My Version Of Re-Caning A Chair

Say you're out thrifting and see the perfect chair.  All of the lines are just what you're lookin for...and then there it is...damaged cane! UGH! It's the worst feeling.

I found 2 of these chairs. Look how horrible they are.  But I loved the lines.

After a lot of elbow grease, they became these!

First let me say, I didn't do a very good job at this re-caning thing, but I gave it my best shot.
If you plan to paint or paint and distress your furniture...you can do this!
If I had planned to stain these chairs and make them look perfect, I would have thrown them in the trash after seeing my work. Well maybe not, but I would have been disapointed.
But I knew I could hide ALL of the flaws with the paint.
I called the only place within miles of us that did re-caining.  This nice man told me they would cost $75.00 per chair! Then when I aked him if he thought I could tackle this myself, he said sure! And gave me a quick lesson over the phone.

Here are the steps.
I looked around on the computer for a supply company.  This place was my best choice.
http://www.restorationsupplies.com/
I ordered 1/2 inch (the little holes) by a piece 14 inches wide cane.  Sold by the inch /.34 cents, I bought 36 inches for $11.16. I also bought #7.5 cane spline. 5 ft. for $1.25.  I bought 2 ft. which cost me $2.50.
Then my shipping $8.50. For a total of $22.16 to do both chairs.
Of course I measured the whidth at the widest point and the length and just eyeballed and sort of measured the width of the spline before placing my order.

The spline has been glued in so you have to use plain white vingar to release the glue.  I put some in a bowl and used a tooth brush to saturate the area. I just kept rubbing in on and letting it puddle in the crack. It's ready in just a few minutes. Just do this in a couple of coats.

Now for the hard part. You should use an ice pick or some sort of pointed object to dig out the spline.

All I had was a small flat head screw driver, so I sturggled a little.

NEVER POINT THE SHARP OBJECT TOWARDS YOUR BODY PARTS, PETS OR CHILDREN WHILE DIGGING. ONE SLIP WITH ALL OF THAT PRESSURE AND INJURY COULD OCCUR.

Oh look at this picture... Don't I wish!  It started so prefectly but quickly turned to...

 This!  My big piece split, and went down hill from there.  I found this to happen with both of the chairs.

So now starts the digging and digging and digging.  Adding more vinegar and digging some more.

It splits and tears, but finally you WILL get through it.  I ran the screw driver through it and wiggled it all the way through the groove until almost every piece was out. There will be some "stringy" wood stuff in there, but make sure you can see a clear groove. Try pliers too. They help pull it out the stuff.

I raised my chair up on a  box. This supports the back when I started hammering the cane and spline in.

 When I read directions on line they kept talking about these little wedge things.  Well, of course I didn't order any so I started thinking of something to fit that groove.  Ah Ha! Paint stirrers!

I broke them in half and hoped for a clean split.  You can cut them with larger sheers if you have some.

These are the other tools you will need.

Your spline...the cane...hammer..cutters...wood glue...and a small box cutter or wallpaper blade.

NOTE... the cane and the spline will have to be soaked in water for about a half hour. (they say longer, but that's all I did and it was fine.) I used an old tall kitchen trash can to submerse it, and held it down in there with a heavy cereal bowl.

Directions will come with the cane.

Lay the cane on to cover the whole area. You can cut it close now if you want. About a 1/2 inch bigger.

Add a row of the wood glue to the groove.

I can't believe I didn't get a pic of the paint sticks hammered in the grooves as wedges.

Well hammer one at the end and leave it in. Then one on the other end and the 2 sides. Then use a few more to hold the cane in place.  After that I just hammered the cane in the groove all the way around using one of the paint sticks to stuff it in. As the glue gets tacky, the cane will stay down in the groove.

See how it's stuck down in there. It can really be cut close because there's not much that actually goes down into the groove.

Now add another row of glue on top of the cane.  Don't worry that ALL of the cain is stuck all the way down. Just make sure MOST of it is in there.

When you look close at the spline it has a sort of rounded side and a thinner squared side.  Be sure the thinner square side goes down into the groove.

Oops...I forgot to soak my spline so it split at the curve. Can you see it?

But like I said...my paint will cover all of my flaws.

Anyway...start hammering the spline in. They say to miter the corners but after such frustration, I just cut mine HOWEVER!  (paint will cover the flaws) Ha!

When you get to each end, cut the spline and start the next strip.

Now when all the spline is in, cut off the excess as close as possible. (RIGHT AWAY...BEFORE THE GLUE DRIES)

 At this point I gently wiped off the excess glue with a damp rag.  Don't worry if you have glue EVERYWHERE. It's ok. Just wipe it off at the end.

You can see the tiny pieces I'll have to gently cut off with my cutting blade.

Then I took my cutter blade and very gently cut the tiny left over pieces off. 

 AGAIN...BEFORE THE GLUE DRIES!

Last of all, the cane will flatten out and shrink up when it dries.  It's only wavy because it's wet.

And here is the finished chair. With all of the chewed up wood and everything. I made so many gouges while digging out the old spline.  But it's all good.  I'll just sand it before I paint it.

And once again here it is finished.  I'll never be afraid of broken or damaged cane again.  And I'll never pass up a beautiful piece again.

I hope you try this! It's not a lot of work and so worth it for such a big savings. You'll be getting the furniture cheaper because of the damage. (bargining power)  And doing the work yourself saves the most!

Kelly