How to Make Wicker Furniture

Choose a material to use for weaving. The four main materials used to make wicker furniture are rattan, reed, willow and bamboo. Reed and willow are the cheapest materials to use, bamboo is the most pliable to work with and rattan is the most popular for wicker furniture. Willow and reed are the easiest materials to find, but you should find rattan and bamboo for sale as well if you're willing to shop around.

Gather materials for the wicker furniture's frame. You can use pieces of either wood, bamboo or rattan that are at least 2 inches in diameter. You need materials for four coffee table legs and at least four pieces to create a brace for the top of the table.

Cut the frame pieces to the desired sizes and bevel the ends of each piece so they easily fit together. Nail the pieces together to create your frame. Start with the top of the coffee table, then add the legs.

Weave the chosen material onto the frame both horizontally and vertically in order to create a crisscross pattern on the furniture. Start the weaving in the middle and work your way to the outsides and down the legs. The crisscross pattern not only adds to the look of the piece, but also gives it more strength. Wrap the piece of weave back into itself when you have finished weaving, otherwise all your hard work may come undone.

Apply a thin coat of wax to the wicker project. This helps keep the furniture from being destroyed by the elements and gives it a beautiful shine.