I enjoy repairing Windsor chairs, but before even enquiring about repairs please ask yourself the following questions: –

1.  Does the chair have enough value (either financial or emotional) to make it worth repairing? Making a decent job of a repair is time consuming. Making a bad job of a repair will completely ruin the chair.

2. Has the chair been badly repaired in the past? Some sure signs of bodged repairs are metalwork such as nails and screws, old white PVA adhesive in the joints, or maybe the odd piece of plywood here and there. Removing these can take an inordinate amount of time and can leave holes which are difficult to hide.

3. Have the legs been shortened? Often chairs were left on damp floors, and the bottoms of the legs got worm or rot and were gradually shortened to keep pace with the decay. I can sometimes extend legs back to the original length, but it takes time.

4. Would you be better off keeping your old chair and having a copy made? If the seat is badly cracked along the grain, or the bent bows have failed, this may be a sensible option. Your old chair will retain any antique value it has at present, and you will then have a new and sturdy chair to use. Of course if your old chair is absolutely unusable you might as well get it repaired as have a new one made.

5. Has the chair been sanded or dipped? If so, it is probably ruined anyway. Sanding removes all the original patina and surface texture, leaving a dragged up surface and scratch marks, and dipping usually cracks the seat and loosens all the joints. I cannot bring chairs like this back from the dead.

6. How will you get the chair to and from my workshop? I do not normally collect or deliver repairs.

If you’re still reading, I would be pleased to talk about chair repairs!