How to Easily Repair a Caned Chair Seat

Create a New Padded Seat

Use a jigsaw to cut 1/2" plywood or MDF into shape of chair seat. Then cut coordinating piece of upholstery foam using a serrated knife or electric carving knife. Use a pair of scissors to cut upholstery or quilt batting to same shape as well. Using spray adhesive, glue batting to foam, then foam to plywood cutout. Tip: Because of the back, it might be difficult to trace seat shape directly onto plywood, so make a paper template and trace that to ensure a good fit. 

Prepare to Attach Seat Cover to Chair

Place newly made seat cover onto work surface, batting-side-down. Turn chair upside-down and set on top of seat cover, directly onto plywood/MDF side. Line up seat cover with chair seat. With scissors, cut a square out of cardboard that will fit over hole in caning.

Cover Hole in Caning

Cut lengths of upholstery cardboard stripping and use them to secure cardboard piece to wood seat base. Staple upholstery strip every few inches, using two strips, one on each side of cardboard piece to fully secure it.

Secure Wood Seat to Chair

Use additional cardboard upholstery strips to secure wood seat to caning of chair seat (Image 1). Add a staple every few inches until seat feels securely affixed to chair (Image 2). Note: The nice thing about this method is that the staples can be removed in the future, so seat can be detached and chair can be professionally recaned at a later date, if you choose. To disguise your repair, upholster or slipcover the new padded seat (Image 3).