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How to convert a broken canned chair with an upholstered one

Posted: Mon Oct 21, 2019 1:18 pm
by bill120
I am still unable to figure out how to post images. So I will try and describe the situation.

My daughter has six straight backed chairs with fully canned seats (half of them have serious cane damage). The cane weave is wrapped around the full seat's four rounded sides (about an inch in diameter). There is no flat surface.

So an upholstered seat would need to fit within the confines of the previously weaved seat area. I am trying to envision how I could secure a new seat to the frame. The two front legs are rounded and rise above the weave level by about 3/4". I have no interest in trying to recane the chair. I would like to end up with some decent looking chairs.

Your suggestions are welcome.

Thanks

Bill

Re: How to convert a broken canned chair with an upholstered one

Posted: Mon Oct 21, 2019 3:38 pm
by rpd
bill120 wrote:I am still unable to figure out how to post images. So I will try and describe the situation.

My daughter has six straight backed chairs with fully canned seats (half of them have serious cane damage). The cane weave is wrapped around the full seat's four rounded sides (about an inch in diameter). There is no flat surface.

So an upholstered seat would need to fit within the confines of the previously weaved seat area. I am trying to envision how I could secure a new seat to the frame. The two front legs are rounded and rise above the weave level by about 3/4". I have no interest in trying to recane the chair. I would like to end up with some decent looking chairs.

Your suggestions are welcome.

Thanks

Bill
This thread should help with posting pictures.

https://www.shopsmith.com/ss_forum/comm ... 19246.html

My thought would be to cut a piece of plywood to fit on top of the frame with 1/4 round cut outs where the legs come through, and upholster that, then screw on from the bottom. The plywood doesn't need to be very thick as it is supported on all sides.

This is a chair I made in high school that is done that way,
chair top.jpg
chair top.jpg (1.34 MiB) Viewed 11528 times
chair bottom.jpg
chair bottom.jpg (1.29 MiB) Viewed 11528 times

Re: How to convert a broken canned chair with an upholstered one

Posted: Mon Oct 21, 2019 7:36 pm
by algale
If you want decent looking chairs you can't ignore that these chairs with round seat frames and protruding front legs are only designed to work with a woven seat

I know you don't want to cane (caning is super easy when using artificial single strand), but how about a simply over/under weave with 2" wide polyester (seatbelt) material? Simple, fast, and will work with those round frames.

Here's one done with paracord. Seatbelt webbing is wider and therefore easier/faster.

Image

https://cdn.instructables.com/FLM/QTXS/ ... fit=bounds

Re: How to convert a broken canned chair with an upholstered one

Posted: Tue Oct 22, 2019 11:57 am
by chapmanruss
You can use 1" webbing material instead of 2" wide "Seat Belt" webbing. There are many colors available and it can be found at climbing supply stores. Paracord comes in many colors also and I think algale's chair looks very nice with it.

Re: How to convert a broken canned chair with an upholstered one

Posted: Tue Oct 22, 2019 2:53 pm
by algale
chapmanruss wrote: ***and I think algale's chair looks very nice with it.
To be clear this isn’t my chair. Just a picture off the internet.

Re: How to convert a broken canned chair with an upholstered one

Posted: Tue Oct 22, 2019 3:15 pm
by bill120
Thanks for the picture. My chairs are pretty much the same chair. My daughter wants more of a fabric top. Yours looks great.

Bill

Re: How to convert a broken canned chair with an upholstered one

Posted: Tue Oct 22, 2019 3:17 pm
by bill120
Sorry didn't see your post that the chair was not your project.