Info & Prices

Information and Prices for Seat Weaving

It is not possible to give definitive prices for re-seating and restoration because each piece of furniture is different.

However, a rough guide is given below

HAND CANE
Traditional hand woven cane The work involved in hand caning increases exponentially with the number of holes in each panel and with it the price of re-caning!
Up to	150 holes	- £1.80 per frame hole
"	300 "	- £2.00 "
"	400 "	- £2.50 "
"	500 "	- £3.00 "
Caning new Frames for Boat Builders and Cabinet Makers. Please email or phone for details.
There can be a reduction in these prices if it is a very simple panel with less than 75 holes and/or it does not require beading. (The wider cane which goes around the perimeter of some caned panels)
Blind Caning - sometimes known as 'French' or 'secret' caning. The holes are not drilled all the way through and each piece of cane has to be glued individually into each hole. This is very time consuming and the cost reflects this: Prices for blind caning start at £3.00/hole. See Restoration page for pictures of this
Medallions - See opposite These and other complications attract an extra charge.
Loom Cane Modern chairs are usually seated in loom cane. This comes in a pre-woven sheet and is fixed into a groove around the seat frame. Although it is relatively quick to replace, removing the old cane and glue and cleaning the groove to take the new cane has to be done with great care so as not to damage the surrounding wood. Price To replace loom cane From 35p/sq" Minimum Charge of £50 per panel
Splicing (Patching small holes - see Restoration) This is only viable for small holes in relatively large areas of cane.			from		£40 + £5 per strand replaced
Additional Options and Charges:
Staining to match original or to 'age' New cane is very white but within 3 or so years begins to mellow to the characteristic yellowy brown. It is possible to 'colour' the cane to give a reasonable, but not perfect, match with other panels or the original old cane.
For matching cane		from		£30 for first panel £15 for second and subsequent panels
To just age without matching			from	£15 per panel
RUSH Using English (Thames) freshwater rushes for country chairs and Dutch or Portuguese for fine work.
Medium/large coils			from	70 pence per sq inch
Fine coils			from	80 pence per sq inch
Measure from centre of seat, front to back and side to side. This works out from at about £120 – £180 for a dining room chair
Danish Cord, Seagrass, Paper Fibre Rush etc Price dependent on complexity of design.			from	35 pence per sq inch Laced Danish cord has an extra charge because of cost of materials.
Repairs to Wicker and Lloyd loom etc			from	£50
These prices assume that the frame is solid. New weavings put a tremendous strain on the frame and any repairs need to be carried out before commencment of weaving. Any restoration needed will be charged accordingly.
Riempie (white or raw leather thonging from South Africa) To re riempie a seat - from £2.00 per frame hole in White or Raw riempie. This includes materials. Although the raw riempie is more expensive, there is less wastage.
Materials Price List Page We now accept telephone payment by credit and debit cards for orders over £10 01628 825610 07798 980824 07850 119133 DO NOT SEND YOUR CARD DETAILS BY EMAIL
If you prefer, we still welcome Postal Orders or cheques made payable to: SUZANDY CANING & FURNITURE Orders Over £200 are post free

Medallion of turned wood in the centre of a 'spider's web' of cane

There are 60 holes in both the outer frame and the medallion in the centre of the chair back totalling 120 holes. The cane is exceptionally fine - being 1.3mm and 1.6mm wide.

To make matters more complicated, there was a fillet or spline of wood in the back of the frame under which the loops of the cane are hidden.

This has to be removed, very carefully before any work can commence.

Cleared groove ready for new cane

New loom cane in place

Before and

after Staining

Scirpus lacustris

Fresh water rushes growing in the Thames

The subtle shades of green, brown and gold of a freshly rushed seat.

As it dries it will become a more even shade of gold.

Dutch and Portuguese rush is a more even golden brown when fresh and doesn't alter so much.

Woven Danish cord on a Teak Danish chair.

These chairs, especially those with rosewood backs, are becoming increasingly valuable.

We now stock 4mm 'laced' Danish cord. This is more tightly twisted than the normal 'unlaced' and gives a more defined profile. This is often found on chairs design by Hans Wegner

See "Before & After" on the Restoration page

Riempie - Do It Yourself

Riempies are 5-6mm wide and 4-5mm thick. This comes in strips averaging 2metres in length.

You will need 8 - 10metres for a seat with 8 - 10 holes per side.

Price

£3.00 per metre

The easiest way to find out how much you need is to remove the old reimpies and measure.

Raw riempies - Rawhide - In two widths - approx 6mm and 8mm wide and 2.4mm thick. This comes in a continuous length.

£4.00 per metre for 6mm wide and £4.50 for 8mm

This is the traditional material for North American canoe seats and needs a very long soak before use.

For a sample of any seat-weaving material; please send a stamped self addressed envelope and 2 First Class stamps.

Care of caned furniture.

In common with all antique furniture, avoid putting caned chairs etc in hot, dry sunny rooms or next to heat sources. Low humidity heat will dry out cane and make it brittle.

Cane has a certain amount of stretch or give, which allows for the stress of someone sitting on it. After some time, the cane will begin to lose its "memory" and will begin to sag. When the cane can stretch no more, it will begin to wear against itself and the edges of the chair and strands and will break.

To prolong the life of a caned seat, tighten the cane periodically. This is done by wetting the cane with warm water and a sponge on the underside, which is not protected by the glossy bark. By letting the cane dry slowly overnight, you can, for a few years, restore its original tightness. However, this procedure will not restore any of the original suppleness of the cane

Morris outside the cricket pavilion at Littlewick Green

Livery by Merlin Signs 01494 438305

site map