoor spaces. But for all their pluses, they have real, often underdiscussed disadvantages that anyone considering them should know, whether you’re furnishing your home, a commercial space, or a rental property. Today, I want to pull back the curtain on what we see as a supplier, not just a seller, and be honest about the downsides that come with choosing these chairs. It’s not to scare you off—just to help you make a informed choice that works for your needs. Wicker Chair
First, let’s get one common misconception out of the way: wicker isn’t a material. It’s a weaving technique, made from strands of natural or synthetic material. Natural wicker, the kind made from rattan, willow, or bamboo, has a distinct look and set of flaws that synthetic wicker, or resin wicker, tries to fix—but it still has its own weaknesses. As someone who ships thousands of these chairs a year, I’ve seen both sides, and the disadvantages fall into a few clear, practical categories: durability, weather resistance, maintenance, structural integrity, and long-term cost.
Starting with the biggest pain point for most customers: durability, especially for natural wicker. I once worked with a small café owner in Portland who bought 12 natural rattan wicker chairs for their outdoor patio in 2019. By 2021, half of them had frayed, broken strands along the armrests and seat frames. Rattan, which is technically a palm vine, is strong, but it’s not indestructible. Natural wicker strands are thin, and when they’re woven tightly around a frame (usually wood or bamboo), they rub against each other over time, especially in high-traffic areas like busy patios, playrooms, or waiting rooms. I don’t mean minor scuffs— I mean strands that snap when a child leans too hard on a backrest, or armrests that pull loose when someone uses them as a step stool to reach a high shelf. What’s more, natural wicker is susceptible to mold and mildew if it’s exposed to consistent moisture. A customer in Florida bought our natural wicker chairs for their porch in 2022, and by the following rainy season, dark mildew spots had set into the woven strands, even though they covered the chairs with a custom cover every night. Rattan and willow are porous, so water seeps into the gaps between strands, and if it doesn’t dry completely, mold takes root. Removing it is possible, but it requires harsh cleaners that can discolor the wicker, and often, the damage is permanent.
Synthetic resin wicker, the more common option for outdoor use, is often marketed as “waterproof” or “weather-resistant,” but that’s another myth we see play out all the time in our warehouse. Resin is plastic, so it doesn’t absorb water, but the weaving process leaves tiny gaps between the strands. Over time, UV rays from the sun make the resin brittle and faded. A customer in Arizona bought our resin wicker lounge chairs for their pool deck in 2020, and by 2023, the white chairs had turned a dull yellow, and some of the thinner strands along the base had cracked from constant exposure to 100+ degree heat. The plastic becomes stiff when it’s overexposed to sunlight, so when someone sits down, the strands can snap from the pressure. I’ve also seen resin wicker chairs crack from extreme temperature fluctuations—places like the Midwest, where winters drop below freezing and summers hit triple digits, the plastic expands and contracts, putting stress on the woven strands and the frame underneath.
Next, structural integrity, which is something we test every time a new batch of chairs comes in. Wicker chairs, especially budget-friendly models, have a core frame that’s not always as strong as it looks. For natural wicker, the frame is usually thin bamboo or solid wood, which can warp over time if exposed to moisture or humidity. I once had a batch of 50 natural wicker dining chairs returned to us because the back legs had warped after being used in a restaurant with a poorly ventilated basement. The humidity caused the wood frame to bend, making the chairs wobbly and unsafe to use. For resin wicker, the frame is often aluminum or steel, but cheap models use thin, lightweight aluminum that can bend if the chair is moved frequently or stacked for storage. I’ve had customers send back chairs where the armrests were bent just from being carried up a flight of stairs. Even good quality resin wicker chairs aren’t designed for heavy use—if you have a household with multiple kids, or a commercial space where chairs are moved dozens of times a day, the frame will wear out faster than a solid wood chair or a metal folding chair.
Maintenance is another disadvantage that many first-time buyers don’t consider. Wicker chairs aren’t “set it and forget it” furniture, no matter what the sales listing says. For natural wicker, you have to clean it regularly with a soft brush and mild soap, and you need to seal it every year to protect it from moisture and UV damage. Skipping the sealant will make the wicker fade faster and more prone to mold. For resin wicker, you don’t need to seal it, but you still have to clean it regularly to remove dirt, pollen, and mildew from the gaps between strands. If you let dirt build up, it can scratch the resin, and over time, those scratches will turn dull from UV exposure. What’s more, you can’t just throw most wicker chairs in the hose to clean them—too much water can seep into the frame and cause mold, even for resin models. As a supplier, we always include care instructions with every order, but most customers don’t read them until something goes wrong. I once had a customer in Texas email us saying their wicker chairs had mold, and when we asked how they cleaned them, they said they hosed them down twice a month. We had to explain that the gaps between the strands trap water, so hosing them is the worst thing you can do.
Long-term cost is a big one that’s often overlooked. Many people see wicker chairs as a cheap alternative to solid wood or metal, but over time, they end up spending more money replacing them or repairing them. Natural wicker chairs that cost $150 each might only last 3-5 years of regular use before they need repairs or replacement. Resin wicker chairs, which are a bit more expensive at $200-$300 each, might last 5-7 years, but after that, they start to fade, crack, and become uncomfortable to sit on. Solid wood chairs, by contrast, can last 20+ years with proper care, and metal chairs can last even longer. What’s more, repairing wicker chairs is often more expensive than repairing other types of furniture. If a strand breaks, you have to hire a professional wicker repair specialist, which can cost $50-$100 per chair, depending on the damage. For most customers, it’s cheaper to just buy new chairs than to pay for repairs. I had a customer last year who had 8 natural wicker dining chairs, and when one arm broke, the repair quote was $150. They ended up buying all new chairs because it was cheaper than repairing one.
Comfort is another disadvantage that surprises a lot of people. Wicker chairs look elegant, but they’re not always the most comfortable seats. The woven strands are thin and rigid, so if you sit in one for more than an hour, you might start to feel pressure points along your back, arms, and legs. Unlike upholstered chairs, which have padding to cushion your body, wicker chairs usually have thin cushions that are made from outdoor fabric. Those cushions can get hot in the sun, and after a few years, the foam inside them breaks down, becoming lumpy and uncomfortable. I once had a customer reach out to us complaining that their new resin wicker lounge chairs were too hard to sit on for more than 30 minutes. We explained that wicker is a decorative material first, and while you can add thicker cushions, that adds more cost, and the cushions can shift around or get stained easily. For people who want a comfortable chair for long work from home sessions, or for dining where you’ll sit for hours, wicker isn’t the best choice.
As a wicker chair supplier, I’m not here to bash our product—we sell these chairs because we believe they have a lot of value for the right people. If you’re looking for a lightweight, aesthetic chair for a sunroom that’s rarely used, or a small balcony where you only sit occasionally, wicker is a great choice. It’s affordable, easy to move, and adds a warm, inviting feel to any space. But if you’re buying chairs for a high-traffic patio, a busy restaurant, a playroom, or a household with kids and pets, you need to be aware of the disadvantages. You can mitigate some of them by buying high-quality, thick resin wicker chairs, sealing natural wicker every year, storing them indoors during extreme weather, and investing in good outdoor cushions, but they still won’t last as long as solid wood or metal chairs.
At the end of the day, choosing the right chair comes down to understanding your needs. If you’re on the fence about whether wicker is right for your space, our team can help you weigh the pros and cons, and we can even send samples so you can test the durability and comfort in person. We don’t push products that aren’t right for our customers, because we want them to be happy with their purchase for years to come. If you’re ready to learn more about our wicker chair options, or if you have questions about maintenance or durability, feel free to reach out to our team to discuss your project. We can work with you to find the best solution that fits your budget and needs.
Dining Tables References
- University of Florida Extension. (2021). Care and Maintenance of Outdoor Wicker Furniture.
- American Society of Interior Designers. (2022). Material Durability for Residential and Commercial Furnishings.
- Outdoor Industry Association. (2023). Trends in Outdoor Furniture Weather Resistance Standards.
- Rattan and Bamboo Industry Association. (2020). Natural Wicker Furniture Durability Report.
Tianjin U-LIKE Intl Co., Ltd.
Tianjin U-LIKE Intl Co., Ltd. is well-known as one of the leading wicker chair manufacturers and suppliers in China. If you’re going to buy high quality wicker chair at competitive price, welcome to get quotation from our factory. Contact us for more discount information.
Address: RM1002, XINJINLONG BUILDING, NO. 21, WEIJIN SOUTH ROAD, HEXI DISTRICT, TIANJIN, CHINA
E-mail: inquiry@ulike-furniture.com
WebSite: https://www.ulike-furniture.com/
