Cane Seats: Construction, Damage and Repair | Antique Repair Shop

Cane seating may be hand woven through holes in a frame or fitted as pre-woven sheet cane in a groove. The two systems require different repair methods and have different historical contexts.

What to look for

Inspect the underside, hole spacing, pegs and groove. An old frame can have later cane, so describe the chair and its seating history separately.

Common mistakes

Brittle, sagging or broken cane should not be loaded. Soaking an entire seat can stain wood, loosen joints and damage finish.

Care and repair

Support the chair from its frame, keep conditions stable and commission a skilled caner who will protect original rails and holes.

References and further reading

[V&A furniture collection](https://www.vam.ac.uk/collections/furniture)
[Canadian Conservation Institute: agents of deterioration](https://www.canada.ca/en/conservation-institute/services/agents-deterioration.html)

This article is educational. Test treatments cautiously and consult a conservator before altering a valuable or historically important object.

Watch the workshop approach

See conservation-minded repairs, examinations and techniques on the [Antique Repair Shop YouTube channel](https://www.youtube.com/@AntiqueRepairShop).