The holidays have come and gone. Did your furniture survive? We’ve talked about stain prevention and removal before, but what about simple repairs? If your holiday guests left you with some wobbly chairs or bar stools, you might be better off repairing them yourself than replacing them entirely.
Luckily, wooden restaurant furniture is easy to repair. And the following instructions can easily be adapted for pieces other than chairs, such as outdoor bar tables. Anything with loose wooden components can be fixed up with very little effort.
When assessing a damaged piece, be honest with yourself. If it does need replacing, there’s not much you can do but replace it. Likewise, if the problem seems too complex, do some research or ask a professional for advice. If you feel confident that your chair leg is just in need of some firming up, by all means proceed with this article for some tips.
First, get some quality carpenters’ glue. Pull the affected joint all the way apart, and fill the empty socket with glue. Use quite a lot of it, and wipe away the excess after you’ve re-joined the two pieces.
Next, find a way to clamp that joint securely. Clamps come in several forms; you can find band clamps and bar clamps for reasonable prices at discount or hardware stores. If you just have a bit of twine, that will work, too. Wrap it around the legs several times to secure the position, and then tie it tightly. If you still have too much slack, take a small piece of wood and put it into the loop. Twist it until the twine is very taut.
Allow your project to sit for 24 hours before removing the clamp, and you’re all set!
