How to Repair Wood Furniture

Wood furniture is beautiful and usually very durable. Any repairs that need to be made are usually quite simple. Broken frames, backs, slats and other parts can be mended or rebuilt.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Wood
• Sandpaper
• Hammer
• Paint or wood finishing product
• Nails/screws in various sizes
• Power or hand saw
• Wood glue

Repairing Wood Furniture

1. Determine if the wood is merely cracked or if it has broken. Repair cracks in wooden furniture using wood glue or nails. If using glue, it may be necessary to clamp or weight the wood until the glue is completely dry.

2. Remove broken wooden stool legs from the seat, measure for circumference and length. Purchase unfinished dowels, cut them to the proper length, if necessary, sand and paint, then re-attach to the chair using either wood glue or nails. Repair broken chair legs in the same manner, using either 1X4 or 2X4 lumber cut to appropriate lengths.

3. Remove a broken chair or stool seat; use it for measuring purposes. Cut, sand and finish the wood, according to measurements and appearance, then re-fasten the new seat to the legs with either wood glue or nails.

4. Remove broken wooden chair slats; note how they were attached to the chair. Use the slats as a pattern for building replacement slats; cut, sand and finish to match the original slat. Re-attach to the frame in the same manner as the broken piece was attached.

Tips & Warnings

• Keep a few pieces of plywood or press board on hand, as well as some one or two pieces of 1X4 and 2X4 lumber, and some wooden dowels. Have different sizes of nails and wood screws available. In this way, you will be ready for any wood furniture repair work that may need to be done.
• Visit yard sales, thrift stores, and other places for pieces of wooden furniture that match what you have. Purchase those, and use them for replacement parts.
• Take care when using hand or power tools. Wear appropriate eye protection and protective clothing, if needed.
• It is better to replace a piece of wooden furniture than risk repairing it and the piece of furniture not hold the weight for which it was intended. Serious injury can result should the furniture collapse if someone was on or near it when this occurred.