| Upholstery Repair: Repairing a Wobbly Wood Chair |
From "Weekend Handyman"
episode WKH-105 |
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Note: Click here for a materials list and complete instructions without images. Time: 14 hours over 2 days. Difficulty Rating: It's rated a 2 on a scale of 1 to 5.
Materials for Complete Project: Dowel pins in a variety of sizes
Carpenter's glue
Stain stick to match the finish of the chair
Rubber mallet
Bar clamps
Strap clamps
Medium sandpaper
Wood scraper
Good set of chisels
Workbench
Medium grit sandpaper
Drill
Coping saw
Rags
High quality upholstery fabric
Plywood for the new seat
Upholstery grade foam rubber for cushion
Cotton or bonded dacron wadding to cover foam
Dust cover cloth for bottom chair pad
Polyproplylene webbing
Staple puller (upholsterer's staple remover)
Webbing stretcher
Tack hammer
Slip joint pliers
Staple gun
Spray adhesive
Curved upholstery needle
Heavy-duty nylon thread
Scissors
Button replacement tool
Heavy nylon twine Furniture Repair - Gather tools.
- Remove chair pad screws with cordless screw gun.
- Remove corner blocks (figure A) -- tap out with rubber mallet if glued.
- Take apart loose joints with rubber mallet.
Note: Wood shrinks over time and this aging process weakens the joints. Be sure to take care when removing the corner blocks and joints. - Mark pieces (figure B) to know where to replace.
- Scrape old glue off joints, dowel pins and glue blocks with scraper, chisel (comes in handy for the tight areas such as around the dowels) or sandpaper.
- Clean and smooth surfaces.
- Replace loose or broken dowel pins (figure C) by doing the following:
- Start with a small pilot hole and use larger bit.
- Cut dowel pin off with a coping saw flush to surface.
- Mark the center of the pin.
- Drill pilot hold down through pin (figure D) but not into chair frame.
- Match drill bit to the diameter of the dowel hole.
- Drill old dowel out.
- Check that the new dowel pin is nice and snug.
- Apply small amout of wood glue to nail and run around inside of hole.
- Apply glue to half of the dowel pin and tap it in gently with mallet.
- If new pin is too long, set old dowel pin next to it, mark length (figure E) and cut off excess with coping saw.
- Spread glue around joints with finger -- spread inside hold and around dowel pins, tape piece into place.
- Glue both male and female pieces to create the strongest of bonds.
- Repeat gluing process for all joints.
Tip: It's better to use too much glue than not enough. You can always wipe off the excess. If you use too little glue, you may end up with a joint that was just as weak as before. - Use a strap clamp (figure F) to hold frame together by putting a strap over the chair and around the rails of the body of the chair and adjust and ratchet until it's good and snug. Note: You can also use a rope or an old belt, but a strap with a clamp works best.
- Glue and screw corner blocks back on by applying glue to the face of the rail and block with counter sunk side face-down, screw securely in place and wipe the excess glue with a damp rag.
Note: Don't forget to use the numbers that you wrote on the pieces to put everything back into its proper position. - Leave the chair clamped for at least four hours.
- Use a touch-up stain stick to repair small nicks and scratches on the wood.
Tip: When using a stain stick, start with the lighter shades first, and then progress to the darker shades.
RESOURCES :
Upholstery Basics (Singer Sewing Reference Library)
Model: 0865733198
Author: Creative Publishing International Editors
(October, 1997)
To order this title from Amazon.com, click here.
Creative Publishing International, Inc.
Website: www.creativepub.com
Upholstery: A Complete Course: Chairs, Sofas, Ottomans, Screens and Stools
Model: 1861081189
Author: David James
(October, 1999)
To order this title from Amazon.com, click here.
Guild of Master Craftsman Publications, Ltd
Easy Upholstery: Step by Step
Model: 0801986303
Author: Heather Luke
(September, 1994)
To order this title from Amazon.com, click here.
Chilton Book Company
Westchester, PA 19380
Phone: 610-738-9280
Fax: 610-738-9354
GUESTS :
David Ross
Upholsterer
David's Upholstery
3 Bridgeview Dr.
Superior, WI 54880
Phone: 715-392-9475
E-mail: tackhammer52@yahoo.com
Robert H. Ross
Upholsterer
David's Upholstery (see contact info, above)
John Sewell
Furniture Expert
David's Upholstery (see contact info, above)
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