| Weave a Shaker Seat |
From "Ask DIY"
episode ADI-113 |
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Q: I like the look of Shaker furniture and would like to order one of the kits I have seen advertised where you assemble the chair or footstool and then weave the seat. Can you tell me if the weaving part is very difficult to learn?
A: (Bruce Johnson, Ask DIY Woodworking expert) Weaving Shaker seats from a kit is so simple that even my 8-year-old son can do it! Genuine Shaker antiques have become extremely valuable, but the kits offer a similar look much less expensively. Here's how you would assemble and weave one of the footstools: Materials:
Shaker seat kit
Wood glue
Tung oil
Two upholstery tacks
Hammer
- Assemble the legs of the stool (figure A). Insert the rungs into the legs with woodworker's glue, and then tap them in firmly. Let the glue dry overnight.
- Rub down the wood with a coat of tung oil for a soft, elegant finish.
- A couple of colors of tape will come with your kit. Select which one you'd like to wrap lengthwise around the stool. Then flip the stool over and fasten the end of the roll of tape to the corner of one of the two shorter rungs with an upholstery tack (figure B).
- Wrap the first color of tape lengthwise, going under the bottom rung and over the top rung, in one continuous loop. This will create two layers of tape, one above the rungs and one below. When you're done, tuck the tape end under the rung and secure it with another upholstery tack. Cut off any excess tape.
- Tack down the second color of tape on the bottom of one of the two longer rungs.
- Weave the second color tape across the top surface, loop it around the rung, and then weave it below (figure C). The double weave will make the seat much stronger. Go over and under alternating strips of the first color tape, creating a checkerboard pattern on both levels. When you're done, tack the end below the seat.
More questions for Bruce: Q: I have a set of dining-room chairs with caned seats that are at least 70 years old. Is there something I should brush or wipe on the caning to make it last even longer?
A: You don't need to do a thing to the cane seats. The caning comes to you presealed. In fact, if you put shellac or polyurethane on top of it, it will make the seat more brittle. So just use a soft washcloth to keep them clean, but no coatings on top.
Q: The antique settee in my family room still has its original leather upholstery. The kids have been taught to stay off of it, but I get nervous whenever we have guests over. The leather feels dry. Is there something I should put on it to keep it soft? Will that make it last longer?
A: Use ordinary Neetsfoot oil (figure D), which you can pick up at any hardware store. Pour it directly on the leather and rub it in with a paper towel, anytime the leather feels like it's drying out. This will restore some of the moisture that the leather so desperately needs and will also keep the leather soft.
Q: I have a set of natural wicker furniture that I keep on my sun porch. It never gets wet, but the strands seem to be drying out from the sun. Is there something I should do to keep them soft?
A: Unlike wood, wicker loves water. Take it outside and mist it down with the garden hose. Web site resources for Shaker Seats Antique Caned and Woven Chairs from DIYNET.com Shaker-Style Seat Weaving Instructions from Shaker Workshop.com Shaker Tape Chair Weaver Kit from Chairs at Weaving.com Book: Art of Shaker Chairmaking
By Sam Allen
ISBN: 0806996536
Sterling Publishing Company Inc.
387 Park Avenue South
New York, NY 10016
Phone: 212-532-7160
Fax: 212-213-2495
E-mail: webmaster@sterlingpub.com
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