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We can replace the existing cane seat on your antique; or, if the chair design allows for it, put a new seat on a chair that previously had a different seat. We use natural cane, which is the bark of a tropical vine that has been cut to a specific width. There are three major types of chair caning: hand caning; machine or "press" caning; and blind or "French" caning. The type used on any given chair is dependent upon the construction of the chair frame itself. The results will look pretty much the same, regardless of which technique is used.
Hand caning is the probably the original method of installing a cane seat on a chair. It consists of weaving individual strands of cane through holes that have been drilled in the chair frame. There are at least nine sizes of cane that might be used. The following chart shows the most common cane sizes.
The size cane that we will use on your chair is determined by the size of and distance from center to center of the holes that are drilled in your chair seat.
The resulting pattern looks like a series of honeycombs, the size of the which is determined by the size of the holes, the distance between them, and the size of the cane used. The pictures below show an empty chair seat with the holes drilled in the frame, a hank of individual strands of cane, and a bottom view of the finished seat, showing how the individual strands are tied together.
BLIND or "FRENCH" CANING Blind, or "French", caning is a variation of the traditional hand caning. The holes in the frame only go halfway through the frame. Each individual strand of cane is inserted in a hole, woven across the seat, and cut to fit in the opposite hole. As in traditional caning, the size of the cane used is determined by the size and spacing of the holes in the frame. The same cane sizes are used in blind or "French" caning as are used in traditional caning. After the chair is woven, a dab of glue is used to hold each strand in place. This style is most frequently seen in the backs of more ornate or expensive chairs from Europe. From the front (on a chair back), or top (on a chair seat), there is no visual difference between this and traditional hand caning. It is only by examining the top and bottom together can you determine if this method was used. This is the most difficult and time-consuming caning method.
Press, or machine, caning is a comparatively newer technique for installing a cane seat on a chair. Instead of individual strands, a pre-woven sheet of cane is inserted into a groove that has been cut into the chair frame. A spline of wood is installed into the groove, to hold it all in place. Since the cane is installed into the groove, there are no knots underneath. The pictures below show the groove in an empty chair seat, a sheet of pre-woven cane with a piece of spline, and a view of the finished seat, concentrating on the groove area.
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