How to Rebuild an Antique Rocking Chair

Spread old newspaper down on the ground to protect floor from wood dust. Wear a dust mask and disposable plastic gloves. Examine an antique wooden rocking chair for damage along the legs, arms and joints. Turn the chair on the side and examine underneath the seat.

Remove the seat spindles. Use a center punch and a hammer to tap out the piece. Use a non-slip pad to untwist the spindles free, or wear cotton gardening gloves with gripping type material on the inside of the gloves to untwist the spindles. Place spindles on the side in a labeled container so they can be reassembled and are not mixed in with other parts.

Plane old seat joints with a plane tool so that they are refitted and structurally intact. Do not remove too much excess wood; remove just enough wood so that the design of the chair and size of the spindles are similar to the original. Glue the seat spindles back into the joints, using wood epoxy and clamp. Let the glue fully dry before removing the clamp.

Take 220-grit sandpaper and sand, in the direction of the grain, the old varnish or rough spots, wherever there is damage on the rocking chair. Remove wood dust with a clean paintbrush or tack cloth.

Fill gouges, hairline cracks or splits with wood filler. Apply a generous amount. Remove excess wood filler with an old rag and let dry. Apply wood epoxy glue to any splits in the wood in both sections and press together. Hold in place for a few seconds and let dry. Sand lightly the wood filler and reglued epoxy sections to even out the grain. Remove wood dust with the tack cloth or clean paintbrush.

Stain the wood once all repairs have been made with dye-based stain the same color of your chair. Apply stain by wiping it on with a padded cloth. Let dry and apply a second coat. Use a clear topcoat varnish, in semi-gloss. Use the varnish in a well-ventilated area and apply three coats, letting each coat dry before applying the next.