DIY Network

Fixing Furniture Renovating Woman editor shares tips on fixing damaged furniture. From "Home Made Easy" episode DHME-136

Guest Allegra Bennett joins host Stephanie Lydecker and demonstrates some easy techniques for repairing wobbly, nicked or flawed furniture.

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	Allegra Bennett shares tips on repairing wobbly furniture.
	Figure A

Fixing Furniture

• To fix an old wobbly chair you should look at where the chair is situated in a room. It's possible that the floor is actually uneven. But if it is indeed the chair, it may be that one of the legs is loose.

• Many chair legs are attached by gluing them into place. That can be fixed with some carpenter's glue, a hammer and a damp cloth.

• If you can, remove the leg of the chair that wobbles. Place a cloth against the chair and gently tap the leg with a hammer. Using a utility knife scratch out the dried glue in the joint and on the leg itself. Once you have scraped away all of the old glue, you can apply the new glue.

• Thoroughly apply carpenter's wood glue to all pieces that must be joined together—joint holes, dowel ends, rung ends and leg ends. Tap all parts of the chair leg to the base with a mallet, hammer or block of wood, until any excess glue oozes out of each joint. Wipe off excess glue with a damp cloth and set the chair on its legs on a level surface to ensure the legs are aligned properly.

• Wrap a ratchet strap around the legs (figure A) and leave it on for at least 24 hours so the glue can cure.

• If you have a larger item that wobbles—like a table—try using shims to level larger pieces of furniture that aren't going to be moved around. Shims come in packets of ten or so and are very inexpensive and do the trick.

• For hardwood floors, put a velvet covered tip on the chair legs or the slider caps on furniture that is on carpet to make the furniture easier to move, and to protect the flooring.

• Do you have a wood table that has a few nicks and cracks? One way to fix that is to use a colored pencil designed to repair shallow nicks and scratches in wood. You can use this on furniture, woodwork, cabinets and doors. You just pencil in the area that is damaged. It takes no time at all and they come in a variety of colors to match most wood stains. Also available are wax markers.

GUESTS :

Allegra Bennett
Editor, Renovating Woman magazine

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Website: www.renovatingwoman.com