Rattan is the name for the roughly six hundred species of palms, native to tropical regions. Most (70%) of the world's rattan population exist in Indonesia, distributed among Borneo, Celebes, Sumbawa islands. Most rattans are distinct from other palms in having slender stems 2–5 cm diameter with long internodes between the leaves; their consequent growth habit also differs, not being trees but vine-like, scrambling through and over other vegetation.

There are several processes that the raw rattan should go through before starting furniture producing. Firstly any leaves and debris are removed from the rattan stems. The large canes are then boiled in oil, usually coconut, to remove gums and resins and to increase their durability. Then the rattan poles are straightened using straightening jigs. After selection and grading they are then cut to length to some period, by which time they are pliable. They are bent to shape in jigs where they are left for about 24 hours so the bend can set. They are removed, trimmed and can be used in furniture making.

One of the most important reasons, which define the quality and the cost of the products, is that they are all handmade. Weaving rattan is a very specialized, meticulous process done by skilled artisans. Each peace of furniture is crafted after fine selection of high class materials. The mostly used materials are such as Abaca and Banana leaf, Water Grass and Grass Asalan or Water Hyacinth. The elegant lines of the rattan weavings are exquisitely combined with mahogany wood, genuine leather and wrought iron accents. Each piece of furniture is unique piece of art and bears its own character.

The natural rattan furniture which we offer is really luxurious and stylish piece of art and requires special care and space in your Interior. We do not recommend you to expose your furniture made from natural rattan under the influence of direct atmospherics (such as direct sunlight, rain, snowfall etc.).

We recommend you to dust with a soft brush or moist cloth/duster. Scrub cushions with warm water and detergent using sponge or soft brush. All cushions have zippers which allows their easy maintenance. Regular maintenance: Once a week or once a day, dust with vacuum brush or vacuum cleaner thoroughly.

Nowadays the use of natural materials is getting more and more popular! The natural rattan furniture is stylish and trendy. Rattan is versatile to fit many home styles. Organic furniture can lend charm and exotic taste to your modern or classical interior. To keep with the natural theme of the organic furniture, you should use the corresponding accessories. RONDO GROUP offers you beautiful rattan collections including accessories, which fit to complete interior designs ideally for the living room, bedroom, dining room etc. They all are perfectly suitable for your Home, Hotel, SPA-center, greenhouse, verandah or even office.

The Premium collections, which we are introducing to you, are ideally serving every space of your place. Choosing the design of one collection, you can furnish your living room, bedroom, dining room or greenhouse with the same design line. Unique accents in the product line of the collections are the solid wardrobes, bar tables, dining tables, mini bars and bar chairs. Distinctive features of the collections are the hotel and office furniture, which are exclusively comfortable and stylish. The collections include suitable accessories which follow each design line and give the final touch to the interior. They are great choice to beautify your space and add an exotic feel to it.

RONDO GROUP take orders based on individual projects, which allows you to choose your own color scheme, specific measurements and combining the different elements of the collection lines. You can choose the color, the pattern and the fabric of the cushion cloths. We will prepare special offers for hotel projects.

Kwila (or Merbau as it is also known) is a very hard and resistant tropical hardwood.
Kwila timber is a tropical hardwood which is found throughout South East Asia and the South Pacific region. It can also be found in the northern tropical regions of Australia . Kwila's natural stability and unparalleled resistance to splitting provides for a very high quality finish of exceptional durability which can remain permanently outdoors in all types of harsh climates and weather conditions. The Australian Department of Primary Industries has given Kwila timber a Rating One, which is the highest standard of suitability for outdoor timber furniture.

For many generations, and across many continents; Kwila timber has been used in staircases, house and boat decking, marine jetties, flooring, boat building and mine timber. In more recent times Kwila has only started to be used for furniture because the very hardness of the wood had made it difficult and costly to manufacture without special sophisticated machinery. Along with its natural hardness, the abundant natural oil in Kwila is a primary feature of this timber which makes it so durable in comparison to other timbers commonly used for outdoor furniture. It has minimal shrinkage and can withstand extremes of climate and even prolonged exposure to saltwater.

Merbau contains more oil-tannin in it’s pores than most other exotic hardwoods during the initial weathering of the Merbau timber an oil-tannin flushes form the surface of the timber, the oil-tannin is not sticky (colour is like that of weak coffee) but can stain particularly during wet, damp or humid conditions. As the nature of each piece of timber is different this “bleedingflushing” period is unpredictable in length and generally a good over night rain will remove most of oil-tannin. A thorough hose down on a area, will assist in flushing the excess tannin oil away, (ensure that this process is done on a grassed area, as the excess oil-tannin will stain concrete or pavers). Alternatively, leave the product out during heavy rain on a grassed area and let nature assist and again, generally, a good over night rain will remove most of the surface oil-tannin. Once this process is finished Merbau will not bleed again. Also, make sure to remove canvas covers from chairs to avoid possible staining, the oil-tannin remains in the timber (only the excess is flushed from the surface of the timber) giving many years of the life to the furniture. If the furniture is to be kept under cover and will not get wet then this flushing of the surface oil-tannin does not need to be done and if kept undercover the timber will hold it’s original colour and would only need reoiling once every 6 months or as per required by you - the customer. Depending on the sunlight conditions, which will cause the furniture to fade, the furniture will indicate the need for a light oil and we recommend you to apply it with a lint free cloth or paint brush. Kwila can be left to weather to a silver grey colour with absolutely no maintence required. Timber which has become silver-grey can be restored by lightly sanding back the timber and using a timber restorer after treatment and restoration apply a new coating of the oil, this will bring the timber back to it’s original colour.

Eight simple steps guidelines for mounting natural stones

1. Apply thinset with a trowel.

2. Place tiles on a thinset.

3. Tap down the tiles to prepare for grouting.

4. Apply grout one entire section at a time.

5. Cover the entire section with grout.

6. Sponge the grout off.

7. Repeat sponging off until desired finish is reached.

8. Tiles can be sealed after it has been cured.

Please also note the detailed advise guidelines for mounting natural stones!

Pacific Pebble installation guidelines

These guidelines are intended as preliminary reading only

Pacific Pebble manufacturers recommend selecting membranes, adhesives, grouts from the same manufacturer, many of whom produce very detailed advice on surface preparation, tile installation and product specification. We emphasize the importance of using products with good technical back-up. It is considered good trade practice to test a small area first when using new materials or installation techniques.

Topics in this section:

• surface preparation

• color matching / pebble sizing

• adhesive

• waterproof membranes

• pre-sealing

• grouting

• control joints

• curved surfaces

• enhancing sealers

Surface preparation

All substrates should be firmly fixed, flat, clean, dry and free of contaminants. Deflection should be a maximum of 1/360th of the span for walls or floors.

Concrete substrates and the mortar in bricks or blocks must be allowed to cure for 28 days minimum.

Painted surfaces must be sound after roughening with sand paper or wire brush. Water based paints are not suitable substrates for tiling.

Previously tiled surfaces should be firmly adhered and roughened before over-tiling.

Wet areas require special attention involving appropriate substrates (e.g. concrete, cement board, treated plywood), the use of reinforced waterproof membranes and, in the case of floors, a fall to the drainage point of not less than 1:60.

Adhesive

Always follow the manufacturer's directions when mixing and applying installation materials. Take special care to note if a product is suitable for interiors and exteriors as well as walls and floors. A recognized adhesive manufacturer will have a range of products, each appropriate to specific substrates and tile material applications.

Cement-based water-mix adhesive is generally suitable on masonry substrates where no movement is anticipated. Where slight movement could occur through thermal or pedestrian loads, a modified cement adhesive (probably two-part) should be used as a minimum.

It is important that each pebble is embedded in the adhesive. Select a product suitable for application with a 3/8” notched trowel, and apply no more than about one square yard of adhesive at a time.

Color matching / pebble sizing

These stone tiles have the infinitely varied characteristics of nature.

It is recommended that tiles are laid dry and arranged if necessary to avoid abrupt color or size variations.

Waterproof membranes

Membranes prevent the leakage of water through to sub floor, wall framing or habitable spaces below. Particular attention must be paid to carrying the membrane up the wall, outside shower boxes, installation of bond breakers and sealing around penetrations.

It is strongly recommended that membrane systems are used in all wet areas, including exterior suspended decking. Some systems involve the use of a primer.

Pre-sealing

This procedure can make the eventual removal of grout easier and may be carried out before the tiles are laid or just before grouting. After ensuring the sealer is appropriate apply in accordance with instructions, remove any excess and leave to dry for at least an hour before proceeding to lay or grout.

Ensure the sealer used is the same as or compatible with your final sealer. IMPORTANT! Test the sealers on an area first to ensure it is giving you the result you want and is compatible with the stone tiles.

Grouting

The grout should be suitable for joints up to ¾” in width and designed for external or internal conditions as your case may be. Generally grouts are water mix but where some flexibility may be needed then a latex additive or similar should be used in place of the water.It is important to wait only the interval recommended by the adhesive and grout manufacturer before grouting to minimize dirt ingress between the pebbles and avoid the opportunity for other trades to dislodge pebbles

Control joints

There are numerous reasons for building movement and control joints. Divide a larger tiled area into a series of smaller ones with sealant and bond breaker between them.

Curved surfaces

Pre-matted pebble sheets can be easily fitted around a gently curved surface - a column for example. If the sheet is turned around a right angle some stones will need to be plucked off the mat where they are distorted at the corner point and replaced with smaller pebbles to maintain uniformity at this point

Enhancing Sealers

The color and character of the installed pebbles can be intensified with the application of an enhancing sealer. Some enhancing sealers significantly darken the pebbles or leave a glossy finish. Consult with the manufacturer for suitability in your application, and always test a small area before proceeding to the remainder of the pebble surfaces.