How I Fixed a Broken Cane Chair

So broken cane chairs are super easy to find while thrifting right? Do you want to learn how to take an old broken chair and update it into something modern and amazing?

 

Lots of times I will see a pair that has one that is in perfect condition and the other one will look like it lived at Freddy Kruger’s house. So frustrating.

I have been on the hunt for one that was shredded for months and of course I could only find perfectly fine ones…

Anyways when I finally found this one I was SOOOO excited!

I mean how do these things happen?

Moving on.

First what you need to do is take off all of your upholstery.  If the cushion is not immediately removable don’t worry there are screws underneath the back fabric under the chair.

This welting was stapled to the chair which makes for less sewing which I love!

Next its time to take all of the caning off. There is a long skinny piece that finishes it off and covers the staples that you will need to take off first.

Then you will need to pull out the staples that hold the caning in.

This is a very messy removal so I was glad that I did it outside.

Also somehow I don’t have a pic of the chair after the caning removal…not quite sure how that happened!

If you are going to paint this is the time to do so!  On the Epic Room Makeover chair I painted it Krylon’s Emerald Green.  It turned out the perfect shade of bright green.

Now for the really fun part.

I used black stripe upholstery webbing for the sides.  You can get red stripe anywhere from Joann’s to Walmart but to get the black stripe you will need to get it from an upholstery supplier.

Start out by stapling strips of it vertically on your chair.  Secure the top of it well but only put one staple in the bottom. (I tried it with the ends loose and it was easier to weave when the bottom is secure)

 

When you are stapling on the top make sure that it is as close to the groove as possible. I did mine right below it.

 

Don’t judge my fingernails.

Then you are going to start weaving pieces horizontally. Start on the BACK of the chair.  Secure with 3-4 staples.

 

Tack the end with ONE staple below the groove.

On my second row I had to work in another vertical piece but it had to be woven and stapled one row at a time.  See how I had to staple it under row 2 and staple it over row 3?

 

 

Once all of your rows are woven take you stapler and secure all of your webbing.  Make sure you do this neatly and as close to your groove as possible because if the staples are too low they wont be covered by the nail head trim.  Then I took a rotary cutter and rolled it inside the groove to trim all the excess.

 

Up next is the upholstery.  Take your cushions apart.

 

Use your cushion fabric as a template so you know where to cut.  I ALWAYS cut it extra big cause you can trim it off.  And when you are tufting you need extra fabric.

 

Then I took my cushion and marked where the tufting buttons are supposed to go.

 

I had buttons covered at an upholstery shop (cause it is right down the street from my parents house and it was WAYYYY easier than doing it myself.) Most shops will charge you around $.40 a button.  The buttons I used are like giant brads. You insert them through your fabric and cushion and then spread apart the metal prongs.

 

As you are doing it make sure its lining up right and tufting it with the same pressure.

Then you are going to put the wooden frame under your cushion and staple the fabric to it.

When you take the top cushion apart you will notice that there are 2 parts.  The actual cushion and then a back piece that makes it so you cant see the back of the cushion.

Start with this part first.  When you are stapling make sure your fabric is extra tight and smooth.  When you have it stapled trim the extra.

 

When you are stapling your cushion on make sure that you shape the fabric around it before you staple.  See how the sides have the fabric wrapped around it a little?

 

Trim it as close as you can, it will give you a much cleaner finished piece.

 

One of the cutest thing about this chair is the nailhead trim.  I used the cheater version…don’t hate me.  It is a long continuous piece. I bought it from DIY upholstery supply.

 

See the one with the hole?  You put an actual nailhead in there… so instead of nailing every single nailhead in you are only nailing in every 5!!  Saves SOO much time and its always straight!

Can you tell which ones are the “fakes”?

When you get to a corner cut your strip down so that the one with the hole is at the beginning and start again.  If you have to fill a few spots with the real nailheads go right ahead!!

Almost done!!

To trim out the white cushions I used welting.  Super easy to make and covers all your staples!

I used 1/2 inch welting.  I cut my fabric into 2.5 inch strip.

Then using your zipper foot on your sewing machine sew in your cording.

 

Trim off the extra and bust out your glue gun! Glue your trim along the edge of your cushion

 

 

Put you bottom cushion on and you are DONEZO!

So what do you think?  Will you try it? 

Click over to see the rest of the Room Makeover if you havent already!