Chair caning and bergère repair, by hand in Perthshire
Broken, sagging or sat-through cane, rewoven strand by strand in my workshop in Bankfoot. Single chairs, pairs, sets, and the big bergère suites.
Wherever you are in Scotland, send a photo and ask. Hand caning isn’t something many folk do any more.
Once a few strands go, the rest follow
Cane dries out and gets brittle over the years. One small hole becomes a sag, and the sag becomes a seat you’re scared to sit on.
Patching rarely lasts, because the old strands round the hole are just as tired. A full recane gives you a seat that’s tight, even and good for daily use again.
How a chair gets its cane back
Hand caning goes through the same holes the maker drilled, so nothing about the frame changes. Four stages, start to finish.
It comes in broken. Torn and sagging cane, like this pair of bergère armchairs.
The old cane comes out. Every strand is cut away and the holes round the frame are cleared.
New cane goes in by hand. Strand by strand, through the same holes: across, along, then the diagonals.
It goes home. Tight, even, and fit for daily use again.
Bergère suites: the big ones
Bergère chairs and sofas have caned backs and sides as well as seats, often with a curve to them. The pair in the first picture above came in with every panel torn.
They take a long time, because there is a lot of cane in them. They are also some of the most comfortable chairs ever made, which is why they are worth doing properly.
An inlaid bedroom chair, rewoven
The cane back had split right through. It now has a new hand-woven panel, threaded through the original holes so the inlaid frame stays exactly as it was.
Questions people ask about caning
How do I know if my chair is hand caned?
Turn it over. If the cane goes through a row of small drilled holes round the seat, it was hand woven. If the cane sits in a groove with a strip pressed into it, it is sheet cane. If it is twisted strands wrapped round the rails, it’s rush or cord, and that’s on the rush and cord page.
Is my chair worth recaning?
If you’re fond of it, it’s worth asking. Send a photo of the whole chair and the seat from underneath, and I’ll tell you honestly what it needs.
Can the frame be fixed at the same time?
Yes. Loose joints, worn finish and lifting inlay can all be dealt with while the chair is in the workshop. That’s the restoration and French polishing side of things.
How much does it cost?
It depends on the size of the seat, how many holes there are and what state the frame is in. Text a photo to 0781 031 9292 and I’ll give you an estimate.
A nursery chair that needed re-caning big-time
“My Uncle Charles’ nursery chair was in a sad state. Scruffy, loose inlay and a seat that needed re-caning big-time... would recommend this master craftsman to anyone.”
“The removal company dropped my antique Grandfather’s oak extension dining table and smashed the joint on one leg... He recovered and restored a loved piece of family history.”
“I also have a cherished birds-eye maple dressing table that he repaired and managed to turn into an even lovelier side table.”
Got a chair with a hole in it?
Text a photo of the whole chair and the seat from underneath to 0781 031 9292.