How to Repair an Antique Victorian Chair

Dust the chair thoroughly. Use a toothbrush or similar medium-stiff brush to scrub the dirt out of any intricate carvings. This will allow you to examine the chair and see exactly what repairs you need to do.

Disassemble the chair. Remove the seat pad. Remove any old caning beneath the seat pad by snipping it out with scissors or a utility knife. Mark where the pieces fit together by putting a little piece of masking tape on the end of the piece you removed and on the hole from which you removed it. Write corresponding letters on these two pieces of masking tape -- e.g. "A" and "A." This will make putting the chair back together much easier. Remove any screws with a screwdriver. Gently pull the pieces apart or gently tap the pieces out with a dead-blow mallet.

Cut the damaged end of any pieces at an angle and smooth out the cut with a sander. Trace the cut end onto a piece of matching wood. Use oak if your chair is mahogany or rosewood and you cannot find or afford those types of wood. Cut the wood into the shape that matches the damaged piece, then glue the two pieces together. Use a matching undamaged piece as a pattern to cut the wood into the shape. Sand the piece for final shaping.

Drill a hole into the two ends of any spindles that have been snapped apart. Put glue in the holes, then put a small dowel in the hole of one and press the two ends back together.

Reassemble the chair in sections. Put glue both on the piece and in the matching hole and clamp the two pieces together to ensure strong adhesion.

Remove the old finish with a thick paste rather than a thin solution. Use a putty knife to scrape off the old finish when it begins to blister. Use medium-coarse steel wool or a soft-bristle brass brush to remove the rest of the finish from carvings and recesses when most of the finish is removed.

Apply a new stain to the chair, beginning at the top and working down. Let it soak into the wood, then wipe off the excess. Let it dry overnight. Apply fast-drying shellac to seal the stain. Let it dry for 30 minutes, then use fine steel wool to remove its sheen. Apply a glazing liquid with a bit of dark colorant, which will help bring out the details of the chair. Finally, apply a clear polyurethane varnish to protect the surface and add sheen.

Re-cane the seat or simply put the seat cover back on. Reupholster the seat cover if it is worn or stained.

Apply a final coat of wax to the chair with the finest grade of steel wool, then buff it with a soft cloth.