Do-it -Yourself Furniture Repair For High-Backed Wood Chairs

Gluing Loose Joints

• 1

  Examine all the chair joints to check for loosening or wobbling. Include legs, arms, seats and back rails or spindles.

• 2

  Position a power drill equipped with a 1/8-inch drill bit at a 45-degree angle from the loose piece toward the hole the piece fits in on the frame, seat or back of the chair.

• 3

  Drill a hole into the through the wood into the mortise. A mortise is the hollow section the wood fits into on the chair seat, frame or back.

• 4

  Fill a glue syringe with hide glue. Insert the tip of the syringe into the hole and depress the plunger on the syringe as you wiggle the loose piece. Moving the loose wood allows the hide glue to flow into all areas within the mortise.

• 5

  Clamp the glued section with a hand-screw clamp to snug up the joints.

• 6

  Cut a 1/8-inch-diameter dowel 1/8 inch long with a utility knife to form a small wood plug. Place the wood plug into the drilled hole. Place a 4-inch section of the 1/8-inch dowel over the plug and tap it lightly with a mallet to set it into the hole to disguise the drilled hole. Repeat for each loose leg, rail, arm or spindle. Allow the wood glue to dry for four to six hours before removing the clamp.

• 7

  Cover the dowel plug with liquid scratch cover.

Nicks and Deep Scratches

• 8

  Remove loose wood fibers from the nick or deep scratch, using the edge of a razor blade. Wipe the area with a tack rag to remove tiny wood bits.

• 9

  Plug in a burn-in knife and allow it to heat for five to 10 minutes. A burn-in knife is an electrical tool with a curved tip that generates heat to melt repair sticks.

• 10

  Position a shellac or lacquer repair stick in a matching wood color over the nick or scratch and touch it with the tip of the burn-in knife. The lacquer or shellac will pool on the tip of the knife. Spread the liquid over the damage to fill in the nick or scratch. Continue to touch the repair stick and spread the lacquer or shellac into the nick or scratch and smooth it with the tip of the burn-in knife until you fill the damaged area slightly above the existing surface. Allow the repair to cool and set for 20 to 30 minutes.

• 11

  Wet a piece of 400-grit sandpaper with six to eight drops of mineral spirits and wrap it around a sanding block. Rub the sandpaper over the repair to level it with the existing surface. Wipe up the dust with a tack rag.

• 12

  Apply a matching color wood stain with an artist's paintbrush to touch up wood grain lines.