SHAKER INSPIRED CHAIRS, SEATS AND STOOLS by MORRISON'S CHAIR CANING


Caning

If you are not sure as to what your chair might need, we suggest you use the buttons below. They will show you examples of caning, rushing, splinting, and shaker tape and, hopefully, give you a better idea of what you need.

Our pricing is determined according to the work that needs to be done:

• BASIC HAND CANING is priced according to the number of holes drilled in the frame.
• BLIND or "FRENCH" CANING is charged on a per piece basis as we need to see the item before giving an estimate.
• PRESS CANE is priced according to the length of the longest single edge of the area to be done. This is usually across the front of a seat or from top to bottom on a back. There is an additional charge for curved backs.
• RUSH is priced according to the length of the longest edge of the area to be done, usually across the front of the seat. Windsor chairs and Hitchcock chairs will cost extra.
• SPLINT is priced according to the length of the longest edge of the area to be done, usually across the front of the seat.
• SHAKER TAPE is priced according to the length of the longest edge of the area to be done, usually across the front of the seat or from top to bottom for a back.

As always, the best way to get an accurate estimate of both the work and cost involved is to bring your piece to our shop. That way, we all are on the same page as to what need to be done.

We can replace the existing cane seat on your antique, or, if the chair is designed 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 of "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

Hand caning is 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. The size of the resulting pattern 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, individual strands of cane, and a bottom view of the finished seat, showing how the individual strands are tied together.
Blind 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. After the chair is woven, a dab of glue is used to hold each strand in place.

Press Caning

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.