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I am very much new and a beginner to anything that has to do with refurbishing or weaving ect any type of furniture, but I would love to put the time and effort into making these 3 outdoor chairs looking new again. Where do I start?
Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community @Oce-Anna. It's great to have you join us, and many thanks for your question about weaving cane.
It is great that you are keen to have a go, cane work looks intimidating at first but this style of chair is actually a good place to start as there are no complex woven panels, it is mainly binding split cane around the frame poles. I would suggest starting by watching a few basic online tutorials that show split cane binding and simple locking knots, as seeing it done once makes the process much clearer. You will need split cane of a suitable width, which is soaked in warm water before use so it becomes flexible and less likely to crack.
When you begin, you start right at the end of a pole or tube section. The first step is to anchor the cane with a locking knot or tuck so it cannot pull free. From there, you bind the split cane tightly and evenly along the length of the pole, keeping each wrap snug against the last. When you reach a joint or a point where you cannot continue any further, you finish with another locking tuck by slipping the end of the cane back under a few of the previous wraps. A small dab of PVA glue hidden under the wrap can help secure it, especially for outdoor furniture.
Take your time and work in short sections, keeping the tension consistent so the finish looks neat. Always keep the cane damp while you are working, as dry cane is much harder to control. Once you get a feel for the wrapping and locking technique, it becomes quite repetitive and satisfying. Working your way around the chair section by section will slowly bring it back to life, and the end result is well worth the patience you put in at the start.
Please let me know if you have any questions.
Mitchell
You actually don’t need any specialised tools for this work @Oce-Anna, as it’s all done by hand. The only thing you might find useful is some painter’s tape to hold the cane in position if you need to take a break. Wrapping a small section with tape will stop it from unwinding and keeps everything neat while you work. Otherwise, it’s really just a matter of soaking the cane, making your locking knots, and binding it tightly along the frame with your hands.
Mitchell
Just keep in mind that these chairs look like they could be modern reproductions rather than older, fully hand-woven wicker pieces @Oce-Anna. On this style, the frame is usually wrapped with a simple binding technique rather than having complex woven patterns throughout. The seating and back areas were typically finished with loose cushions placed over the frame, rather than being fully woven. Older, traditional cane or wicker furniture was often entirely woven.
You could certainly introduce some variation in the binding pattern if you want to personalise them, but most of the original work on chairs like these would have been a straightforward spiral wrap around the tubes with locking tucks at the start and finish. More decorative wicker binding techniques do exist, but they are quite niche and not commonly used on modern furniture of this type.
In terms of learning different techniques, online resources are your best option. Searching for split cane binding, wicker binding techniques, or cane furniture repair tutorials should bring up videos and guides that show the basic wraps and locking methods. While I am not aware of any specific standout tutorials, once you understand the fundamentals of tension, direction, and locking, you will be able to experiment a bit and choose a look that suits your chairs.
Mitchell
