How to Repair Antique Padded Rockers

Refinishing the Wood

• 1

  Apply a layer of chemical paint stripper to a small part of the rocker using a clean rag. This will act as a "test" spot, to see if the wood is strong enough to handle the chemicals in the stripper. Put the stripper on an unseen part of the rocker, such as the bottom of the seat.

• 2

  Wipe the paint stripper off the test spot using another clean rag.

• 3

  Examine the wood that was buried underneath the layers of paint or stain. Look to make sure the wood isn't rotting and is still intact. If the first test layer of stripper wasn't enough to remove all the paint, apply a second coat.

• 4

  Apply paint stripper to the rest of the chair, provided the examination of the wood yielded no structural problems.

• 5

  Leave the paint stripper on for the recommended amount of time (this will vary based on the brand of chemical paint stripper you choose). Wipe it off with another clean rag.

• 6

  Sand the wood surface of the chair to remove any additional paint that wasn't removed by the chemical stripper. "Popular Mechanics" recommends using 220-grain sandpaper. Continue sanding until the surface of the chair is smooth.

• 7

  Paint the chair with the stain or paint of your choice. If you are painting the chair, you may choose to apply a coat of primer before applying the colored layer.

Fixing Broken Parts

• 8

  Remove any existing layers of paint or stain by applying a chemical stripper. This will allow you to see the surface of the wood itself, and make it easier for you to inspect the rocker for any cracks or warps in the wood or loose parts.

• 9

  Glue loose parts (such as spindles) using wood glue. Wipe any excess glue away using a clean rag. Some parts may need to be removed in order to be adequately glued back onto the chair.

• 10

  Clamp wood pieces together using a C-clamp (or pressure from your hands, if a C-clamp won't work) while the new glue dries.

• 11

  Replace cracked or warped pieces of wood. You may need to drill or bore a small hole into the chair to access the spindle's tenon. A tenon is a projecting part cut on the end of a piece of wood for insertion into a corresponding hole in another piece to form a joint. Tap out the broken or warped wood using a center punch and hammer or rubber mallet.

• 12

  Locate a replacement for the cracked or warped wood. Some spindles have decorative elements that may be best replicated by a professional woodworker with professional-level equipment. If replacing the old piece with a generic spindle is OK with you, however, you can purchase one at your local home improvement store and have it cut to size.

• 13

  Insert the replacement into place and secure with wood glue. Use a C-clamp to hold the new piece to the rest of the rocker while the glue dries.

Reupholstering a Padded Seat

• 14

  Remove the seat from the rocker frame. Gently flip your rocker over to see how best to remove the seat, as this will vary from rocker to rocker. You may need a screwdriver or small hammer to loosen and remove the seat.

• 15

  Use pliers to pry loose the staples holding the old fabric onto the seat. Remove any old staples and discard. Remove the old layer of padding from the seat (if applicable). Try not to tear or damage the old fabric or the old padding.

• 16

  Trace the pattern for the new fabric seat cover, using the old fabric as a template (Reference 3). Do the same for the new layer of padding, if necessary. Cut out your new pieces. Place both the padding and the fabric on the seat to make sure they are large enough; you may need a little extra fabric to accommodate the new layer of padding, which will be thicker and fluffier than the old padding.

• 17

  Staple the new fabric to the underside of the seat using a staple gun. Pull the fabric as tight as it will go around the seat's corners to ensure there are no wrinkles on the new seat cover. "Happy Living" magazine suggests starting with one staple in each of the seat's four corners, then stapling the seat's sides.

• 18

  Reattach the reupholstered seat to the chair. The manner in which you do this will be determined by the original assembly of the chair; follow the inverse of the process you used to remove the seat in Step 1.