The Steps to Re-Rushing a Chair

The Rushing

• Find the rush at a local furniture repair shop. Sometimes they will sell it to you even if they do not do the actual repairs. You need to soak the rush before using it to make it a little more pliable and easier to manipulate. Cut the rush into manageable lengths of about 30 feet. Have a bucket of warm water handy. Just before putting the rush on the chair, drop it into the water for about 20 seconds. Shake off the excess water before weaving it around the chair seat.

Measuring

• It's important to take some measurements of your chair before you begin weaving since most chairs are not the same size at the front and the back. Mark off a perfect square or rectangle depending on the type of chair you have and then mark that with a pencil on all four rails. Use these as a guide to begin your weaving on the sides of the chair. Once you reach the pencil marks on all four of the rails, you will only have the perfect square or rectangle left to weave.

Weaving

• Attach the beginning end of the rush to the chair and begin weaving. Start at one corner and go straight across to the other side. Work the rush under and around the side chair rail and then the front chair rail. Stretch the rush back across to the first side and then weave under and around the side and front chair rails. Keep working in this manner, twisting the rush as you go to make sure it's tight. Use a block of wood and a rubber mallet to press the rush that's wrapped around the chair rails together as tightly as possible every few rotations.

Finishing

• Straighten out the rushing to make it as even as possible once you get to the end of your weaving. Thread the ends of the rushing through to the back of the chair and tie a tight knot in it or attach the ends to the rails of the chair. Now you want to give your rush seat a protective coating to make it last longer. Rub in some type of finish, such as shellac, polyurethane or mineral oil, using a rag. Put two to three coats of finish on the seat before using it. It may also be a good idea to re-coat the seat of the chair every two or three years, depending on use.