Home DIY - Repairing Old Chairs

Battered wooden chairs are a common sight in second hand shops. Basic problems such as loose joints and damaged seats are straightforward to mend and, with a bit of imagination, chairs can be turned into individually styled pieces of furniture.

Neglected old wooden chairs can be bought very cheaply in second hand shops. Yet many have interest­ing features which have been overlooked and, despite their hopeless appearance, most need only a few repairs like re-gluing joints or replacing rails to make them sound again. Once repaired, each chair can be given an individual look with a decorative seat cover or a paint or varnish finish to complement its features. To bring out the character of each chair, paint fine carved details in a color that contrasts with the rest of the chair. A number of different chairs can be made to look like a set if they are decorated in the same way.

Re-gluing loose joints

Loose joints need to be taken apart and then glued firmly back in place. Make the old glue as soft as pos­sible before attempting to dis­mantle the joint. Use a mallet only when necessary and only on the sturdiest parts of the joint.

Make sure all traces of old glue are removed from the joint before applying the new glue; some glues react badly with others and the bond will be stronger if the glue is holding wood to wood rather than wood to old glue.

Resin-based glues give a very strong bond and should be used where a very strong joint is needed, for example in the chair back. PVA is a good, easy-to-use alternative. Professional restorers prefer animal glue which is soluble in water, but this is fiddly to prepare.

You will need

- Warm, damp cloth

- Pliers (optional)

- Mallet with carpet covering the head

- Wood glue

- Sash cramp and wooden blocks or webbing and panel pins

1. Wring out a cloth in very hot water and wrap it around the joint to warm and loosen the glue.

2. Gently prise the joint apart using a twisting pulling motion. Use pliers to grip smaller pieces like dowel bars. If necessary, loosen the joint by knocking around it with a carpet-covered mallet.

3. When the pieces have been separated, clean off all traces of glue. Apply new glue and fit the joint together. A few taps with the covered mallet may be needed to drive the pieces home. Wipe off any excess glue while it is still wet using a damp cloth or sponge — it is impossible to remove the glue once it has dried.

Clamping

Clamp the joint firmly while the glue dries. Use a level surface to prevent the joint setting with a twist. The method of clamping used depends on the position of the joint. The glued area should be left to dry for 24 hours.

For two straight surfaces, for example when your clamping the stretchers to the legs, use a bar or sash cramp. Put blocks of wood between the cramp and the chair to prevent the cramp from damaging the chair surface.

On a curved chair back use rope or rubber webbing (better because it is less likely to slip). Hammer panel pins into the underside of the seat at 3in (7.5cm) intervals, attaching the end of the webbing to the seat with the first pin. Wrap webbing over top of chair then bring it down, around a pin. Continue like this along the width of the back, pulling the webbing taut. When glue is dry, remove webbing and pins.

Re-dowelling

Replacing stretchers (the hori­zontal bars running between the legs) and spindles (the vertical bars on the back of chairs) is a common repair job. If the bar is straight, replace it with a length of dowelling from a hardware store. Take the old piece with you to en­sure that you get the right diameter dowelling. More intricate pieces may be taken from a matching chair which is beyond repair. Or have a copy made by a wood turner. Keep the old piece so the turner can work from it.

Remove the damaged stretcher or spindle by the method described right. Note whether the end of the bar is tapered as it enters the joint — the replacement piece will have to be shaped the same way.

You will need

In addition to the tools and mat­erials already listed under re-gluing old joints:

- Length of dowel

- Saw

- Drill

- File

-

1. Saw off the broken pieces of dowel as close to the joint as possible. Note whether the piece within the joint is smaller than the piece cut away, indicating that it is tapered at the end.

2. Drill out the piece left in the joint using a drill bit which matches the diameter of the hole. Drill straight into the hole or the replacement piece of dowel will not go in properly.

3. Mark the replacement dowel at length required, remembering to include the amount which will be hidden in the joint. If necessary taper ends using a file. Glue and clamp as described before.

Mending split wood

Round chairs often have bent wood which has been steamed into shape incorporated in the back or be­tween the legs. This often splits as the wood dries out with age but is easily glued back in place.

The type of clamp used will vary depending on the position of the split, but usually a 'G' cramp will do the job.

1. Heat a cloth by dipping it in hot water. Wring it out, leaving the cloth quite damp. Wrap cloth around the split wood and leave for 15 minutes to soften it.

2. Remove cloth. The wood will be supple and will easily be persuaded back into shape. Apply glue, wipe away excess and clamp using a 'G' cramp. Protect the wood by putting wooden blocks between the cramp and the chair.

Decorative effects

Once the basic frame has been made sound, decide how to dec­orate the chair. Look at the chair carefully to see whether it has any interesting features which could be highlighted. For example, decorat­ive carving can be emphasized with paint while an unusual wood texture may lend itself to a special paint effect such as oiling or wax­ing, which brings out the grain.

If the seat is damaged it will have to be replaced, offering another creative, opportunity. You may want to replace the seat anyway to give the chair a more interesting look. Use 1/4in (6mm) plywood or medium density fibreboard (MDF) for the seat. Do not use hardboard because it flexes too much.