How to Re-Cane a Chair Seat

Like werewolves beneath a full moon, “Stoopers” in every borough of New York City come alive on the last day of the month, prowling their neighborhood and beyond as abandoned coffee tables, dining chairs, and all sorts of furniture proliferate across city sidewalks each moving day.

A savvy Stooper can furnish an entire apartment in a few weeks, or help pay their rent by selling their spoils on Facebook Marketplace.

This “One man’s trash…” mentality is ingrained in the mental fabric of most New Yorkers, so stooping can often involve heated competition. I knew I had to act quickly when I nearly tripped on this antique Italian chair on the corner of Stuyvesant Street.

How to Repair a Cane Chair:

This video will show you how to repair a damaged cane chair of you own, should you stoop one yourself or inherit one from your late aunt Patricia that needs some repairs.

Tools:

• Hammer

• 1/4” wood-working chisel

• Several 1/4” wooden wedges

• Wood Glue

• Sandpaper of varying grit (200-400)

• Protective gloves

• Protective eyewear and face mask

• A large tarp

• A firm bristle brush

Materials:

• Cane Webbing

  • Can be purchased by the foot on Etsy

• Spline

  • Can also be purchased on Etsy

  • Be sure to measure the width of your spline groove, which will vary from chair to chair, and order the appropriate gauge spline. There is a helpful sizing guide on this site.

• Wood Stain

• Aluminum Foil

The Cesca Chair

This chair is directly inspired by the “Cesca” chair which was first designed by Marcel Brueur in the late 1920s and later popularized by the Knoll Group, who licensed the design.

In her 1991 NYT article The Many Lives of a Very Common Chair, Elaine Louie comments on the unmatched ubiquity of this design.

“THE chair costs $45 at the Door Store, $59 at the Workbench, $312 at Palazzetti or $813 from the Knoll Group, and yet, to the average person, all the chairs look the same.”

Given the sea of reproductions, and the absence of any Knoll branding, it is not likely that this is an original Cesca chair. What is certain however, is this is a very fine chair with impressive craftsmanship techniques and durable materials. A Stooper’s treasure indeed.

Please leave a comment if this guide was helpful, or if you have any questions about my approach!