How to Re-Cane With Sheet Cane

Cane furniture can stretch and sag over time with prolonged use. The caning material can also split and break, making sitting on cane furniture very uncomfortable. Pre-drilled holes in a cane furniture frame indicate that it must be caned by hand with individual cane strands. Grooves indicate you can re-cane the furniture with sheet cane and spline, a thin cane or wood material that holds the cane in place.

Coarse grit sandpaper
Tack cloth
Measuring tape
Spline material
Dry cloths
Wood wedge
Chisel
Hammer
Mallet
Wood glue
Damp cloth

Instructions

- 1
  Sand out the empty grooves on the furniture frame with coarse grit sandpaper to remove any old bits of glue and splining. Wipe down the frame with a tack cloth to remove sawdust and other debris from sanding.
- 2
  Measure the length and width of the furniture frame area you will be covering with a measuring tape. The sheet cane should be at least 2 inches bigger in length and width than the area to be covered. Place the cane sheet and spline in warm water for at least 15 minutes.
- 3
  Remove the cane sheet and spline from the water and dry them off with a clean cloth. Set the spline aside. Place the cane sheet with the shiny side up on the grooves in the furniture. Pound the cane sheet into the grooves on all sides of the frame with a wood wedge, stretching the cane sheet as you go.
- 4
  Trim off extra cane material on the outside of the groove with a chisel and hammer, ensuring that all edges are smooth. Push the spline material into the groove on top of the cane sheet on each side of the furniture frame. Pound the spline into place with a mallet.
- 5
  Glue the ends of each spline piece together once they are seated in the groove to form one continuous spline that will not pop out of the furniture frame groove. Wipe off any excess glue with a damp cloth. Allow the glue to dry completely before you use the furniture piece.

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