How to cane
Plain, step-by-step guides for pressed cane, hand caning, seat weaving and repairs.
How-to
Basket weaving for beginners: your first reed basket
Weave a first round basket on a wooden base: which reed sizes to buy, how to soak it, set the stakes, weave the sides and finish with a simple border.
How to cane a curved or round seat with pressed cane
Pressed cane on round bentwood seats and curved chair backs: cutting the sheet, wedging from the center, soaking and keeping the weave straight.
How to cut a spline groove with a router and straight bit
Rout a spline groove into a new or assembled frame with a straight bit, a template and guide bushing or an edge guide. Find the depth on scrap first.
How to re-lace a zero gravity chair with new cords
Replace stretched or snapped bungee laces on a zero gravity recliner: count the old cords, cut them one at a time, thread, tension and knot the new ones.
How to make a cane headboard: framed panel or DIY frame
Two ways to a cane headboard: order a framed panel, or build a frame and staple cane from a wide roll. Widths by bed size and how to mount it.
How to remove old spline and cane without damaging the groove
Score the spline, soften the glue with warm water or vinegar, lift it out with a caning chisel, then clean the groove and measure it for new spline.
How to repair natural rattan and wicker furniture
Fix indoor rattan and wicker: identify the material, replace broken weavers and spokes with soaked reed, glue loose joints and split poles, and clean it.
How to replace a patio chair sling
Replace the fabric seat of an aluminum sling chair: measure the frame and old sling, free one rail, slide in the new sling with spline and bolt it tight.
How to replace vinyl straps on patio chairs
Re-strap an aluminum patio chair: measure each strap with its wrap, cut it shorter, soften it in hot water, punch the ends and rivet it tight.
How to restring a patio chair with vinyl lacing
Re-lace a mid-century patio chair with oval vinyl cord: count the wraps, soften the cord in hot water, fasten the start, wrap tight, finish underneath.
How to reupholster a drop-in chair seat
Re-cover a dining chair drop-in seat: strip it, fix the base, cut foam and batting, stretch the fabric, fold neat corners and add a dust cover.
How to reweb a chair seat with elastic webbing
Replace sagging seat webbing: elastic or jute, how far apart to space the straps, how much to stretch them, and fixing them with clips, staples or tacks.
How to weave a Danish cord seat with L-nails
Re-weave a Danish modern chair or stool in Danish cord: read the old seat, set the L-nails, wrap the warp, weave the weft and finish under the seat.
How to weave a flat reed seat (splint seat)
Weave a flat reed chair seat: soak the reed, wrap the warp, weave a twill on top and underneath, splice under the seat and fill the front corners.
How to weave a seagrass seat on a stool or chair
Weave a seagrass seat in the rush pattern: pick the size, fill the front corners, wrap each corner, stuff the pockets and tie off underneath, all dry.
How to weave a Shaker-style tape seat
Weave a cotton tape chair seat: wrap the warp, fill the front corners, add an optional foam pad, then weave a checkerboard or herringbone weft.
How to wrap chair legs and joints with binder cane
Rewrap loose cane wraps on rattan and bentwood furniture: remove the old wrap, soak binder cane, start and finish the wrap, and choose nails or glue.
Hand caning a chair seat: the seven-step method and size chart
How to hand cane a chair with holes: pick strand cane and binder by hole size and spacing, gather the tools, weave the seven steps, and plan the hours.
How to cane a cabinet door: shaker, slab and glass-front
Reface cabinet doors with cane: open the center panel, cut the cane 1 in oversize, soak it, glue and staple it to the back, then cover the edge with trim.
How to replace a pressed cane seat, step by step
Remove the old spline and cane, clean the groove, soak, wedge in new cane webbing, glue in new spline and let it dry overnight, plus common mistakes.
How to repair outdoor resin wicker furniture
Fix broken resin (PE) wicker on patio furniture: match strip width and color, cut out broken strands, weave in new strip, glue and hide the ends.
How to weave a fiber rush seat on a ladderback chair
Weave a fiber rush chair seat: fill the front corners, the basic corner wrap, cardboard stuffing, sealing with shellac, and 5/32 vs 6/32 vs 7/32.
Sizing
How much seat weaving cord do I need for one seat?
Estimate Danish cord, fiber rush, seagrass and Shaker tape for a chair seat from its rail measurements, with worked examples and typical amounts per seat.
How to measure patio chair straps: width, length, count
Measure vinyl patio chair straps before you order: the width, each strap path with its wrap, straps per section and rivet hole size, with a worksheet.
Strand cane size chart: superfine to common by hole size
Choose strand chair cane from superfine 2 mm to common 3.5 mm by hole size and spacing, pick the binder, measure your holes and decide between two sizes.
How much cane webbing do I need? Measure and pick a roll
How to measure chair seats, backs, cabinet doors and headboards for cane webbing, what to add for grooves or stapling, and which roll to buy.
How to measure a spline groove for a cane seat
Measure groove width with a drill bit, calipers or old spline, then the groove length and seat opening, and cut cane webbing to the right size.
Reed spline size chart: which spline fits your groove
Match reed spline sizes #6.5 to #11 to your groove width, test-fit before you glue, and work out how many feet of spline to buy for a seat.
Materials
What does my chair need? Choosing seat repair materials
Identify your chair seat by what you see, a groove, holes, round rails, L-nails, webbing or an aluminum frame, and find the material and project page.
Danish cord vs fiber rush vs seagrass: which cord?
Danish cord, fiber rush or seagrass: how each looks and feels, how it wears, how it is fixed to the chair, and how to tell which one your chair had.
Elastic vs jute upholstery webbing: which does your seat need?
Elastic webbing is for modern seats without springs; jute is the firm base under springs and padding. How each is fixed, stretched and spaced.
How to soak cane and reed: times, water and what stays dry
What to soak and what to weave dry, how warm the water should be, soak times for cane webbing, strand cane, spline, binder and reed, plus avoiding mildew.
Rattan vs wicker vs cane vs reed: what each word means
Rattan is the plant, cane its peel, reed the core and wicker the weave. What each is used for, how PE resin wicker differs and what to buy for each repair.
Cane webbing vs hand caning: which does your chair need?
A groove means cane webbing, a row of holes means hand caning. How to tell, plus the time, skill, tools and materials each method takes.
Choosing a cane webbing weave: open, square, herringbone, more
Open, square, herringbone, diamond, semi-bleached, walnut-tone and PE cane webbing compared: the look, light and privacy, and where each works best.
Outdoor PE cane vs natural cane: which to use where
Synthetic PE cane or natural rattan cane? How they compare in water, sun, look, feel and installation, and which belongs on patios, boats and in bathrooms.
Care
How to patch a hole in a cane seat: honest options
Small damage in pressed and hand-caned seats: gluing broken ends, a temporary patch from below, re-weaving a few strands, and when to replace.
How to stain or paint cane and wicker furniture
Stain natural cane with thin water-based color from the dull side, paint it in thin coats, paint resin wicker with paint for plastic, and what to avoid.
How to tighten a sagging cane seat, and when to replace it
Dampen the underside, let it dry slowly and natural cane shrinks tight again. Why seats sag, what not to do, and the signs a seat needs replacing.
Cane furniture care: cleaning, tightening and small repairs
How to care for cane chairs and panels: dusting, humidity, the damp wipe from underneath, tightening a sagging seat, small breaks and which finish to use.