Info & Prices Suzandy, cane furniture restoration

Email: suzandycrafts@gmail.com

Phone: 07790 984824

Susan I M Routh

Malcolm Routh

Suzandy

Caning & Furniture

Glebe Farmhouse

Buckerell

Nr Honiton

Devon

EX14 3EP

Information and Prices for Seat Weaving

I am retiring from this side of the business, therefore am no longer taking on commissions.

The following is for general information and shows more up to date prices for caning

Hand Cane Blind Caning Medallions Loom Cane Splicing Staining Rush Danish Cord Seagrass Lloyd Loom White Riempies Raw Riempie

HAND CANE
Traditional hand woven cane The work involved in hand caning increases exponentially with the number of holes in each panel and with it the price of re-caning!
Up to	100 holes	From: £2.50 per frame hole
"	200 "	From: £3.00 - "
"	300 "	From: £3.50 "
There can be a reduction in these prices if it is a very simple panel with less than 75 holes and/or it does not require beading - the wider cane which goes around the perimeter of some caned panels.

Blind Caning - sometimes known as 'French' or 'secret' caning. The holes are not drilled all the way through and each piece of cane has to be glued individually into each hole. This is very time consuming and the cost reflects this: Prices for blind caning start at £3.00/hole for up to 100 holes £3.50 for up to 200 and £4.00 per hole for over 300. See Restoration page for pictures of this

Medallions - See opposite These and other complications attract an extra charge but it is not possible to give a quote without sight of the piece. And don't forget to count the holes around the outside of the medallion as well as those around the edge of the panel!

Loom Cane Modern chairs are usually seated in loom cane. This comes in a pre-woven sheet and is fixed into a groove around the seat frame. Although it is relatively quick to replace, removing the old cane and glue and cleaning the groove to take the new cane has to be done with great care so as not to damage the surrounding wood. Price To replace loom cane Aprox £150-£180 for a dining chair depending on the time for removing the old cane and glue! Minimum Charge of £100per panel

Splicing (Patching small holes - see Restoration) This is only viable for small holes in relatively large areas of cane. from £40 + £8 per strand replaced

Additional Options and Charges:

Staining - to blend with original or to 'age' New cane is very white but within 3 or so years begins to mellow to the characteristic yellowy brown. It is possible to 'colour' the cane to blend the new with existing panels of old cane. A perfect match is not possible.

£40 for first panel £20 for second and subsequent panels

RUSH -
Medium/large coils Approx £200 - £300 depending on the size of the seat
Fine coils Approx £250 - £350 depending on the size of the seat


Danish Cord, Seagrass, Paper Fibre Rush etc Price dependent on complexity of design. Average price is around £180-£200 per seat
Restoring the woodwork on teak Danish chairs: From £80 per chair depending on how much needs to be done.


Riempie - white or raw bovine leather thonging from South Africa To re riempie a seat - from £2.00 per frame hole in White or Raw riempie plus the cost of materials. Although the raw riempie is more expensive, there is less wastage. Do It Yourself Click here for instructions for white riempie White riempies approximately 3.5-8mm thick - 5-6mm wide. The riempies in the last batch were a little shorter at about 1.5m -1.9m long. We will send a mix of lengths. Approximately 4-6 strips needed for a seat with 8-10 holes per side. £7.50 per strip White riempies do NOT need to be soaked All measurements are approximate The easiest way to find out how much you need is to remove the old reimpies and measure how many lengths you have of 6ft or so. Click here to download a PDF file of instructions for DIY riempieing Raw riempies- Rawhide This is the correct material to use on antique chairs and needs a very long soak in COLD water before use. In two widths - approx 6mm and 8mm wide and approx. 2.4mm thick. This comes in a continuous length and is much rougher than white riempie and varies from cream to translucent in appearance, giving the appropriate look to antique furniture. 6mm wide = £5.00 per meter (approx) 8mm wide = £5.50 per meter (approx) Rawhide is the traditional material for North American canoes and snow shoes.
For payment via Bank transfer (no lower limit): Email your requirements and I will send you a 'Pro Forma' invoice with BACS details PayPal to suzandy@gmail.com DO NOT SEND YOUR CARD DETAILS BY EMAIL
If you prefer, we still welcome Postal Orders or cheques made payable to: S. ROUTH

Medallion of turned wood in the centre of a 'spider's web' of cane

To make matters more complicated, there was a fillet or spline of wood in the back of the frame under which the loops of the cane are hidden.

This has to be removed, very carefully before any work can commence..

There are 60 holes in both the outer frame and the medallion in the centre of the chair back totalling 120 holes.

The cane is exceptionally fine - being 1.3mm and 1.6mm wide.

Cleared groove ready for new cane

New loom cane in place


Before and	after Staining

Scirpus lacustris

Fresh water rushes growing in the Thames

The subtle shades of green, brown and gold of a freshly rushed seat.

As it dries it will become a more even shade of gold.

Dutch and Portuguese rush is a more even golden brown when fresh and doesn't alter so much.

Seat woven with Danish cord

Woven Danish cord on a Teak Danish chair. Designed by Hans Wegner

These chairs, especially those with rosewood backs, are becoming increasingly valuable.
See "Before & After" on the Restoration page

RAW RIEMPIE

The appearance of raw riempie varies from batch to batch. The current batch is like that on the left ie translucent.

As with all natural seat weaving materials, Riempie is a natural product and the appearance cannot be guaranteed to be exactly as shown on the website.

For a sample of any seat-weaving material; please send a stamped self addressed envelope and 2 First Class stamps.

Care of caned furniture.

In common with all antique furniture, avoid putting caned chairs etc in hot, dry sunny rooms or next to heat sources. Low humidity heat will dry out cane and make it brittle.

Cane has a certain amount of stretch or give, which allows for the stress of someone sitting on it. After some time, the cane will begin to lose its "memory" and will begin to sag. When the cane can stretch no more, it will begin to wear against itself and the edges of the chair and strands and will break.

To prolong the life of a caned seat, tighten the cane periodically. This is done by wetting the cane with warm water and a sponge on the underside, which is not protected by the glossy bark. By letting the cane dry slowly overnight, you can, for a few years, restore its original tightness. However, this procedure will not restore any of the original suppleness of the cane

All natural seat weaving materials have a finite life.

Morris outside the cricket pavilion at Littlewick Green

Livery by Merlin Signs 01494 438305

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