How to Repair Cracks in a Chair Seat

Over the course of time and through use, a chair seat will wear and wood glue will fail, resulting in cracking. A chair seat is most likely to crack where two pieces of wood join. A cracked chair seat is dangerous because it can break completely under pressure and break the chair, leaving someone who is trying to sit in it on the ground.

Screwdriver
Chisel
Hammer
Medium-grit sandpaper
1/8- or 1/4-inch dowels
Power drill
Wood glue
Mallet
Rag
Metal mending brace

Instructions

- 1
  Remove the chair legs and back from the seat. Loosen screws holding the chair legs and back in place. If glue holds the chair legs or back, place a chisel at the intersection of the leg or back and bottom of the seat. Tap with a hammer to break the glue bond.
- 2
  Sand the broken edges of the chair seat with medium-grit sandpaper to remove splinters and even the two surfaces.
- 3
  Cut 1/8-inch or 1/4-inch dowels into 4-inch sections.
- 4
  Drill 1/8- or 1/4-inch holes 1 1/2 to 2 inches deep into the broken edges of the seat with a power drill. Drill a hole every 2 inches along the edge of each half of the broken seat. The diameter of the hole will depend on the size dowel you will use.
- 5
  Dip 1 1/2 to 2 inches of the dowel into wood glue and place it in the first hole. Tap the dowel in place with a wooden mallet and wipe up excess glue with a damp rag. Continue to glue dowels into each hole until all holes have dowels protruding.
- 6
  Paint the protruding dowels with wood glue and line up the holes on the other half of the broken seat with the dowels. Insert the dowels into the holes. Tap the chair seat with a mallet to bring both halves together.
- 7
  Place a metal mending brace across the crack and screw it in place for extra support. Make sure the strap is across the crack equally. Use screws 1/4 inch shorter than the thickness of the chair seat.
- 8
  Allow the wood glue to dry, generally two to four hours.
- 9
  Dip the ends of the chair legs in wood glue and place them back into position, and tighten the screws if applicable. Dip the ends of the chair back into wood glue and place them back, tightening screws if applicable.

Reupholstery Alternatives for a Chair

Traditional Chairs

Chairs