How to Repair an Oak Chair
No matter how well they are constructed, oak chairs eventually loosen over time and become unstable. This is partly due to the stress placed on the glued joints and partly to the movements of the wood itself in changing climates. You can repair most chairs by gluing and screwing them back together; even chairs that are assembled with screws will benefit from an application of glue on all loose joints. If the chair is upholstered, you'll have to remove the upholstering before you disassemble the chair. Does this Spark an idea?
Other People Are Reading
Things You'll Need
- Slot screwdriver
- Hammer
- Utility knife
- Drill
- #2 Phillips bit
- Tapping block
- Band saw
- Finish nails
- Carpenter's glue
- C-clamps
- Rasper
- Sandpaper
- Bar clamps
- Stain
- Sanding sealer
- Spray lacquer
- Siphon spray gun
- Respirator
Instructions
-
-
1
Remove the chair upholstery, if there is any. Work a slot screwdriver under each upholstery tack in turn and pry it up, then use the claw of a hammer to pull the tack out. If the chair has caning, cut most of it away with a utility knife, then turn the chair over and cut the rest.
-
2
Use a drill and a #2 Phillips bit to remove all screws, then disassemble the chair by tapping on all the loose joints with a hammer and a tapping block. If some joints are still tight, it may be best to leave them intact to avoid damaging the wood. Use a marking system to identify all spindles and dowels before you remove them, so you will be sure to put them back in the correct places. If the chair seat is wooden and has become de-laminated, separate the pieces.
-
-
3
Repair the end of a damaged spindle by cutting off the damaged part and gluing on a new piece. Do this by making a scarf-cut, which is a long, angled cut, with a band saw. Trace the cut-out on a new piece of oak and cut the same shape with the band saw. Then spread glue on the edges of the two pieces, pound in a finish nail to temporarily hold them together, and clamp them with a C-clamp. When the glue dries, remove the clamp and the nail. Finally, reshape the end with a rasper and sandpaper.
-
4
Repair a wooden seat that has become de-laminated by spreading glue along the edges of each piece, then clamping the whole seat together with two bar clamps. Tighten the clamps until the glue oozes out of the joints, then wipe away the excess glue with a damp cloth. Let the glue dry overnight, then remove the clamps.
-
5
Reassemble the chair and glue it back together in sections. Start with the base of the chair, then the back and finally the arms. Spread fresh glue on the ends of the spindles, insert them into the correct holes, and use bar clamps to hold them in place until the glue dries. Be sure to wipe off excess glue when you tighten the clamps. Remove the clamps when the glue dries, then drive screws into the joints that were previously screwed together.
-
6
Strip the old finish off the chair with a commercial stripper, then sand the wood. It is best to do this after the chair has been reassembled so that you can sand off the old glue from the repair as you work on removing the old finish.
-
7
Stain the chair with a brush or rag, then spray on sanding sealer, either from a can or with a siphon spray gun. Sand the sealer lightly with fine sandpaper to knock down the grain of the wood, then spray on two or three finish coats of lacquer, sanding between coats.
-
8
Reupholster the chair or re-cane the seat after the finish has dried and cured for about two days.
-
1
Tips & Warnings
Use a rotary tool with a small sanding drum to sand difficult-to-reach areas on spindles and around the glued joints. Be sure to remove all dried glue from the wood or the stain won't penetrate.
Use a respirator when spraying sanding sealer and lacquer to protect yourself from harmful fumes.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit oak office chair image by James Phelps from Fotolia.com
