How to Restore an Oak Rocking Chair Seat

Run the edge of the utility knife around the spindles, where the pieces meet the seat. Push back on the spindles as you lift up on the back of the chair. If the spindles remain in place, then drill a small hole underneath the chair seat, in the spot where the spindles meet the seat. Gently tap out the spindles with a hammer and center punch.

Lift up any loose pieces of the seat and place both the top piece and the bottom of the seat together. Apply a thin layer of wood glue to the seat and press the top wood down. Clamp the two pieces closed and wipe off any glue that oozes out with a damp cloth. Leave the clamps in place overnight or until the glue dries.

Insert small pieces of cork into each spindle hole and wrap masking tape around the legs or arms of the chair. Apply a thick layer of paint stripper to the wood seat. Scrape the old stain off the oak with a putty knife and wipe the surface down with an old rag or a stripping pad.

Rub the rocking chair seat with 220-grit sandpaper, smoothing out any imperfections in the oak and removing any old stain. Remove the cork from the spindle holes and place a small dab of glue in each hole. Carefully push the spindles back into the seat by lifting the back up as you press down on each spindle.

Apply the new stain to the oak seat, rubbing the stain on the oak with an old rag. Wait 60 seconds and wipe off any stain pooling on the wood with a second rag. Stain the rocking chair seat the same shade as the spindles and other parts of the chair.