Choosing a cane webbing weave: open, square, herringbone, more

All cane webbing is installed the same basic way, but the weave changes almost everything else: how the piece looks, how much light and view pass through it, and which projects it suits. Here is how the options compare, and how to pick.

The weaves at a glance

Weave	Pattern	See-through	Usually installed	Looks best on	Widths
Open	Strands in four directions, small octagonal holes	Open: light passes and shapes behind show	Groove and spline, or glued and stapled	Chair seats and backs, cabinet doors, headboards	14, 18, 24, 36 in
Square (radio)	Strands at right angles, small square holes	Open, in an even grid	Groove and spline, or glued and stapled	Modern cabinet doors, sideboards, wall panels	14, 18, 24 in
Herringbone	Closed twill, no holes	Closed: hides what is behind	Glued and stapled behind flat frames	Cabinet doors, drawer fronts, wall panels	24 in
Diamond (V)	Repeating V or chevron	Varies; check a sample against the light	Glued and stapled, or groove and spline	Headboards, wall panels, ceilings, screens	14, 16, 24 in, and a 48 in wide sheet

Then there are color and material choices:

Option	What it is	Best with	Sizes
Semi-bleached	Open weave, lightly bleached to a paler cream-blond	Light oak, white paint, Scandinavian style	18 or 24 in x 4 ft
Walnut-tone	Square weave stained deep walnut brown	Dark wood, mid-century pieces, moody rooms	18 in x 3.3 or 5 ft
PE open weave	Polyethylene strands in the open weave pattern	Patios, bathrooms, boats, RVs, rentals	16 x 40, 16 x 72, 24 x 60 in
PE square weave	Polyethylene square weave	Outdoor cabinets, patio screens, vanities	24 x 60 in

Open weave

This is the weave most people picture when they hear “cane.” The strands run in four directions and leave small octagonal holes, the same look as a traditional hand-caned seat. It is the natural choice for restoring chair seats and backs, and it is just as good on cabinet doors and headboards.

Light passes through easily. Behind a cabinet door you will see the outline of what is inside, though not the detail. If you love the open look but want to hide clutter, staple a light fabric behind the cane.

The undyed cane is a honey-blond color. Because it is a natural material, the shade and grain vary from roll to roll.

Square weave (radio weave)

Square weave crosses the strands at right angles and leaves a grid of small square holes. It reads more graphic and modern than open weave, which makes it popular on cabinet doors, sideboards and wall panels. It installs exactly like open weave, so it also works in a grooved chair seat if you want a cleaner, more modern look.

Herringbone

Herringbone is a closed twill weave with no open holes. It is denser and more opaque than open weave, and the only closed weave in our range, so it is the one to pick when a cabinet door must hide what is behind it: a pantry, a bar cabinet, a cupboard of cables. It is usually glued and stapled behind flat frames such as cabinet doors, drawer fronts and wall panels, rather than pressed into chair seats.

The zigzag has a direction. Decide whether it should run up and down or side to side, and keep it the same on every door in a run.

Diamond (V) weave

Diamond weave forms a repeating V or chevron pattern. It is a decorative weave and works best where it can be seen as a surface: headboards, wall panels, ceilings, screens and statement cabinet doors. It comes in a 48 in wide sheet as well as narrower rolls, which helps with large panels.

Like herringbone, the pattern has a direction. Turning a piece 90 degrees turns the Vs on their side.

Semi-bleached cane

Semi-bleached cane is open weave that has been lightly bleached to a paler, more even cream-blond. Use it where honey-colored cane would look too warm: light oak, white or pale gray paint, Scandinavian furniture. Bleaching reduces the natural color variation but does not remove it, so expect some shading. It soaks and installs like any natural cane.

Walnut-tone cane

This square weave is stained a deep walnut brown for dark wood frames, mid-century furniture and darker rooms. Soaking can release a little stain, so rinse it once and let the water run clear before you install it near light upholstery or curtains.

PE (plastic) cane

PE cane webbing is woven from polyethylene strands that imitate rattan. It does not need soaking, it does not crack when bent dry, and it stands up to rain and humidity better than natural cane. It looks slightly more uniform and less glossy than the real thing.

Choose it for patio furniture, bathroom cabinets, boats, RVs and rentals. Install it by stapling and gluing behind a frame, or use spline in a groove as with natural cane. Since it is not soaked, it will not shrink tight as it dries, so pull it snug and even as you fix it. Our guide to outdoor PE cane vs natural cane goes into more detail.

Light and privacy: how to judge

• Herringbone is the only closed weave. It gives the most privacy and lets the least light through.
• Open, square and diamond all let light and some view through. How much depends on the pattern and the roll.
• Lighting inside a cabinet makes any open weave glow and shows the contents more clearly.
• The surest test is a sample held against a window or a lamp. The cane webbing sample pack has 12 x 12 in pieces of open, square, herringbone and diamond weave, enough to hold against your furniture and to try soaking and stapling.

Matching weave to project

Project	Good choices	Notes
Chair seat or back with a groove	Open weave, natural or semi-bleached; square weave	Open weave matches most antique chairs
Chair or bench used outdoors	PE open weave	No soaking; handles rain
Kitchen cabinet doors	Open or square weave	Herringbone if you want to hide the contents
Pantry or utility doors	Herringbone	Closed weave
Bathroom vanity	PE open or PE square	Natural cane does not like steady moisture
Headboard	Open or diamond weave	Or a ready-made framed headboard panel
Wall panels and ceilings	Diamond, square or herringbone	Check pattern direction
Dark wood or mid-century pieces	Walnut-tone square weave	Rinse after soaking
Light oak or Scandinavian pieces	Semi-bleached open weave	Paler and more even

Same care for every natural weave

Whichever natural weave you choose, soak it about 30 minutes in warm water before installing; it tightens as it dries. Put the shiny side out. PE cane goes in dry.

Once you have picked a weave, our guide to how much cane webbing you need helps you choose the roll size. Browse all cane webbing or synthetic cane webbing.