OT Carpentry help

[daker13]

OK, snowed in so it's time to tackle some home projects. The chair below is a Danish chair I bought a couple of years ago (cushions off). The cushions sit on canvas straps as they often do in this mid-century type design. But as you might be able to see, the canvas straps are just nailed to the seat itself, and these nails have been put in so many times that the wood is starting to splinter.

Anyone have any ideas for how I can attach these straps securely, without totally rebuilding the chair or ruining its design? I have basic carpentry skills and tools.

[HenryA]

Does the seat frame detach from the rest of the chair? If so, remove it and think about a way to use a router to recut the rabbet where the straps attach. Leave just enough to allow you to glue in a new piece of wood, replacing what you’ve cut away. Then you have fresh wood to attach the straps.

If you can’t get the frame out, find all the little cracks and holes and fill them with epoxy using a syringe. That will give you a sound surface to reattach the straps. West System is what I’d use.

I also suggest that you use hot melt glue on each strap to help with the load and/or a tiny metal plate screwed on top of each strap with maybe three screws on each strap end. That will help distribute the load as well.

[AngryScientist]

i would get some aluminum or steel barstock, available at any home depot, etc and sandwich the canvas straps between the old wood ledge and the new metal bar stock. bolt together. that'll be much stronger than the wood alone and you'll never notice with the cushion on top.

that's my idea anyway.

[cmg]

can you run the straps past the frame and attach to the underside? If you can, consider creating an underside frame that they attach to that get bolted to your chairs original structure. That way your only removing the bits that hold the straps.

[seanile]

could you run the straps side to side instead of front to back on the chair?

[cmbicycles]

Longer straps, or using what is there? If you could wrap the straps around something solid (wood or metal) and then attach that to the frame so the straps go over the top and are anchored top and bottom between the support and the frame they will be less likely to pull out, like it looks like they have many times. Another option with longer straps would be just fold the straps over themselves before stapling/tacking them down. The screws should probably have had some backer that is solid so the screws don't pull through the straps.

[Dirtdiggler]

looks like the screws are passing through the web.. this method or similar would work - drill two holes through the metal and fasten to the chair.


http://fagasstraps.com/clips.asp

[572cv]

i would get some aluminum or steel barstock, available at any home depot, etc and sandwich the canvas straps between the old wood ledge and the new metal bar stock. bolt together. that'll be much stronger than the wood alone and you'll never notice with the cushion on top.

that's my idea anyway.

Good idea, AS.

I rebuilt a 50's era sofa of similar design (by Walker Weed!) last year. It had woven straps from each side which were held in place with a metal plate with little teeth on one edge. The strap went over the plate which is loosely held by the nails at the outside ends, around the teeth, and back under. The straps have some elastic to them. They can be tightened to the correct tension over the teeth and then the nails can be driven home. Makes for a very simple system.

BTW, my wife over-ordered on the strapping for the job. PM me an overall length for what you are replacing, and i can send you enough strap to do a nice job. It's pretty spiffy stuff.

[bikinchris]

could you run the straps side to side instead of front to back on the chair?

I like this idea the most.

[ultraman6970]

+1... same with the aluminum bar somebody was suggesting, or maybe not metal but wood?

[simplemind]

If you can’t get the frame out, find all the little cracks and holes and fill them with epoxy using a syringe. That will give you a sound surface to reattach the straps. West System is what I’d use.

I also suggest that you use hot melt glue on each strap to help with the load and/or a tiny metal plate screwed on top of each strap with maybe three screws on each strap end. That will help distribute the load as well.

FWIW, I would do a modification of what Henry suggested: Remove all of the straps, run a bead of low viscosity epoxy down the nailing strip then using a putty knife or similar, squeegee epoxy to fill the holes/cracks and in the process remove the excess leaving a clean nailing surface. I would then apply that same epoxy to the webbing at each nail area prior to re-tacking. If you have access to a pneumatic stapler ($22 @ HF) I would use that to re-attach as you're going to get more holding power of both the webbing and the wood.

[lzuk]

You need to start with new web. First start at the back of the chair, staple the web leaving a couple of inches over. Fold the web over and staple it again. Now pull the web to the front of the chair, it needs to be stretched, and staple it. Cut the web a couple of inches long fold it over and staple it again. Use a 1/4”crown stapler.

[cnighbor1]

Take new straps Fold ends of straps over a long metal bar 1" by 16 gage x width of wood cushion sits on
Next punch holes in straps and drill holes in bar
Next drill hole in wood
Next having made sure all holes align place a button head bolt thru straps bar and wood and add washer and nut of the bottom side Plus washer under button head
replace cushion
split wood can be fixed by forcing with your finger a good wood glue into the split than clamping split tight with a clamp for 24 hours at least

[daker13]

Thanks all ... Now to go through the comments and see which one idea best fits the job..

[Tickdoc]

can you run the straps past the frame and attach to the underside? If you can, consider creating an underside frame that they attach to that get bolted to your chairs original structure. That way your only removing the bits that hold the straps.

My thoughts exactly. If new webbing could be folded and bound it could hold under and between the slats. I had an old French char that was like that.

Kewl chair btw.

[rwsaunders]

Perhaps see if you can weave the seat in the fashion of a Shaker designed chair or footstool....there is typically a piece of foam woven within the webbing.

http://www.shakerworkshops.com/catalog/view/shaker-dining-chairs/Shaker-Low-Back-Chair/F111

[OtayBW]

From what I can see, it looks to me like the stretcher in the front is set lower than the stretcher in the back - e.g., webbing sits on top of the frame in front, but level with it in the back. The front 'stretcher' is structural, not being used for webbing. I would consider making some kind of frame to replace the front/back stretchers, wrap the webbing over the top, and glue/tack it on the bottom...My $0.02.

[Black Dog]

You can go over the wood and fasten on the underside. Use good nylon webbing and if you we've it like a cane seat you will be good with 3 straps front to back and 4 side to side. See the image below for a visual.

https://images.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.norfolk-canoes.co.uk%2Fcanoes%2Fimages%2Fhou-seat-xl.jpg&f=1

[charliedid]

I tried, not super successfully years ago to do something similar. Seems most of the better chairs have slots cut or other ways to attach what are called Fagas straps. I ended up using thin leather that held pretty well. The chair left with an old girlfriend years ago so who knows what happened. Anyway I googled and found these.

https://www.etsy.com/listing/398941919/various-lengths-pirelli-remnant-sale?gpla=1&gao=1&&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=shopping_us_b-craft_supplies_and_tools-other&utm_custom1=0f667c71-7d69-4011-845f-e2ffaaf8ae47&gclid=Cj0KCQiA4bzSBRDOARIsAHJ1UO632fW17G1GXftFiX0H NgLXZW09-NdH4lFc7SfYHQHkvo9KGn5LJnIaAgJ1EALw_wcB

Also search Danish chair restoration

[OtayBW]

You can go over the wood and fasten on the underside. Use good nylon webbing and if you we've it like a cane seat you will be good with 3 straps front to back and 4 side to side. See the image below for a visual.Good idea! :banana:

[myth_jimmy]

I'll be the naysayer...DO NOT wrap underneath the wood (like pictured above)....will ruin the design of the chair.

[charliedid]

I'll be the naysayer...DO NOT wrap underneath the wood (like pictured above)....will ruin the design of the chair.

truth

[Tandem Rider]

I rebuilt a chair a long time ago using exactly what charlie's link shows. It was still going strong after 10 years, I moved away and hadn't thought about it until now. I did re-build the wood to get a good purchase, probably a good idea in your case too. I think I used a router to cut a huge rabbet, might have even "keyed" it, and filled in with hardwood, stained to blend it, and put the straps on.

[paredown]

I tried, not super successfully years ago to do something similar. Seems most of the better chairs have slots cut or other ways to attach what are called Fagas straps. I ended up using thin leather that held pretty well. The chair left with an old girlfriend years ago so who knows what happened. Anyway I googled and found these.

https://www.etsy.com/listing/398941919/various-lengths-pirelli-remnant-sale?gpla=1&gao=1&&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=shopping_us_b-craft_supplies_and_tools-other&utm_custom1=0f667c71-7d69-4011-845f-e2ffaaf8ae47&gclid=Cj0KCQiA4bzSBRDOARIsAHJ1UO632fW17G1GXftFiX0H NgLXZW09-NdH4lFc7SfYHQHkvo9KGn5LJnIaAgJ1EALw_wcB

Also search Danish chair restoration
We're working on restoring a couple of chairs--and they use the Fagas straps.

Here's the web site:
http://fagasstraps.com/

Not sure if yours used the Fagas originally, but those screws look like a temporary fix in the past. The site also sells the alternative style where you add the clamps on bulk strap.

[Peter P.]

My suggestion is to continue to use the web strapping you're using now.

Install grommets (http://www.seattlefabrics.com/Grommets-Setters_c_85.html), 1 or 2 per end, on each end of the strap.

Drill through the wood so you can use small machine screws and washers. They make screws with heads that should fit reasonably flush inside the grommets.

If the worst thing you have to do is regularly replace the strapping, that beats all those accumulating wood screw holes.

Continue to run the strapping from front to back as I think that will be more anatomically comfortable.

[JAGI410]

I would find some thin leather, and sandwich the end of the canvas strap, then sew the pieces together. I’d then find some brass grommets and nice screws to secure the new leather-reinforced strap to the wood. This would look classy, handmade, and somewhat period correct.

[charliedid]

I would find some thin leather, and sandwich the end of the canvas strap, then sew the pieces together. I’d then find some brass grommets and nice screws to secure the new leather-reinforced strap to the wood. This would look classy, handmade, and somewhat period correct.

That is exactly what I did.