Twin Rocking Chairs Makeover

Rocking Chair After

Rocking Chair Before

This was a dual set of identical rocking chairs which ended up being painted instead of being refinished and stained. They came to us without cushions, just an old seat covering and broken springs. Jim worked his magic by first sanding and priming the chairs before painting them. Then it was my turn.

To modify and update these twin chairs, I used jute webbing instead of springs for the center opening on the seat area. This worked very well and will do the job of sustaining comfort and support. This is a commonly used method for this application. The customer chose a lovely dark blue/gray color and matching plaid fabric which looked great. 

I designed and sewed two sets of cushions for these chairs, one for the seat and one for the backrest. The seat cushion had a 2" foam for support and comfort while the back was filled with soft fiberfill used for chair stuffing. I liked this choice because it made for a very comfortable backrest with adequate support. 

For an added elegant touch, I chose satin buttons to decorate the back cushions, evenly spaced for an aesthetic appeal. For the skirting I used my ruffle foot on my sewing machine which created evenly space ruffles all the way around the 60" perimeter of the seat. This was the perfect finishing touch for the chairs.

Antique Rocking Chair Reupholstered

Rocking Chair
Before

This was an antique rocking chair which my customer had refinished prior to my

Rocking Chair
After

receiving it to be reupholstered. The customer had selected a light weave material which looked great with the dark stain on the mahogany wood. The springs were in pretty good condition, so they didn't require to be re-tied. I covered the springs with upholstery burlap, a normal procedure for this type of chair. (The customer supplied the "before" photo since they did the refinishing and I did the upholstery only).

The wood was in great shape and the chair was sturdy and well preserved. The material was a linen weave in a light cream color, well suited to the color of the stain selected by my customer. I finished off the chair with welt cording on the front and rear seat portion for a touch of elegance and style.

Caned Chairs Repaired

Caned Chair After
w/repaired seat

Caned Chair Before
w/broken seat

Caned chairs are a nice addition to a home because they add a customized, textured touch with their hand caned seats. Unfortunately, they are easily damaged when someone tries to stand on them or can be damaged with a knee placed strategically in the center of the seat itself, which results in broken cane. 

These two caned chairs were strand caned, therefore each seat is hand woven with individual strands of very long caning, a natural product grown in warm climates, such as southeast Asia,  including Malaysia, China, Singapore and the Philippines. History shows that caning is an ancient craft dating back to Egyptian times.

This natural cane originates in the Rattan family, which is a wild creeping vine that grows freely in these countries. The outer bark is stripped away, leaving a shiny exterior bark. This is used for chair caning. The strands used in this style of caning can be up to 12 feet long. Each strand is then carefully woven through the holes on the outer edge of the chair's seat (and back) and follows a specific pattern to create the finished caned seat. The weaving process is time-consuming and can take 2-4 days to complete one chair. 

The first chair in this pair has a larger seat area than the second chair, so it took a bit longer to complete. Caned chairs can be painted or stained, but I don't recommend it because it dries out the natural caning, which ultimately makes it weaker and more apt to become damaged. 

Chair After
w/repaired seat

Chair Before
w/broken seat

Caning can also be done in a "press-in" manner, which differs because the caning is purchased as a pre-fabricated, woven section and pressed into a channel cut into the seat with a spline that secures the caning tightly into the opening. It is important to pre-soak the caning for at least an hour before it is pliable to press into the opening of the seat. 

No matter what form of caning chair you choose to furnish your home with, it is going to create a warm, inviting touch showing the natural fibers of the caning as well as the craftsmanship of the person who created it.

Bookshelves Refinished after Fire Damage

Bookshelf 1 after

Bookshelf 1 before

This is one of four bookshelves that had been damaged in a house fire. The top had suffered smoke and water damage. The surface was charred and in need of stripping as well as deep sanding to revive the surface areas. This bookshelf was made out of oak, so luckily it sanded nicely and the damaged areas were brought to their original beauty. Jim chose Ipswich Pine stain for all the bookshelves, which proved to be a great choice. Protecting the newly refinished surface, he used satin polyurethane to give it a nice, smooth finish.

Bookshelf 2 after

Bookshelf 2 before

This is the second bookshelf that had been damaged in a fire. The top was in rough condition but the shelves weren't terrible. It too required deep sanding and a liberal application of stripper. Because of the extensive damage to the top, Jim needed to trim away the decorative top edge and leave it with flat front and sides, which gave this bookshelf a more contemporary look.

Bookshelf 3 before

Bookshelf 3 after

Jim was able to save the top of this bookshelf as well as the one below it. What a huge difference stripping and sanding makes! There is more fire damaged furniture soon for Jim to work on. As soon as it is complete, I will post it here.

Bookshelf 4 before

Bookshelf 4 after

Drum Table Refinished

Drum Table After

Drum Table Before

Many people have owned or seen a drum table such as this one. Still in usable condition, this little table had seen better days. This was a smaller version of previous drum tables we have refinished and was only about 16" in diameter, a perfect size to set in a corner for an accent table which can hold a decorative item such as a vase or showpiece of art. 

The little drawer had a unique lion head brass drawer pull which had oxidized over the years so it was barely visible. Yup, this table required a bit of beautification and refinishing.

Jim carefully stripped, sanded and stained this drum table with a customized mix of blended stains to best bring out the lovely mahogany color, showing off the hidden woodgrain. Having only three legs, this table also had brass feet which were practically invisible because like the lion head drawer pull, they too had oxidized and darkened. 

The brass lion head and feet were also polished to remove the oxidation and once again showing off the beauty of the original brass which looked terrific with the newly refinished table. Once the table had been refinished and all brass work polished, it once again looked as beautiful as it had so many years ago after its original construction and will look good for another 75 or 100 years for future generations to enjoy.

Outdated Ottoman Upgrade

Ottoman After

Ottoman Before

Worn and threadbare, this ottoman had seen better days. The original material had a quilted top and at one time was very fashionable, however after many years of use, it needed a major upgrade with new material. 

The seams were barely held together with stitching that had long since deteriorated, with the cushion pushing through an opening created by the torn material. This was a Queen Anne style ottoman, with traditional curved wooden legs, commonly seen on this style of furniture.

This ottoman proved to be a complex upholstery job, because of the way the top cushion had been attached to the underside of the cushion's section. There simply wasn't any way to install a cushion in this type of application without having some sort of access to it, like a zipper. Through extensive removal of staples along with the original material, I discovered that sure enough, there was a zipper on the underside of the cushion. The adjoining sections were attached to the zippered section, then all were stretched as one unit over the ottoman starting from the top and continuing all the way to the bottom edge and secured with staples. I added three rows of cording as was in the original design, which gave the update ottoman the final classic finish it deserved. 

My customer had provided the fabric which was a nice geometric design on a blue background. The fabric was great to work with and durable enough to last many years to come. 

Solid Cedar Chest Refinished

Cedar Chest After

Cedar Chest Before

A family heirloom such as this can become worn and scratched over the years, because it has been used by many people for various purposes. However, with the proper care and refinishing a lovely cedar chest such as this one can once again claim its rightful place among the precious memories it held for its previous generations.

This was a solid cedar chest with a brass latch closure on the front and brass accents on the top with decorative nails in each corner. In order to do the job correctly, Jim removed the brass accents on the top and polished them, replacing the old nails with new ones that contrasted nicely with the freshly polished brass. The interior was in immaculate condition, so it required no restoration. Sometimes the interiors of cedar chests have broken elements, such as a pull-out hinged shelf. In that case the hinge would have to be replaced and the shelf repaired. (We actually have a cedar chest with this feature). 

Since cedar chests can be very detailed or relatively simple in design such as this one was, they still have distinguishing features that differentiate them from others. This one had nice curved leg bottoms with a rosette design on the front. The soft curves are a nice contrast to the straight lines of the overall furniture. The front of this cedar chest had a brass latch to match the brass corner accents on the top of the chest. Over the years the locks are usually gone or have been removed to protect children from being locked inside. It's always nice to have the original hardware when refinishing a cedar chest or any other piece of furniture since finding the exact same hardware can be quite a challenge, but oh so gratifying when you do find it!

After Jim stripped and sanded this cedar chest and all the hardware was polished, he used a "natural" stain which is practically clear and protected it with two coats of satin polyurethane. The transformation was impressive and once again this cedar chest became a treasured heirloom to welcome future generations.

To see more cedar chests, please click on the links below:

https://finalefurniture.blogspot.com/2019/11/solid-cedar-chest.html
https://finalefurniture.blogspot.com/2016/08/1948-lane-cedar-chest_22.html
https://finalefurniture.blogspot.com/2015/04/elegant-cedar-chest-revival.html
https://finalefurniture.blogspot.com/2013/12/1945-lane-waterfall-cedar-chest.html
https://finalefurniture.blogspot.com/2012/06/my-waterfall-cedar-chest.html

Fireplace Mantel Revival

Mantel After

Mantel Before

This was an awesome looking mantel which the customer had purchased to update his fireplace. Unfortunately, someone else did the refinishing and didn't wipe off the stain, so the surface wasn't up to par. It required extensive stripping with attention to detail in removing the excess stain in the crevices of the corbels. 

The mantel was made from oak, but the corbels may have been a different wood since they accepted the stain much darker than the mantel itself, therefore left a variance in color. It actually looked pretty good once it had been finished and installed by the customer. Sometimes the finishing touch is the installation which makes the entire job look effortless, despite the amount of work involved in achieving it. Jim had to separate the corbels from the mantel while working on it to get better access to each piece. This is a better way to achieve great results when stripping multiple pieces. Once everything was stripped completely, he sanded the surfaces so they would accept the new stain. The end result was a much nicer, updated mantel which looked great with the new brick fireplace surround ad hearth.
 

Old Rocking Chair Revival

Rocking Chair After

Rocking Chair Before

Some projects go very smoothly. This rocking chair was not one of them since it was in dire straits. The arms were shredded and there was a large hole on the right top of the seat. The rocking chair was over 45 years old and had seen a lot of use, possibly damaged from a dog as well. Indeed, it was time for an upholstery revival on this old rocking chair.

The seat cushion was badly worn and the foam was so flat it wasn't able to support you properly. Originally a 3" cushion, the old cushion had been reduced to about 1-1/2 to 2". I had a brand new T-cushion made then designed a brand new cushion cover with the new material. It turned out perfectly. T-cushions can be tricky especially with top and bottom welt cording, which I used for this cushion. The curve-around zipper makes it easy to slip over the foam. Once that was complete, I tackled the back portion.

Unlike other chairs I've done, this one had a separate cushion on the front half but it was stitched to the inner back panel with the back section wrapped around the top and sides of the chair and attached to the interior of the back and sides. This made the removal process extremely difficult and as I soon found out as I progressed with the removal of the old material, it was apparent that this factory style method of construction would be impossible to duplicate. 

This turned out to be a typical catch 22 situation; during fabric stripping, I had to remove each section to learn how it was assembled, but when the time came to stitch it back together, I couldn't replicate the exact method as it was put together, since it had been taken apart to use for templates. Even with detailed markings, numbering and many photos, I found it simply wasn't possible to recreate the original construction, so I chose to build this rocking chair by building loose cushions for both the seat as well as the back. My preferred method had a couple of great advantages. It made the project's assembly much more efficient, because with loose cushions as opposed to attached, they can be easily dry-cleaned, plus the cushions can be reversed for even wear. Finally, the overstuffed cushions were really comfortable. Bonus!

I padded the backing and covered it with fabric front and back after replacing the original, insufficient webbing.  They had only three strips and I replaced those with four. Much stronger and more support. The under spring assembly was also covered with thin foam and finished off with the floral material. Edge rolls were used for comfortable seating. Once the structure was all done and the cushions in place, it fit together perfectly.

The customer selected a lovely floral pattern which was a far cry from the original outdated and worn material which had seen better days. The bones of the chair were very good, strong and stable, so with the newly upholstered material, this chair should last for many years to come.

Oak Rocking Chair Refinished

Rocking Chair Before

This solid oak rocking chair had seen some wear and needed minor repairs, but

Rocking Chair After

otherwise in great condition. The arms had the most wear, which is not uncommon as they get plenty of use and the oils from our hands tend to wear down the wood finishes on furniture, especially chairs.

The chair was heavy as it was solid wood. Once the refinishing was complete, the woodgrain became much more visible on the chair. Usually, aged furniture hides the lovely woodgrain beneath the years of grim and wear, so a good strip and a new stain application with the polyurethane to protect it, this is a great way to restore the original finish and bring it back to life.

Approximately thirty years old, this rocking chair was still very durable and had plenty of usage left and since it was refinished with patience and dedication, it will last a long time.

Antique Mahogany Parlor Chair

Parlor Chair Before

Parlor Chair After

This was a small, mahogany parlor chair in need of some TLC. It had a few broken sections which Jim was able to repair and then touch it up since the finish was in good condition. Touching up a piece of furniture is a less expensive alternative to a total stripping and refinishing, which involves completely removing the old stain down to bare wood and applying new stain and polyurethane.

This chair had nice carvings on the backrest with Queen Anne style legs. The seat was in pretty bad condition, so the springs had to be removed and retied on a new webbing bottom. 

My customer had selected fabric from one of my previous jobs, a lovely gold diamond design on burgundy material, which was perfect for this style of chair. What was once a nice cushion was completely gone, so after the springs were retied, I secured them with burlap which keeps the springs securely in place and allows for a nice construction of the other materials that followed. 

After the burlap was on, I added three layers of raw cotton to make the seat nice and fluffy, followed by three layers of dacron, which is a soft batting that adds comfort and bounce to the seat. The final step was attaching the gorgeous material and finish it off with a double welt cord that follows the bottom edge of the seat.

Small enough to stash in a corner and perfect for additional seating, this parlor chair is a perfect addition to any dining room, adding beauty as well as function. 

Worn, Sturdy Chair Gets Facelift

Chair After

Chair Before

This worn chair was in rough shape when it came to me. Although it was quite sturdy, the exterior was in need of a major facelift. The chair had taken a beating by an overzealous dog which had chewed up the left seat section, showing exposed springs. 

The chair had once been a light tan material but had darkened with use and age as the fabric was quite worn out. This was an extremely heavy chair with a strong frame and lots of springs which gave it plenty of bounce. Springs feel good in a chair only when they are not poking through it!

The first step involved in this massive project was removing the old material and documenting (literally) each step as I carefully pulled staples and nails out of each section of the chair. This type of chair has several areas and each one has a specific methodology to put together as well as take apart. Taking it apart is exactly the opposite of building it, which means that I had to remove the center, left and right outer sections first, before tackling the interior seating area. This process is vital to assembling all these components when reupholstering the chair, since I used the original fabric to make templates for the new fabric, which was a blue seat with plaid top and backing, making this a unique, two-tone chair.