Plastic Cane Webbing (PE), Open Weave, for Outdoor and Wet Areas

This webbing has the open weave pattern of traditional cane, with its small octagonal holes, but the strands are polyethylene (PE) instead of rattan. That changes how it behaves:

• No soaking. It goes in dry.
• It does not crack when bent dry, so it folds over a frame edge without splitting.
• It stands up to rain and humidity better than natural cane.

So it is the weave for places natural cane does not like: patio furniture, bathroom cabinets, boats, RVs, and rental homes where the cane has to cope with a damp day and less careful use. Next to natural cane it looks slightly more uniform and less glossy.

Installing it is close to working with natural cane, with one important difference. Natural cane goes in wet and shrinks tight as it dries; PE never gets wet, so it will not tighten later. Pull it taut while you fix it.

• On a frame: lay the frame face down, staple the middle of each side first while pulling the sheet snug, then work out to the corners. Add glue along the edge and cover the staples with trim. On anything that lives outdoors, use stainless steel staples so rust does not streak the frame.
• In a groove: press it in with wedges and lock it with spline, as you would natural cane.

When it gets dirty, wash it with mild soap, warm water and a soft brush, then rinse with clean water and let it dry.

Pick the color for the setting. Natural tan is the closest to rattan cane. Coffee brown sits well with dark wood and brown resin wicker. Black looks crisp on painted or dark frames, and white suits white furniture and bright bathrooms.

Then the size: 16 x 40, 16 x 72 or 24 x 60 in. Measure the opening and leave at least 1 in of overlap on each edge for stapling. The 16 x 40 in piece covers one opening up to 14 x 38 in. The 16 x 72 in piece gives two pieces for openings up to 14 x 34 in each. Choose 24 x 60 in for openings up to 22 in across.