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Bentwood Chair restoration project

Hi Community,

I would like to share my resoration project, its currently a work in progress.

I've collected 4 different styles of Bentwoods (Antique or Vintage?) off Gumtree. These will go around our dining table, in our dining "alcove". Our apartment is small so I thought that Bentwoods would look good as they are small and neat, and you can see through them. I also love the style.

They are of varied condition, some need a little attention, some need a lot. The most damaged one was posted for free on Gumtree, the owner said they were throwing it out the next day of nobody came to collect it. This one is also the most unusual, so I'm so glad I saved it from the bin.

All 4 chairs are below, numbered 1-4, from left to right.

4 chairs.JPG

1. This chair just needs a tighten, a sand and refinish

2. The freebie. It was split and needed to be soaked, glued, and then finished. (images below)

3. Amazing chair with pressed metal seat! Just needs a tighten, sand and finish.

4. This one is also split, so I will soak and glue it too before finishing.

Chair 2:

The freebie owner told me to soak the split area and glue it. I wasn't sure how to do this, but I came up with a good method. I sprayed the area with water, and tied rags around it, then sprayed these with more water. I tied the rags tight enough to give pressure, but not too tight to begin with. I just kept going with this. Untying once dry and resoaking, adding pressure, until it came back to shape. The end result is a bit wonky, but aren't we all? Process pics below.

Chair 2.jpg

Chair 2 with closeup showing the splits

Chair 2 soaking.JPG

Chair 2 Soaking...

Chair 2 soaked.JPG

Chair 2 Success! Soaked and bent back into shape (almost)

Chair 2 glueing.JPG

Chair 2 Glueing. I squeezed/poked Aquadhere into the split, and used masking tape as my clamp.

I still need to work on some splits/cracks in the seat as they would catch on clothing. I'm not quite qure what to use here so would love suggestions? I needs to disguise well and blend with the wood.

She needs a good sand as the glue got a bit messy, but I think it's going to be a success.

Chair 4:

Chair 4.jpg

Chair 4 showing closeup of split and the soaking process. This is where I am up to. When I get home tonight, it will have dried, so I will undo it, resoak and tie up with a bit more pressure.

I would love any advice on what kind of finish to use on these and any suggestions for repairing the seat cracks.

The end goal is to have them all looking a similar colour.

Thanks for reading!

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Hay

PS. Chair 4 is proving to be a lot harder to bend. I think because of the part of the chair where the split is located, the wood is more solid and less flexible. My dad suggested I try a hairdryer to create steam, but then I'm not sure how to apply increasing pressure while doing this.

If anyone has any experience in this area, would love advice!

Kim

Wow, these look like a real challenge! Well done @Hay.

I don't have any experience but have been wanting to do a similar project myself - I love chairs with a bit of personality!

I'll be keeping an eye out for good advice on these - please be sure to share the final product!

Hay

Thanks @Kim. These beauties certainly do have personality! I'm actually on the lookout for a Bentwood stool (not a barstool). I missed out on one on Gumtree and it seems they are quite unusual as I haven't seen another one.

Chair 4 is really proving to be a challenge to bend. Because I'm having to keep it wet for longer, I've decided that I should add some vinegar to the water, to hopefully stop mould growing.

Dave58

Hi. You may have already finished your chairs. I've been doing a bit of furniture restoration of late and I use Danish Oil on my projects. It's very easy to apply. It brings out the natural grain of the timber. I'm very happy with it. Also, Iv'e seen a few videos where a steam box is used to bend timber so you might be on the right track when using your hairdryer.

Jason

Hi @Dave58,

A very warm welcome to the Workshop community. Thanks for sharing some of your experiences with @Hay.

I'm sure you will find plenty of other like-minded community members around here and I would encourage you to share your work. Perhaps you could share some photos and some detail about your latest project in a new discussion or post a shot on the gallery?

I hope you find Workshop informative, inspirational and fun.

Jason

Carole

Hello everyone. South Carolina here, I too am beginning to bring back 5 or more bentwood chairs for my small kitchen. They were in my mom and dads attic which was not completely dry. So they had some dampness damage. They are all from the same place when my dad got them. Clemson University had a sale and he got them there, don't remember the year but it was before 1960 or close to that date because we moved from Clemson to build another house about 7 miles north. Mom and Dad are gone now so I grabbed them LOL. They are really in good shape just really dry. Have two that the seats, have the first layer of inlay or whatever bulking and split from dampness it's just the top layer not too bad. This was a great hit to find this sight here today. My first time since I just got all that survived. I probably will eventually get a date for them.. Thanks I am really enjoying reading many of the things here. Will be uploading photo later.

Jason

Hi @Carole,

Thanks for making your first post. Welcome to the Workshop community. How is your restoration project going? We'd still love to see some photos of your chairs.

Jason

timothy999

Hello there. It might be some years later .... but anyway..... Unscrew or unbolt the chairs. And then get 2 or 3 small G-clamps and PVA glue. Thats the best method. The wood is very old. All these chairs originally had cane seats. Go to YouTube and watch some demonstrations on re-caning.

Jason

Thanks for joining in the discussion @timothy999. Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community. Sounds like you have plenty of knowledge and experience to share with other members. We're looking forward to seeing more of your posts soon. Please don't hesitate to post whenever you have something to share or need a hand. We trust that you'll get loads of helpful information, advice and inspiration in return from the rest of our wonderful community.

Thanks again,

Jason

redracer01

Hello @Hay

Rattan bending was something I learned with my grandfather. Using a steam bender would be good, but very time consuming. Making rattan wood do your bidding in the shortest possible time requires heat! Extreme heat from a blow torch and a frame to hold it in place. Using a piece of timber mdf or otherwise at a size of at least 600 x 660 square, drive in nails every 5 cm in a circular shape ( to the desired size of the circular support ). Disassemble the chair and place the circular support into the frame. Using the blow torch run it along the piece you wish to bend ( in a back and forth manner ) use steel multi grips to bend the rattan in to the frame. Do not let the flame stay in one place too long or you get a burn mark. A kerosene blow torch should be perfect for the job, you could pick this up for a few dollars at the local flea market. That is if the flea market ever comes back. I am impressed with your work, rattan chairs are not the easiest to work with and have a mind of their own. Good luck and stay safe.

Cheers,

Red

Newqlder

Hi to you Hay.

You have probably finished this project by now. How did it end up for you mate? I have just beeen given two chairs to restore and it seems the major part is the ring that you have shown in chair 4. I wonder if anyone knows the timber that was originally used in these chairs? I was thinking of using a piece of pipe full of water and boiling it with the end stuffed with a rag. That is a method that my father used many years ago when building a boat. Problem now is to get a suitable timber to use. Or go ahead with your method which seems like it works well enough.

Newqlder

Hi Red

can you tell us where we can source rattan cane?

I have two bentwood chairs to do and one of the rings under the seat is pretty well beyond help.

redracer01

Hello @Newqlder

I saw a mob online "Bayside Cane" perhaps worth a look to see if they will sell you the parts.

Cheers,

Red

MitchellMc

Hi @Newqlder,

It's great to see you've received some helpful advice from @redracer01.

I just thought I would stop by to welcome you to the Bunnings Workshop community.

We look forward to hearing more about your project and would encourage you to let us know anytime you need assistance or have something to share with the community. I trust you'll find loads of inspiration for your projects around the home and garden as our amazing members are contributing their ideas here ever day.

Mitchell

Newqlder

Thanks Mitchell.

I am thankful to Red for his tip. I have called these people and found them very willing to help and they can supply materials that I will need.

I will be posting some pics as I proceed but it will take a while as I get interrupted with other issues at our club.

I have just completed a set a set of six old Silky Oak dining chairs and they came up pretty good.

😎

PeterAdams

Hey Hay!

I have a suggestion from my own experience of restoring Bentwood chairs.

The wet rag technique works well -I use it myself.

But after wetting, I wrap the rags with kitchen film (Gladwrap).

This eliminated the need for unwrapping and wrapping up.

Just a suggestion.I also make solid timber chairs - Windsor Chairs

I thought I;dattach a picture!

All the best with your restorations.

Peter

Windsor PA_DSC3983 R-B (Email).jpg

EricL

Hello @PeterAdams

Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community. It's a pleasure to have you join us, and thank you for sharing such a wonderfully constructed Windsor Chair.

That chair is absolutely gorgeous and I see you even took the time to have it photographed professionally. Can you please tell us a little bit of history about how you began building these chairs? How long does it usually take to assemble one?

Any other information you would like to share about the construction of the Windsor Chair would be very much appreciated.

Eric

PeterAdams

Hi Eric,

Thank you for your request.

I learned to make Windsor chairs under the guidance of chairmaker called Howard Archbold Over a 10 day workshop that he was running.

In answer to your request, my chairs are made of several different Timbers. For example, the bows are all steam-bent from European Beech - a timber favoured for bentwood chairs.

My steamer is a simple construction made from 18mm marine ply. I constructed a sealed square tube 300 x 300 mm with a hinged door at each end. Underneath I attached an old tea urn, with the thermostat removed. The thermostat was removed so the water will continue to boil and produce steam. This is fed into the steamer through a hole in the botum of the steamer.

I also placed an immersion tube on top of the steamer. This was made from PVC drainage pipe with screwed removable cap at each end. I added a spigot at each end of the immersion tube. A gardenhose fixes to this spigot and when it's completely full it comes out the spigot at the opposite end. By unscrewing the end of this tube, I put in the strips of timber I want to be steamed, which are usually 25 millimetres square. I submerge them in cold water, in this tube for 24 hours before commencing the steaming process.

After 24 hours I remove the soaked timber from the tube, and slide them into the steamer once the water in the tea urn is boiling and steam is escaping through one of the hinged doors at the end. I then steam on a ratio of approximately one inch of timber thickness, for one hour.

The steaming hot timber is then removed from the steamer and placed in a jig to bend the shape of the bows. I'll supply a picture of that later.

The seat and the splat at the back are made from European Elm, which I have a large supply of and want to sell. The finish on this Elm he's just French Polish. the sculptureing of the seat is done by hand using an adze, or a timber sculpting tool such as those available for use in an electric grinder.

The spindles in the back are Tasmanian oak, also steamed to allow me to bend them so that they're not completely straight. This is done after tapering them using a spokeshave, Each spindle has a 5 mill out of alignment shift to each side to create a curved bow.

The legs and stretches made from Tasmanian oak. These are turned on a simple wood lathe.

Peter Adams

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