Caning (furniture)

In the context of furniture, caning is a method of weaving chair seats and other furniture either while building new chairs or in the process of cane chair repair. The material used in caning chairs is derived from the peeled bark or skin of the rattan vine native to Indonesia, the Philippines and Malaysia. Some vines reach 600 feet in length. Rattan vine looks somewhat similar to bamboo but is quite different in that bamboo is hollow and holds itself upright while rattan is a solid flexible vine that needs the support of surrounding structure to elevate itself off the forest floor. It climbs to the top of canopies of the forest to reach sunlight with the help of large rugged thorns that grab hold of surrounding trees. Sometimes much of the length of these rugged vines are draped along the forest floor from tree to tree in search of a suitable structure to climb.

Mistakenly some people confuse furniture or chair caning with wicker. To clarify, chair caning is specifically the craft of applying rattan cane or rattan peel to a piece of furniture such as the backs or seats of chairs, whereas wicker or wicker work is a reference to the craft of weaving any number of materials such as willow or rattan reeds as well as man made paper based cords. Wicker work is commonly used in basket and furniture weaving. (At this point, the article no longer deals with caning of furniture.) Cane is used all around the world and can be used for weaving baskets for hampers, chairs with the use of seagrass to beautify it,for beds of different sizes for children and adult, cupboards,tables of different shapes and sizes and can also be used for walking sticks. it can also be used for boats and roofs according to history Canes are used in regional folk-dancing and as props on stage. For example, folk-dancers may twirl canes overhead, stand them on the head, spin them off to the sides, or strike them on the floor. in the aspect of walking sticks which is used for balancing when walking and they come in different shapes and sizes and can be used by disabled people as a crutch.The walking stick has also historically been known to be used as a defensive or offensive weapon, and may conceal a knife or sword as in a swordstick. Walking sticks, also known as trekking poles, pilgrim's staffs, hiking poles or hiking sticks, are used by hikers for a wide variety of purposes: to clear spider webs, or part thick bushes or grass obscuring the trail; as a support when going uphill or a brake when going downhill; as a balance point when crossing streams, swamps or other rough terrain; to feel for obstacles in the path; to test mud and puddles for depth; and as a defense against wild animals. A collector of walking sticks is termed a Rabologist. Cane has been used since the olden days till modern age and it is producing and will continue to produce new products or materials for different purposes like, beautification for houses,offices, for external or internal use.