Caning and Binding Cane

Kate replaced the cane seat on my old wooden bench. It now looks like
new and much nicer for sitting! Highly recommend her work and she is a
pleasure to work with.

G Maden

Cost Estimating.

Hand Caning:

Chair Seats- $2.00 per drilled hole, plus materials.*

Chair Backs- $2.00 per drilled hole, plus materials.*

Canoe seats-$2.00 per drilled hole, plus materials*

Machine Caning:

Chair Seats-$2.00 per inch of frame, plus materials*

Canoe Seats – $2.00 per inch of frame, plus materials*

Binding Cane

Herringbone, basket-weave, etc. – $100 per square foot.

Materials:

• Materials cost varies depending on the project and is subject to market forces that I have little understanding of and even less control over.
• Machine caning approximate cost: $65 (open or radio weave) Costs are higher for unusually wide projects and specialty weaves. And, as previously stated, is subject to market forces that I have little understanding of and even less control over.

Note on paper cane:

Paper cane needs to be coated with two or three coats of shellac and this costs $20.00 extra.

Repair costs

Shop Time: $40/hr ($20 minimum), plus materials.

Finishing

Staining and shellacking $20/surface.

More Information

Cane is made from the rattan palm, which grows in S.E. Asia. It comes in coils for hand caning, and pre-woven sheets, called Machine Caning. In order to ascertain whether your seat is hand, or machine-caned, turn it over. If there are holes drilled in the seat frame then it is hand caned. if the bottom of the frame is smooth, then it is machine cane.

Machine cane is available in a selection of weave patterns: Open weave in 7 sizes of natural cane and 1 size of paper cane, Radio weave in 4 sizes of natural cane and 2 sizes of paper cane, Swedish Modern, Box, and 2 strand by 2 strand Danish paper, and 3 strand by 3 strand paper.

Binding Cane uses the same material but is woven in a solid mat with many different weave structures. The photos above show a 6 by 6 basket weave, and complex weave pattern in the antique Balinese chairs.

In his book, The Craft of Chair Seat Weaving with Cane, Rush, Splint and Rope, Interweave Press, Colorado, 1990. George Sterns writes: “How long will cane, rush, splint or rope last?

Hand cane-15 to 20 Years, Machine cane-5 to 20 years, Natural rush-50 to 75 years, Imitation rush-20 to 50 years, Hickory splint-50 to 100 years, Paper splint-5 years, and Danish rope-20 to 40 years. (with the range due to usage from heavy to light)

So, it is well worth it to mend your chair and we can help. Please get in touch.

Please Call Ahead for an Appointment.