Diamond Weave Cane Webbing (V Pattern), Natural Rattan, 14 to 48 in

In this weave the natural rattan strands run on the diagonal and form rows of repeating V shapes, stacked into a diamond or chevron pattern. It is a decorative weave: bolder than classic open weave and with more movement than square weave, so it suits surfaces people look at rather than sit on.

Good places for it:

• Headboards and wall panels, where the chevrons can run from edge to edge
• Ceiling panels and folding room screens
• Cabinet doors and the front of a sideboard

The 48 in wide piece is a full 4 x 8 ft sheet, the size of a sheet of plywood. Use it when one surface has to be covered without a seam, such as a large headboard, a tall screen or a ceiling bay. The narrower rolls, 14, 16 and 24 in wide, are easier to handle for doors and smaller panels.

To install, soak the cane about 30 minutes in warm water, keep the shiny side out, and either glue and staple it behind a frame or press it into a routed groove and lock it with reed spline. It tightens as it dries. A full sheet is large and floppy when wet, so have a second person hold it while you staple.

The V pattern has a direction. Before you cut, decide whether the points should face up, down or sideways, and draw an arrow on the back of every piece so a set of doors or panels all point the same way. If two pieces meet at a joint, line up a row of Vs across the joint before the first staple goes in. Matching pieces should all come off the same roll; color shifts a little between rolls of natural cane.

Sizes: 14 in x 3.3 or 5 ft, 16 in x 5 or 10 ft, 24 in x 10 ft, and a 48 in x 8 ft sheet. Measure each opening and allow at least 1 in all round for staples, or at least 2 in each way if the panel sits in a spline groove. Go for the narrowest roll that still spans the short side of the piece.

Example: two doors with 12 x 26 in openings need two 14 x 28 in pieces, 56 in end to end, which fits the 16 in x 5 ft roll. Anything wider than 22 in in both directions, such as a headboard, belongs on the 48 in sheet, which covers an opening up to 46 x 94 in in one piece.