Applying sheet cane webbing? Having problems getting the caning all the way down into the grove? Try using some specially made wooden chair caning wedges as a tool to get the job done.
Using the caning wedges to insert the cane webbing into the groove around the perimeter of the panel makes the job so easy.
TUESDAY TIP OF THE DAY–caning wedges tool
Since the ends of the chair caning wedges are rather sharp and might cut the caning as you are pushing it into the groove, it’s best to trim those sharp edges. Just draw a rounded edge with a pencil, and take your sharp scissors and trim the edge.
After cutting and rounding off the edge of the caning wedge, take a piece of sandpaper and smooth the edge or using a sanding sponge to round it off.
* Note–Always make sure that you angle the tip of the caning wedge toward the outer edge of the groove. If you angle it in the wrong direction, which is toward the inside edge of the grove, you run the risk of cutting the cane with the edge of the wedge.
After tamping down the cane webbing into the groove, trim the excess off, add the white glue, and spline and your seat is finished.
For complete instructions on putting in a cane webbing seat, and many more chair caning tips, click on the link below.
RELATED READING: How to Install a Cane Webbing Chair Seat
And there you go, all done! Doesn’t this look great and using this Tuesday Tip of the Day on Chair Caning sure does help along the process!
That’s all for now, stay tuned for more of my Tuesday Chair Caning Tips of the Day!
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Happy Weaving, until next time!
Hi Cathryn, can I stain the cane webbing after I install it on the chair? If so, is there a brand of stain n that you recommend? Thank you.
Hi Alicia,
The immediate answer is yes, you can stain cane webbing after it’s been installed. However, it can be very difficult because of the natural, glossy finish on the cane strands which don’t accept a stain, paint, or clear finish like varnish, lacquer or shellac well at all. I always advise to leave sheet cane and strand cane in their natural state but if you must stain to either match other chairs in a set, then you can follow directions here in this post. You might have the best results using Zar, Minwax, Mohawk brands in either oil-base liquids or gel stains. Hope this helps! https://www.wickerwoman.com/articles/install-cane-webbing
Thank you for sharing your tips. I’m just about to tackle my first chair seat. The back is woven, but somebody at sometime replaced the ‘cane seat …They’ve done this with webbing …old foam and fabric over the top! Kind of giving an upholstered ‘look! But not good, so I’m going to attempt my repair. Cane it is!
Congratulations Shaz, on trying your first cane seat! Did you find holes drilled in the framework at all for hole-to-hole caning or was there a routed out groove around the top seat?
If it was the cane webbing or sheet cane style, I have instructions to remove and replace cane webbing right here that you might find helpful. How to Remove Cane Webbing and How to Install Cane Webbing here.
Good luck with your project, let me know how it all turns out! Hope this helps!