Can I Stain a Caned Chair Seat?

Cleaning

• If you have a cane chair and you aren't sure of the chair's history, it is a good idea to vacuum and wash the chair well. Look at the cane on all sides of the chair. If there is any evidence of shine in some areas and dullness in others, then your chair may have been sealed at one time. This can cause a problem if you are trying to stain the chair because the sealed areas may block the stain, giving you a patchy finish.

Testing

• Stain behaves differently on each material. You can like a stain on one piece of wood, and not like it on another variety. To see how the stain will look on your cane, turn the chair upside down and find a discreet location such as the inside of a rail. Place some stain on a rag and wipe the cane. Allow the stain to sit for five minutes and then wipe it off. Bring the area into good light and look at the results. The outer side of cane will absorb less stain than the underside. To make the cane look even you may need to apply a base coat, followed by several surface coats.

Spray Stains

• Because cane surfaces are often rough textured, it is a good idea to look at lacquer stains that can be sprayed on. Look for stains in the right color that are rated for good penetration. Test your spray stain on the underside of a chair first to make sure it adheres well to the cane. It may be necessary to tape off other areas of the chair you don't want to stain. Spray stains tend to get everywhere, so spray your chair outside in a non-windy area and apply several thin coats of stain for the best results. Seal the stain after the stain dries.

Stain and Paint

• You can use regular wood stain on cane, rush, reed and other fibers merely by soaking the fibers in the stain and wiping off what you don't want. If you find that your staining job is uneven and some areas just won't accept the stain, look for products that offer the look of stain in a more opaque paint product. Manufacturers offer many solution-oriented products that are both a paint and a stain. Follow the directions on the products for best results. You can also faux finish uneven areas using artist oil paints. Seal over the paints after they dry.