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A clear, step-by-step photographic guide to creating durable, wicker-wrapped chair seats with long strands of cane. This information is for beginner and seasoned caners alike.
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The Complete Guide to Chair Caning Repair Techniques Introduction A clear, step-by-step photographic guide to creating durable, wicker-wrapped chair seats with long strands of cane. This information is for beginner and seasoned caners alike. The easiest chairs to cane are square and trapezoidal. Round and horseshoe-shaped chairs should be avoided for first attempts, as they tend to be more difficult to work with. What are Basics? There are many different techniques, patterns and materials that are used when making a chair seat. These include strand cane, cane webbing, rattan reed, paper fiber rush, natural rush, ash, oak or hickory bark splint, Danish Modern cord, Oriental seagrass and paracord.
The most popular type of Chair Caning Repair is hole-to-hole traditional hand caning. Also known as the 7-Step Method of Hand Chair Caning Repair, this is where you weave individual strips through a series of drilled holes around the perimeter of the chair seat frame. The result is an octagon shape pattern throughout the seat. Another option for weaving a chair is blind caning. Unlike the hole-to-hole technique, blind caning does not have any holes drilled in the frame. This can be a great way to add a little decorative detail to your chair, but it is not as strong or durable. Why Measure the length of your cane? If you’re new to caning, there are a few things that you should know before you begin your project. First, you’ll need to make sure that your chair is designed for hand caning and has the proper holes drilled into it. You’ll also need caning pegs (golf tees work well, too) and an awl to hold the cane in place during weaving. Next, you’ll want to measure the length of your cane. You’ll need enough to cover the area from the front of the chair to the back. You can use a tape measure or just measure from one side of the chair to the other. After you’ve measured your cane, cut it into lengths that are large enough to fit over the holes in your chair. You can use a box cutter for the thicker cane and shears or sharp scissors for the thinner cane. Once your cane is cut, you’ll need to soak it in a bowl of water to soften and make it more pliable. This will help it become easier to weave. ● ● ● ● ● ● ● You’ll also need to buy cane in the correct gauge. For example, if you’re working on a medium-gauge chair, you’ll need to buy cane that is about 5/16 inches (0.7 cm) wide and 7/8 inches (2.2 cm) long. Materials Chair Caning Repair is an art that has been practiced for centuries. It uses a wide variety of materials and techniques, but the most common material is rattan palm. It has been used for basket making, and it’s still used today to make cane furniture.
The most important factor in identifying whether a chair is caned or not is to look for a continuous grove in the wood where the cane attaches to the frame. A grove can either be present around the front of the seat or on the back. If the grove isn’t there, The chair was probably made to accept a different caning technique than it does now. Once you’ve identified which caning technique your chair was made to use, it’s time to gather the tools needed to get started. In addition to the chair caning tool kit, You’ll need a reed spline, a wedge-shaped reed that holds the cane webbing in place. Start by working from the bottom left hole on your chair’s back, and move downward. When you reach the rear right hole, pass a bit of caning material through it, secure it with a peg, and pull the other end across to the front right hole. Repeat this process until you’ve gone down the entire length of the chair. ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● Front Rails You’ll probably need to go over the front rails a few times to keep the caning material tight to them. When you’re finished with the front row, fill in the rest of the strands by weaving short pieces of reed into them. These are called “fill-ins,” and it’s usually more effective to do them on one side of the chair than the other. Once you’ve finished weaving all the fill-ins, finish off your woven cane chair by weaving a binding cane over each of the woven strands. This will hide the holes and give a more finished look to the woven cane. This process can take up to a few hours, depending on the size of your chair. Once you’ve finished the binding cane, you’re ready to give your chair a new life! Patterns Weaving patterns are a part of the Chair Caning Repair process, and there are many variations. Some patterns are simple and straightforward, while others are elaborate and intricate. Some of the more complex patterns can be difficult to weave, so they are best left to an expert who can teach you how to weave them. Step 1 The most common type of cane seat pattern is the traditional hand caning weave. It involves weaving individual strips of cane through a series of drilled holes around the
perimeter of the frame. This creates a distinctive and commonly seen octagon shape pattern in the seat. Step 2 Another type of cane seat is press caning. This is a more inexpensive alternative to hand caning, and it is usually found on chairs that have no drilled holes in the frame or seat. This type of cane is woven into the groove of the seat frame and held in place with glue and reed spline. Step 3 Fancy cane is a more decorative weave, and it is most often found on the backs of chairs. It is also used as a wrapping for rattan furniture. It can be a variety of shapes and designs, but it is most often hand-caned. You can also use a wire wrap method to create more decorative designs. However, it is not recommended for a simple octagon-shaped chair seat, as it may cause the fabric to pull apart over time. Step 4 For a curved, slanted chair seat, you can use a twill-shaped weave. This can be a great way to make your chair look more unique and add texture. This can be a fun and rewarding project, but it is also very time-consuming to complete. The end result is a beautiful, durable chair seat. The most durable and long-lasting of the traditional hand caning patterns is the Seven-step pattern, which has been a favorite for hundreds of years. It is a very time-consuming, but extremely successful pattern that has shown to be the most durable. Thanks for visiting Blogrism