 | Melody Fry and her husband Mike, own Furniture Repair by Fry’s and specialize in repair and restoration of furniture and other wood products. They offer a full range of services from on-site repair of nicks and scratches to complete rebuilding and re-finishing at their shop in Newton, KS. Both Melody and Mike are lifetime residents of the area and have spent their careers in customer service and sales. You can contact them toll free at (877) 283-7655 or e-mail at fryswoodrestoration@cox.net. |
Furniture
2005-12-29 10:39:00
How do I repair a wobbly chair?
: We have some wobbly chairs. Should I put metal corner braces and other metal hardware to make sure it is really strong?
ANSWER: Contrary to what many believe using metal connectors to hold two pieces of wood is not the best solution. As the joints flex with use the wood will move and the metal won't. This will result in the fasteners becoming loose. Taking the time to remove the old glue and add some new will bring your treasured pieces back to life.Follow these steps to restore your chair's creaking joints:• Take the chair apart and have the old glue removed from the joints.• Mark the joints in some way so the chair can be properly reassembled. Try color-coding the joints with markers.• After the joints have been cleaned, reassemble the chair without glue to insure a good fit.• If everything fits, apply wood glue (e.g. yellow glue) to each joint and assemble the chair.• Set the chair on a flat surface and adjust the legs so the chair will not rock.• Keeping the chair level, use clamps to hold the joints together and let the chair set for three hours• Put pads - pieces of carpet work nicely - on the jaws of the clamp to avoid damaging the finish. By following these handy steps, you can bring your chair back to full health with no harm to its beauty.
