Ladder back seats are iconic for woven seats and their wooden ladder-rung-style chair backs; today some that survive may be more than 150 years old. Apart from glue joints itself may require repairs into the rush or reed material. Reed or rush can be found from basket-making supply shops and from some craft stores. Take a piece of the fiber with you when searching for a replacement if unsure that material is ideal for your chair.
Repairing Loose Joints
Wiggle the chair back and forth gently, grabbing it along various portions of the frame, to ascertain that joints are loose. Pull on pieces out, like chair rungs, and label them each with a piece of tape, then drawing place or the part name on the tape with pencil.
Sand the ends of each piece removed from the chair to remove glue with a fine-grit sandpaper. Sand inside the pockets that hold the pieces in place too, folding the sandpaper. Wipe the dust away with a soft fabric.
Wood glue over the ends of each piece of timber removed from the chair and inside the holes that hold the pieces in place. Put the timber ends back into place. Wrap the chair using a strap clamp and twist — keeping it in place at least 24 hours so that the glue can dry.
Repairing the Seat
Soak till it is flexible enough to bend without breaking or replacement reed at a bucket of water for at least 30 minutes. Use fibers or reed that fit the existing chair material.
Replace missing or broken fibers inside the weave of the seat by tying one end of the dash that is new to the old, making a knot so that it is not observable.
Weave the new dash copying the existing pattern. Use needle-nose pliers to help pull on the dash through locations. Tie to a piece as in Step 2 if fresh rush’s strand runs out.
Continue weaving until the routine is tight and complete. Tuck loose ends so that they’re not observable from sides or the top of the chair. Allow the chair seat to dry for at least several days prior to sitting . The fibers tighten up as they dry, creating a seat.