How to Fix a Chair When the Back Has Popped Out

Identify the loose joint in the chair. If a spindle or dowel has already popped out of its socket, this is easy. But sometimes a joint is just beginning to work itself loose. This is the best time to repair the spindle / socket joint, before it breaks.

Work the spindle loose so that it comes completely out of the socket. If adjoining joints are broken in the process, this is OK. The chair is stronger after it is rebuilt than it is with loose joints

Sand the existing wood glue residue off the spindle tip. When the spindle comes out of the socket, you will see hard, plastic-like residue around the tip. Sand this old wood glue off. The new wood glue does not stick to itself, but only to raw wood.

Examine the socket for any glue residue. Use the Dremel tool with a rotary sanding drum to remove any glue residue from inside the socket. Be careful to only remove glue, and not any of the underlying wood surface.

Check the spindle's fit in the socket. The spindle should fit snugly in the socket without any slack or wobble. If the spindle is worn and loose, consider having a replacement spindle made.

After the surfaces are prepared, apply a light coating of wood glue to the spindle tips, and insert the spindle back into the hole. Tap the spindle lightly with a rubber mallet to drive it all the way into the socket.

Wrap twine or rope around the legs, or back of the chair and tie it off into a loop in such as way that it pulls the spindle into the socket. Take a pencil, and twist the rope tighter, like you would do to a first aid tourniquet. Tighten the rope loop up so that it firmly pulls the spindles into the socket, or the back pieces into the seat, or the legs together toward one another. The rope will hold the spindles together until the pieces dry.

Look the chair joints over closely, and remove any glue that's been pushed out of the joints with a piece of damp paper towel.