Windsor Chairs: Repairs

The photo is of a recent completed repair job. You can see that the seat had warped badly over time, twisting the whole structure and pulling some of the joints apart. I adjusted the lengths of the various components so that they fitted comfortably together, then I tightened and reglued the joints. This one also exhibits shortened legs. See question 3 below. But basically it was a good chair, retaining its original finish, and had only been badly repaired just the once!

I often repair Windsor chairs, but before even enquiring about repairs please ask yourself the following questions:-

1. Does the chair have enough value (either financial or emotional) to make it worth repairing? By the time I have examined the chair, taken measurements, dismantled and reassembled you won't get a lot of change from £100 even without making any replacement parts or refinishing. If new parts are needed the cost can quickly escalate to that of a new chair.

2. Has the chair been badly repaired in the past? Some sure signs of bodged repairs are metalwork such as nails and screws, old white PVA adhesive in the joints, or maybe the odd piece of plywood here and there. Removing these can take an inordinate amount of time, and leave holes which are difficult to repair.

3. Have the legs been shortened? Often chairs were left on damp floors and the bottoms of the legs got worm or rot and were gradually shortened to keep pace with the decay. I can often extend legs back to the original length but this can be expensive.

4. Would you be better off keeping your old chair and having a copy made? If the seat is badly cracked along the grain, or the bent bows have failed, this may be a sensible option. Your old chair will retain any antique value it has at present, and you will then have a new and sturdy chair to use.

5. Has the chair been sanded or dipped? If so, it is probably ruined anyway. Sanding removes all the original patina and surface texture, leaving a dragged up surface and scratch marks, and dipping usually cracks the seat and loosens all the joints. I cannot bring chairs like this back from the dead.

6. How will you get the chair to and from my workshop near Tavistock in Devon, UK? I do not normally collect or deliver repairs.

If you're still reading I would be pleased to talk about chair repairs!

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Electronic mail address - colinwindsorchair.co.uk (to reduce spam this is not an active link so you will need to type this address in full in the "to" box of your email)