Replacing the Seat in a Pressed Cane Chair

Chair caning is a ancient craft that restores beauty and function to furniture. There are two methods for caning a chair, working with hand-woven cane, where strands are individually woven through holes in the chair frame, or using pressed cane panels fitted into grooves around the seat. Each method offers a durable and attractive finish.

Woven cane furniture has been a staple of design for thousands of years, cane or wicker weaves date back to Egyptian times with a woven daybed artifact from 1325 B.C. discovered that once belonged to King Tutankhamen. Its strength, flexibility, and natural look make it a favorite choice for restoring antique chairs and other furniture pieces.

Today's chair caning supplies are available in different sizes and styles to match furniture designs and weaving patterns. Selecting the right cane and properly preparing your chair frame are essential steps to achieve a long-lasting, professional result.

Before You Begin: Removing Hand-Woven Cane and Pressed Cane Seats

Before starting your caning project, whether you're replacing a pressed cane panel or planning to reweave a hand-woven (hole-to-hole) cane seat, the first step is to remove the existing cane properly. Preparing the chair frame ensures a clean, smooth foundation for your new seat and protects your time investment.

Removing Hand-Woven Cane (Hole-to-Hole Strand Caning)

Start by assessing the condition of the chair. Take a few photos of the seat and frame before removing anything. These images help document the original cane pattern, check for any loose joints or missing parts, and serve as a reference if you're restoring the seat to match the original design.

Turn the chair upside-down and cut the individual cane loops from the underside of the seat using sharp basketry scissors or a utility knife. Be mindful of the wood frame to avoid scratches. If there are knots on the underside, clip them off to make removing the strands from the top easier.

Once the loops are cut, turn the chair upright and remove the woven cane from the center of the seat. This can be done with scissors or a utility knife. Next, cut and remove the binder cord (the outer edge weaving that holds the pattern together), and gently pull out the cane strands from the holes using your hands or needle-nose pliers.

If stubborn cane remains in the holes, use a caning awl, tin punch, or even a small drill bit to clean them out from the top or bottom side. A drill can be particularly helpful for clearing out glue-filled holes in older chairs.

Once the seat is free of cane, take an extra step to bevel or round off the inside edge of the chair frame. Using a wood rasp, file, or shaver tool, smooth the sharp 90-degree edge to prevent future cane breakage where the strands meet the frame. This small adjustment prolongs the life of your newly woven seat.

Removing Pressed Cane Panels

Pressed cane panels (or sheet cane) are removed differently. The cane and spline are held in place by a groove cut into the chair frame. Use a chisel or spline removal tool to carefully pry out the old spline. Once the spline is removed, the cane panel can be lifted away. Clean out the groove thoroughly with a scraper or small chisel, removing any remaining glue or cane fibers to ensure a proper fit for the replacement panel.

Taking the time to prepare your chair properly ensures the success and longevity of your caning project. Explore our full selection of chair caning suppliesto find the cane and materials you need to restore your chair beautifully.

Steps for Re-caning a Chair Using Pre-woven Cane and the Pressed Cane Method Include:

1. Prepping the cane and chair
2. Installing the webbing into chair grooves
3. Applying the spline.

SHOP FOR CHAIR CANING SUPPLIES

Traditional caning of weaving decorative patterns between holes by hand has been popular for generations and still a preferred caning method for many. However, it is not easily done by the home crafter. It requires following a detailed pattern of weaving techniques and takes many hours to complete.

Pressed caning, on the other hand, where pre-woven cane is pressed into a groove in the chair, is faster and simpler and gives DIY’ers and first-time chair caners professional results in a little over an hour.

Weaving of Cane Dates Back 1000s of Years

Woven cane seat furniture has graced homes for thousands of years with most historians tracing the origin to ancient China. As previously noted, it has been widely reported that a woven cane bed was found buried in Tutankhamun’s tomb dating to 1323 B.C.. The Chinese and Asians used cane for many purposes from furniture to warriors’ shields.

Cane furniture was introduced to Europe and England in the mid-1600s as a result of expanded trade to Asia. As manufacturing techniques improved in the late-1800s, cane was machine-woven for use in specially made chairs.

Materials and Sizes of Cane

Cane webbing or mesh seats are sold pre-woven and generally sold by the running inch. A number of patterns are available including open weave (most popular), herringbone, closed, box, radio net, and more modern styles.

SHOP FOR CHAIR CANING SUPPLIES

Steps for Pressed Cane Seat Installation

Cane and Chair Prep

• Before using, the webbing and spline must be soaked for 20 minutes to soften. Do not over soak!
• Break the spline using a wood chisel carefully going around the circumference of the chair.
• Next, clean the grove with an awl to remove the old glue. Use a medium grid sandpaper to smooth the edges being careful not to alter the size or depth of the groove.

Cane Webbing Installation

• Once the groove is cleaned, you are ready to install the new webbing.
• Begin the process by placing the new pre-woven webbing over the seat.
• You should have purchased your replacement seat with about a 2-inch overlap (four inches in width and four inches in length overall). You will trim this later.
• Align the front row of the cane with the front edge groove. Make sure the cane pattern is lined up all the way around.





• Begin inserting the cane by using a wedge and hammer to press the cane into the groove.
• Most place a wedge in the center of each side to keep the webbing square and then complete a side at a time.
• Working in small sections, press the cane all the way around the seat.
• Once you are happy with the positioning of the cane, use a utility knife or very sharp chisel to trim the cane slightly below the groove edge.





• Once trimmed, apply a narrow bead of wood glue all the way around the groove.

Spline Installation

• Now, begin working the spline along the groove with a hammer.
• Spline is sold in various sizes from 5/64” to 5/16”).





• When the spline is inserted all the way around, overlap by about 2 inches.
• Now angle cut the two pieces to make a flush joint and glue.
• Remove the excess glue with a damp cloth.
• Let the glue dry for 24-48 hours before applying a clear coat or stain, if desired.

If you're weaving the cane yourself, find detailed instructions here. For traditional caning, Van Dyke’s has flat reed and binder cane, and twisted rush in various sizes.

Your chair is now ready for many years of enjoyment. If the seat begins to sag in the future, moisten the cane with a damp cloth being careful not to saturate the rattan. Allow to dry before using again. The sag should have tightened.

Note: Our thanks to Greg Morgan of Morgan’s WoodWork Shop in Hope Valley, Rhode Island for providing the installation photos.