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How to look after a rattan garden furniture set

Updated: 22 October 2026

The boxes are in the hall and you are about to tighten every screw because the holes look wrong. That is how a rattan corner gets cross-threaded, and how a showerproof label gets read as leave it out until April. This page is the build and the winter for the sets in the [garden furniture set comparison](/hub/garden-furniture/garden-furniture-set), captured on amazon.co.uk on 21 October 2026. Peter F. read those listings on 21 October 2026. This is not a laboratory test. A qualifying purchase can earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

The boxes are in the hall and you are about to tighten every screw because the holes look wrong. That is how a rattan corner gets cross-threaded, and how a showerproof label gets read as leave it out until April.

Our top picks

Grand patio Grand patio folding bistro

Best overall

Grand patio Grand patio folding bistro
7.6/10about £99.98
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EVRE EVRE Madrid lounge

Best value

EVRE EVRE Madrid lounge
7.1/10about £129.99
View offer
rattanstar rattanstar grey cushions

Rank 3

rattanstar rattanstar grey cushions
4.6/10about £199.99
View offer
On this page
  1. 1.Before the first screw
  2. 2.When the holes still miss
  3. 3.Glass, mesh, and the folding set
  4. 4.Cushions and a UK winter

Before the first screw

Count the pieces against the listing before you sort screws by length. Marylin arrives as 83 kg in three boxes and the bullet asks for two people. Rattanstar’s line is the usual outdoor-sofa order: leave the screws loose until they are all in, then tighten. Take them to about halfway with an Allen key, on a flat floor, not with an electric drill. Holes are often cut slightly large so the frame can settle. An electric driver strips a threaded insert inside the tube. The folding bistro, B0F1CDYNK8, prints no assembly. You still wipe it. Measuring the patio stays on the garden furniture set buying guide.

When the holes still miss

If a hole misses, loosen the other screws to about half, let the frame sit flat, then tighten gradually. That is what rattanstar prints, and what Madrid buyers describe when they finish in under an hour. Forcing one corner pulls the next hole further out. On a 176 × 126 cm rattanstar corner, or on Marylin’s sofas of about 175 cm and 165.5 cm, a second person holds the frame. Stop if a load-bearing joint still will not meet. Do not drill the hole larger, and do not pack it with wood filler. These frames are metal under the weave. A stripped insert is a fault. The Consumer Rights Act 2015 gives you 30 days to reject goods that are faulty on delivery.
Grand patio Grand patio folding bistro

Testsieger

Grand patio Grand patio folding bistro
7.6/10about £99.98
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Glass, mesh, and the folding set

Madrid reviews, 2,526 ratings at 4.4, repeatedly describe glass that does not sit in the rim. One mesh review, on the £134.98 Grand patio set rated 3.9 from 246, says the glass smashed and was not tempered, against a tempered bullet. If the top will not drop in, check that the rim screws are still loose. Cracked glass in the wrap is the fault route. Wipe the mesh seat with a damp cloth and mild soap. The folding bistro needs no Allen key and still shows rust at the joints within days. Wipe those joints. Which material you bought is on rattan vs metal garden furniture.

Cushions and a UK winter

Showerproof means a light shower if you bring the pads in afterwards. It does not mean October on the patio. Rattanstar says bring the cushions in when wet, while a waterproof attribute says True. EVRE tells you to keep cushions indoors. Marylin recommends a 600D cover and does not include one. Clean the weave with the cushions off, a soft brush or a vacuum, warm water and washing-up liquid, then rinse and dry. Do not use bleach or a pressure washer. A close jet can drive water into the joints and lift the weave. If the carton will not pass the door, read the garden furniture set for a small patio page before you open the bags.

Common questions

Why do the holes not line up?
On these metal frames the holes are often slightly large so the sofa can be squared on a flat floor. If you tighten the first corner fully, the next hole moves. Rattanstar tells you to leave screws loose until they are all in. A hole that still misses on a joint that carries weight is a reason to stop, not a reason to drill.
Should I use a drill?
Use the Allen key, and stop around halfway until the frame sits flat. An electric drill strips the inserts inside a steel or aluminium tube. Drilling the hole out and adding wood filler is the wrong next step. If the joint will not close, use the 30-day fault route and photograph it.
How do I clean PE rattan?
Take the cushions off, brush or vacuum the weave, wash with warm water and washing-up liquid, rinse, and dry the frame before the cushions go back. That is the sequence in Ideal Home and VonHaus guides. Do not pressure-wash the weave. A close jet can force water into the joints and lift the plastic strands.
Can I leave showerproof cushions out in a UK winter?
No. Showerproof, on rattanstar and on the EVRE sets, sits next to a line that says bring them in when wet or keep them indoors. Dry them before you bag them. A polyethylene frame can stay outside if it can dry and you cover it. Marylin’s 600D cover is recommended and is not in the box.
What if the glass arrives smashed?
Photograph it in the packaging before you assemble the table around the hole. A cracked top is a fault on delivery, and the Consumer Rights Act 2015 gives you 30 days to reject faulty goods. Madrid’s repeated complaint is glass that does not sit, which can be loose rim screws. Do not drill the frame to make a broken top fit.
The folding bistro needs no assembly. Does it still need care?
Yes. B0F1CDYNK8 prints no assembly, and the shared colour-pool reviews still report rust at the joints within days. Wipe the joints and fold it away when you can. There is no cushion on that listing to store. The 1 kg item weight is a bad line in the file, not a reason to ignore the steel.

Related pages

Best garden furniture set for the job

Garden furniture set

Garden furniture set buying guide: patio, door, load

Rattan vs metal garden furniture: PE weave or steel

Garden furniture set for a small patio: what will fit

Sources

Public UK sources used for this comparison. Listing prices, stars and review counts are the amazon.co.uk lines saved on 21 October 2026. There is no laboratory test.

  1. Which? how to buy garden furniture (retrieved 21 October 2026)
  2. BBC Gardeners' World, garden furniture (retrieved 21 October 2026)
  3. BS EN 581-1:2017 outdoor furniture safety (retrieved 21 October 2026)
  4. BS EN 581-2:2026 outdoor seating tests (retrieved 21 October 2026)
  5. General Product Safety Regulations 2005 (retrieved 21 October 2026)
  6. Consumer Rights Act 2015 (retrieved 21 October 2026)
  7. Scottish Fire and Rescue, outdoor heating (retrieved 21 October 2026)
  8. London Fire Brigade, gas fires and heaters (retrieved 21 October 2026)