Antique 19th Century Caned Chairs

Antique Chair After

 

Antique Chair Before

Here we go with more chairs! This time it was a set of four (4) chairs, all in need of TLC. These chairs dated back to the late 1800’s, so they were 19th century chairs that had seen a lot of use, therefore a lot of wear and tear, literally. 

Originally the chairs had caned seats, but over time they likely broke and someone decided to cover the seat with stamped leather, or rather, a leather-look-alike that seemed more like a heavy paper between layers of very thin leather. Broken and no longer able to seat a person, it was high time to remove the leather “fix” and replace it with the original woven caning. But first, the chairs all needed to be stripped, which for this type of chair is very time-consuming because (you guessed it), spindles. Yup, spindles are what takes a long time to strip because there are many of them and they are rounded, making them inaccessible from one angle, therefore it’s necessary to rotate the chair continuously while stripping. 

A chemical stripper was the best option for these (compared to a heat gun), because it melts away the old, worn finish and reveals the wood beneath. Once all the old finish is removed, the chairs are then cleaned up by using soft rags (usually old t-shirts, which are excellent for this) and wiping away the residue left by the stripper with lacquer thinner or acetone. This is a necessary step prior to sanding or your sandpaper will clog up with the residue, making it difficult to remove. 

Starting with 100 grit sandpaper, the chair is prepared to accept the next grit, 150, until the final sanding, which is done with 220 grit. Once all surfaces are sanded, the chair is wiped with lacquer thinner on a clean cloth, allowed to dry, then it is ready for stain. This entire process (for this type of chair) can take from several hours to a few days. Again, spindles are a lot of work, therefore more tedious and time-consuming than flat surface chairs. Once the stain is applied with either a soft cloth or a brush, or both, you wipe away the excess stain, then enjoy the amazing transformation from raw wood to beautifully restored, refinished wood. 

We used "special walnut" on these chairs. The new stain brought out all that gorgeous woodgrain, which had been hidden by years of oxidation that happens over time. Once the chairs had dried from staining (we allow 24-48 hours), the first coat of polyurethane was applied. For these chairs we used a water-based semi-gloss, durable and easy to clean up after. That first coat protects the stain and prepares the wood for the remaining two coats that finish the chair. It is necessary to lightly sand between each coat of poly with a high grit sandpaper to give it “tooth,” which makes just rough enough to accept the next layer of polyurethane. Once the third coat was applied, the chairs were done and ready for the last and final step, install the new caning. 

These chairs had “press-in” caning, cane that comes in pre-woven sheets and cut to size, then installed and kept in place with spline. It’s necessary to soak the cane and spline for at least an hour (or longer) so that it is pliable enough to work with, otherwise it cracks and breaks. Caning “wedges" are used to “press” the edge of the cane into the pre-cut 1/4” groove in the chair. The chairs had a closely woven cane originally, so we chose the same style to keep it original.

It’s necessary to choose the right size of spline, which is based on the width of the opening, so that it keeps the cane in place while completely filling the groove. If the cane is too loose, it will not keep the cane taut. It’s a tricky process because once you have pressed all the cane into the groove, you glue it slowly, allowing the glue to run into the groove, starting in the back of the chair. Once it is glued, you push the spline into place, tapping it with a hammer as you go. If the spline has been adequately soaked, it will bend easily around curves. If not, it can break, especially if those curves are tight. 

Luckily these chairs’ curves were fairly wide, so it wasn’t too difficult to bend them around the edge. Once you reach the back where you started, make a small pencil mark and cut the spline to match the starting point at an angle and tap it with a hammer in place. After all the spline is installed around the entire seat, hammer the spline so that it is level with the top of the chair. There will be caning strands popping out that were left over from the placement after the spline is installed, so they must be trimmed off. I use a sharp chisel and snap them away by tapping on a hammer close to the spline, which removes the excess. You can also use snippers. This completes the caning process. Allow the cane to dry at least 24-48 hours before you sit on the chair.

Caned Bentwood Rocking Chair

Rocker Before
Seat Broken

 

Rocker After
Seat Repaired

This is one of several rocking chairs I have worked on over the course of my furniture restoration/refinishing jobs that involved caning. This one is almost identical to the Bentwood Rocker I worked on last year, except that this one only needed the seat replaced and was not refinished. I only glued the arms as they were a bit loose, other than that I only repaired the broken seat with new cane.

This was by far my fastest caning job yet. It’s true that the more you do something, the better you get. Caning is a lost art, a true art form that takes time, patience and practice. I found the first few jobs I did I thought “this is impossible!” and didn’t think I would ever enjoy it, but with each job they process became clearer and I found myself really enjoying the caning and learning so much about the work as much as myself. I found that I really enjoy a challenge and mastering it. 

I'm by no means an expert (yet) but I do feel my skill level has increased dramatically with each job I’ve done. Seats are easier than the back as they are smaller and have less distance between the front and back, or left to right as the case may be. Although curved seats are much more challenging, they’re not too bad. The most difficult part of caning is around the arms, since it’s quite congested there and harder to pull the cane through those tight holes. 

It is vital that each and every pre-drilled hole is completely free of the old cane, as this can affect the process of pulling the new cane through them. The best way to do this right is to prepare each chair well and you’ll be in good shape. I personally do not like staining or painting caning as I feel it can damage the natural fibers over time and break them down much faster than letting them age naturally. This chair required a 2.75mm cane, which is considered medium, and a bit thicker and stronger than the 2.0mm I used most recently. It is easier to work on the binding as it pushes through all the previously caned holes with ease. My small needle-nose pliers work well to assist with this and the small awl is a necessary tool to pull the cane through from bottom to top. I’m satisfied with the results and more importantly, so was my customer.

Check out the previous similar Bentwood rocking I caned last year by clicking on this link:

http://finalefurniture.blogspot.com/2019/09/maple-rocking-chair-refinished-with-new.html

Little Black Chess Piece Table

Chess Piece
Table Before

This little gem is another furniture item to add to our collection of painted black tables. As like the previous posting, our customer had envisioned this table being stripped and stained, but like the last table the wood beneath the gray paint was simply not stainable. It was splotchy and had absorbed the paint into the wood grain. There were two coats of paint on this table, black then gray on top of the black. It was also never primed, which contributed to the discoloration of the

Chess Piece
Table After

wood, making it not stainable. 

So, black was chosen once again as the color choice because it is popular for modern life and matches everything. This little gem was only about 16” in diameter and only about 24” tall, so not very big but big enough to keep a lamp or set down a cup of coffee. 

Needless to say the stripping process was intense and took a couple of days to remove all that paint enough for it to be properly primed and prepared to receive the new paint, which for this table we chose to spray on since it was late summer. We generally can’t paint in the colder months because it’s just too cold and the spray painting doesn’t work very well in cold weather. The finished black table was outstanding and made a huge difference. I told Jim I think the table looked like a large chess piece because of the interesting detail on the underside of the top, lending it a chess piece look. Very cute and very functional, this little chess piece table is once again a nice addition to the customer’s room.

Table Re-painted in Beautiful Black

Table Before

We mostly prefer stripping furniture to reveal the beautiful wood beneath and then stain it as it would have been done naturally, but it doesn’t always work out that way and there’s a good reason why the furniture was painted instead of being stained. This antique folding table was a prime example of why painting is better than stain as it would not accept stain. The reason was that it was made up of different types of wood and most of the paint had penetrated the wood’s surface, therefore making it not stain-worthy. Luckily our customer understood the situation and opted for paint instead.

Table After

We stripped this table as we do most other furniture items with stripper and plenty of elbow grease. Once the table was completely stripped, each area then gets carefully sanded to remove as much rough surface as possible. This prepares the piece for the next step, primer. Any time you have raw wood, primer is a must do as raw wood will soak up all the paint if it is not primed first. You can purchase paint with primer in it, but we prefer these processes to be kept separate because we find it gives us better results and a smoother finished surface. 

You generally don’t need polyurethane on a painted item unless it will be used outdoors, but then you would be better off using outdoor paint. Adding polyurethane or lacquer to a painted item will over time turn it yellow. Just a little piece of advice to keep in mind...

While we can paint furniture in any color the customer chooses, as this is a personal preference, but black seems to be the most popular colors because it is neutral and versatile and looks great when accompanied with brass accents such as this table’s feet. We always clean the hardware and additional accents such as brass feet on tables or hinges, because it finishes the piece nicely, giving it “bling,” as well as a fresher look. 

This table had two fold-out leaves, which doubled its size, making it a great table to use when you need more seating. Its compact size made it easy to store when not being used for a dining table and can instead be used as an accessory table. The classic black was a great choice and kept the original integrity of the table in addition to giving it a fresh, new appearance that will look great for decades.

Newly Caned Dining Chair

 

Cane Chair Before

    My caning abilities are really being tested these days, but the

Cane Chair After

more caning I do, the easier it becomes and the more enjoyable. I’ve rounded another curve in my progress and have become more than just sufficient, in fact, I'm pretty darn good at it. This exquisite dining chair was likely the last survivor of a six to eight set of predecessors, therefore it deserved special treatment and caning done right. 

    This chair had been caned many years prior and had been broken, likely by a knee or a child that used it as a way to sneak cookies out of grandma’s cupboard. Cane gets brittle after so many years, therefore it is vulnerable to breakage as it ages. My choice to keep the cane original (not stain it) is to add years of service to the chair by allowing it to age naturally.

    This chair was “strand caned,” meaning the cane comes in 6’-8’ lengths, then carefully woven, one strand at a time through pre-drilled holes surrounding the chair’s seat. It’s a labor intensive process, both in removing the old cane as well as weaving the new cane. Cane comes in various widths from very fine 2mm to medium 3mm or larger sizes 4mm and up. It’s important to determine the size of the cane in relationship to the holes, or it becomes very difficult the further you get into the process if the cane is too large since you will be pulling many strands through the same holes over and over due to the nature of the weaving. While the caning process is repetitious, each chair is unique in the way it is woven to accommodate the shape of that particular chair. 

    This chair had a curved seat, wider in the front than in the back, therefore it was necessary to double up the strands in some holes and omit others for that direction. The most difficult part of the chair was near the arms, because the cane moves around them beneath the chair so getting the cane to slide through those holes was tricky. Having the right tools is essential as they make the difference between a mediocre job and an excellent one. Strand caning is done is six parts; front to back, left to right, front to back again, diagonal one direction then diagonal in the opposite direction and finally, binding. When you first begin weaving, you use caning pegs (see photo below) to keep the cane in place. Eventually the cane becomes tight so they are no longer needed. 

    The very last step is the tie off the cut cane beneath the chair by tucking it up under the loops created by the weave then tie them tightly prior to snipping off their ends. It was really a nice looking chair one the new cane was in place.

Caning pegs hold cane in place
during weaving process

Antique Oak High Chair

    

High Chair Before

    The very nature of a chair’s construction makes it quite time consuming

High Chair After

to work on. When a chair has spindles with curves and detail, the time spent stripping is even more time consuming than a relatively simple style. But the very best part of restoring any chair is the finished product, which always amazes me because of the drastic difference between how it comes to us and how it looks when it is restored. Yup, chairs are a lot of work, but the outcome is always worthwhile and successful.     

    A high chair such as this one was once used for a great-grandfather whom would have been seated in while his mother fed him mashed carrots. Needless to say if this chair could speak, oh what stories it would tell! Unfortunately, the most obvious story was that it was in need of restoration and repair. The seat was held together by panty hose (which works well in a pinch!)

    The center portion of the seat had split directly in the center as well as a minor split closer to the side. Therefore in addition to refinishing, it needed to be repaired first. The best way to achieve this and do it properly, was to take it apart, partially. Once it was separated all the way, it was cleaned and re-glued, then clamped overnight so that the glue would do its job and mend the splits. If this is done properly, the glue will hold for many years to come (providing a high school student that had long since outgrown the chair didn’t intend to sit on it!)

    After the chair was strong and secure again, the slow and tedious process of stripping and sanding was next. There are no shortcuts when it comes to stripping a chair, any chair. It simply takes a long time because chairs have a LOT of surface area. This chair had such pretty grain that had been hiding under many years of use. When this is stripped and sanded away, that original grain shines through, giving the chair a new life by revealing its original beauty. We selected “gunstock” stain and a satin finish for this high chair. I absolutely love the way the chair turned out! Once again structurally sound and the gorgeous wood revealed, this chair is ready for another century of being a family heirloom.

Check out the other high chair we’ve done by clicking on this link: https://finalefurniture.blogspot.com/2020/06/height-chair-before-height-chair-after.html

Oak Table for Church Services

Oak Table Before

This was a beautiful oak table hiding beneath years of usage. Used in a local church, this table’s place was at the front of the church used in their Sunday services as a communion table. It had been covered with a white tablecloth that hid the lovely carving (which you cannot see in the “before” photo. The top of the table had lots of wear and some water damage, but luckily it was superficial and mostly on the surface, not beneath the wood’s fibers. Therefore a good stripping and sanding process removed the unsightly stains and damage to reveal the original gorgeous oak hidden by years of normal wear. 

Table After

The table’s bottom cross piece, which was connected only with dowels, had come apart and was spinning wildly during transport. This was the first order of business, to repair that loose cross piece to stabilize the table and keep it from shifting again. To achieve this, we drilled two holes on each end of the underside of the board with a pocket screw assembly, then screwed it tightly after applying a generous amount of wood glue to the end cap. 

After clamping the sides together, the center board was again secure and super strong and won’t come apart anytime soon. (We always make any repairs prior to the refinishing process). Once the center board was dried and secured, we stripped and sanded the entire table, revealing the lovely carving which read, “This do in remembrance of me.” 

We chose “gunstock” as a stain color, which is a gorgeous golden rust with red tones. It’s my new favorite stain color as of this year and we’ve used it many times as it works for any type of wood. Followed up with four coats of satin polyurethane on the top and three coats on the rest of the table, this lovely oak piece will glorify the church and its services for many years to come.

Large Leather Trunk Coffee Table

Large Leather Trunk Coffee Table

Our customers can get very creative when they transform the use of an item of furniture into something else, i.e.: a large trunk to be used as a coffee table. This is one such example. This trunk was delivered to us from New York, where our customer had purchased it online. The trunk had a leather exterior over wood with leather corners, nails and two wood accent straps on the top. It also weighed about 200 lbs.! Wow!

The caveat was that he had wanted us to install legs to raise it up a bit. Great idea! Unfortunately, this trunk was super heavy and adding legs wouldn’t allow it to be moved without possibly damaging the legs, so I suggested instead of adding stubby legs, we install casters. This was a great alternative, because it made it much more mobile than any legs would have done. This trunk measured around 58” x 42”, a good size for any purpose. The first photo shows the back of the trunk prior to the casters and the second photo shows the front of the trunk with faux buckles and front latch, which was for cosmetic display only as the trunk didn’t open from the top as a traditional trunk would. Instead, it had two side drawers with two leather pulls on each side for handy storage. Ultimately, it was a nice looking trunk which required a set of wheels and a good leather balm to freshen it up.

Early 1800’s Historical Filing Cabinet

Filing Cabinet Before

Filing Cabinet After

Working on antiques is one of the most rewarding aspects of our business. There’s a certain thrill to work on something that has been through a century or more and wonder what stories it could tell.

This filing cabinet was purchased in Virginia from an auction and paperwork stated it had once belonged to the son of Robert E. Lee. Since he has three sons and four daughters, we do not know which son it belonged to, of one of them had owned it. That’s so interesting! Knowing that a historical figure had once used this oak filing cabinet is a pretty cool piece of knowledge.

This cabinet was actually comprised of five modular sections, each setting on top of the other, fitting securely with specially fitted center boards that kept each section from moving while in use. The top section had many smaller drawers that were likely used for time cards which were likely stacked so they could be easily accessed.

The next three levels each had three drawers with uniquely positioned handles that were installed vertically, compared to modern file cabinets’ horizontally mounted handles. These handles were pitted steel and our customer had wanted to keep the entire unit as original as possible, so we left them un-polished, but cleaned them up.

For the wood, we used boiled linseed oil to rejuvenate and freshen it up. This also adds moisture that aging removes, preserving the wood for years to come. We adjusted and repaired a few broken areas, but all in all this cabinet system was in pretty great shape considering it was used in the early 1800’s. The bottom row had four smaller drawers with “scoop” handles, made of brass. Once everything was tightened, cleaned and put back together, the cabinet was still original but functional and sturdy. It will likely last another 175 years.

New Front Door

Door Before

Door After

A front door is most important feature of your home. It keeps out weather, makes a home secure, invites people inside and is a representation of the people living in the home. Therefore, a front door should be well maintained, weatherproof and attractive as well as functional. This front door had been exposed to the elements and over time it became weathered and worn. (We took the photo on our work table so we don’t have a “before” of the door in the home, but our customer sent us the “after picture.

The interior was in great shape, but the exterior needed the most attention. However, upon closer inspection, the interior had been affected by the exterior’s wear because the door had warped, therefore the trim surrounding each panel was lifting enough so that one could get a decent scratch at the least and broken or missing pieces which would be not easy to replace. Before we could start on the exterior, we needed to address the interior’s warping issue by carefully removing the “lifted” trim and sanding each piece down just enough so they could “curve" with the warped panel and would lie flat again. Then we could refinish the weathered front. This door was solid oak and weighed a ton. The door knocker was brass along, with the handle/lock, which carried a hefty price tag (quality costs money!) This door was begging to be made handsome once again. 

Because of the amount of trim and the narrow passages between the trim. stripping was intensely tedious and took a lot longer than expected (it always does!) Stripping took several days and sanding a few more. Since this was our customer’s front door (he literally didn’t have a front door for a week, other than the storm door), we needed to move as quickly as time would allow. We used a variety of hand tools in addition to the much-used orbital sander. Our favorite hand tools are a set of wood carving tools that allow us to get into the nooks and crannies and corners, so we can remove the residue that is left by stripping the old stain and varnish. Once that’s done, lots and lots of sanding prior to the fun part, staining. For this door we used golden oak stain which matched the existing interior color perfectly. To protect the exterior, we applied three coats of satin polyurethane. Once the finely crafted brass hardware was reinstalled, the door was complete, looking brand new again.

Rocking Chair Goes From Rubbish to Royalty

Rocker Before

Rocker After

Everyone’s heard the phrase, “One man’s trash is another man’s treasure. ”Indeed, this seems to be the case for many old pieces of furniture as well as a ton of other interesting finds at flea markets, garage sales and estate sales. The fun is the hunt, the pursuit of finding that special “gem” that everybody else overlooked or simply didn’t want.

Other times people find something in grandpa’s attic that they really don’t want to deal with, so they toss it out. Sometimes it goes to a land fill, other times it gets another chance and life when someone sees the beauty hidden beneath layers of grime, old fabric (or in this case, missing fabric in the back), and broken springs that once held up the seat.

Rocker Back Before

Rocker Back After

This very old rocking chair was one of the lucky ones which got rescued and brought to us. It was indeed quite the challenge because it didn’t have anything but a big hole in the back rest where the fabric once was, with little to go by on how it was constructed. But first things first. Strip, sand and stain before anything else. But in addition to the standard stripping and staining, this chair needed new rocker rungs, because the original ones were broken and barely held together with rusty screws. There was no saving them.

It’s hard to know how old this rocking chair was, but when hay or horsehair is used, it’s a sign to be pretty old. My guess would be this chair dates to the mid to late 1800’s based on its overall construction. Rusty tacks held in what we believe to be leather, which was wrapped around the top of the chair and held in place at the top, bottom and sides with those tacks. The seat looked like it had been reupholstered back in the 1920’s and not updated since then. It was really, really old and pretty hideous. The bones of the chair was good, solid oak and quite heavy. It had springs that had long ago sprung loose of their rope that held them beneath the seat cushion which was also almost gone. Needless to say, we had our work cut out for us.

Side View Before

Side View After

Jim did a fine job stripping the chair, then making the new rocker rungs before it could be stained and finished with polyurethane. Making the rungs was extremely difficult because he had to make a template to trace the old ones onto then cut the new ones with a special router bit that was much deeper than the standard size to accommodate the thicker oak he was using. After lots of sweat and a few choice words, we got it done! Finally he could attach them to the bottom of the chair and finish the process of staining and protecting with poly. Once it was all done and dry enough, then it was my turn.

The seat came first. I measured and cut the 2” thick high density foam and made it fit the new seat which was made of durable wood instead of springs. Once the foam was in place, I added two layers of quilt batting to the top of the foam for extra softness. A very dark gray vinyl was chosen for the seat cover, so I made a template then cut the vinyl to fit snugly into the chair’s arm rest in the front and uppers in the back. Going around the wood in the corners is the toughest part because you want to eliminate the bulk without cutting away too much fabric, therefore a template is essential to get it right. Once I had it taut, I started with each side, adding a tack to hold it in place then worked my ay around the entire seat, cutting carefully and trimming the extra so it would fit well. I added tacks along the entire bottom edge on all four sides. It looked great! Then came the real tough part....the back.

First I had to attach 4” jute chair webbing horizontally and vertically on the opening of the back, to securely hold the foam and fabric in place. Once this was done, I placed a 54” x 22” continuous piece of 1/2” foam and wrapped it around the top of the chair, attaching it to the front and back bottom edges with temporary tacks. I had two layers on the front and an additional thicker foam on the back to fill in the large gap created by the open area of the chair. Once I was satisfied with the placement of the foam, I kept the edges from moving around by using my trusty glue gun. Then I prepared the fabric. I needed a 21.5" x 50” section of fabric. After I cut the size, allowing for folded edges and a generous seam allowance on the bottom, I attached the fabric to the front and back bottom edges first, then added temporary tacks about 6” apart along the sides to keep the fabric taut. Next and final step, carefully nailing in the decorative nickel tacks, I started on the backside, then carefully worked my way up and over to the front side, finished with the bottom front. Adding fabric to a chair that you have no reference as to how it was done prior is quite challenging, but can be achieved by applying techniques you acquire along the way. This chair made a complete 180 from how it started, from rubbish to royalty, fit for a king. Now it can live another 150 years.

Below are the photos that my customer had sent to me asking if this chair can be refinished. I knew it would be a real challenge, but a challenge both of us were up to.

Original Photo from Customer

Original Photo from Customer

Back top original photo

Mid-Century Modern Coffee Table

Coffee Table Before

It was not uncommon for a coffee table such as this to be used in households across the country during the 1950’s-1960’s. They usually had a top and a lower shelf where people would store their T.V. guides (which have become obsolete) as well as books, magazines and other keep close items. This maple table was likely used in a living room to serve multiple functions.

Coffee Table After

But like many items of furniture that are used on a daily basis, this table had also experienced wear and staining over the years and needed some TLC to bring it back to its original glory.

The first step in most restoration and refinishing projects such as this is a thorough stripping with liquid stripper and lots of elbow grease to remove the debris from the stripper and the old finishes that come off in a goopy and sticky mess. (It’s handy to keep plenty of empty margarine and cream cheese containers handy for this purpose).

Stripping and sanding is always long and tedious, but necessary process to remove all the previous layers of grime. Once this had been achieved, we give it a good sanding so it will accept the new stain. This table had a lovely brass decorative accent border on the top. We chose to remove this so it didn’t get damaged during the refinishing process, then cleaned it up later prior to re-applying it. This is the jewelry of the furniture as it sets off the finished piece and makes it look great. We opted for golden pecan stain with a satin polyurethane to protect its finish. Most table tops receive three coats of poly for extra durability. This table had delicate legs which was a sign of great craftsmanship and the fine art of mid-century modern furniture.