So, you have that wooden chair with one or two loose legs or rungs. The chair is too nice to throw away and you don’t want to take the whole thing apart to fix one or two loose dowels or legs. And at the same time, although you leave it out for family, when company comes the chair is always relegated to the corner to hold the planter.
Well there is a way to repair this chair without resorting to clamps or ugly nails sticking in at odd angles. And, most importantly, you can repair it without taking it apart!
You will need two things. First of all you will need a fine clear glue ( a cyanoacrylate for those in the know – that it the technical term for super glue type glues). I use one called Miracle Glue, as it lasts for years if kept in the freezer or refrigerator. You will want a glue that will wick well – by this I mean that it will soak down in between two pieces of wood that are close together. The other thing you will need is some very fine powder. Fine sawdust is probably best if you have access to it but talcum powder or baking soda will do in a pinch. You can even use coffee grounds or some spices to give the color that you want.
Turn your chair so that gravity helps you work the powder into the space between the two pieces of wood. Note here that you are leaving the dowel in the hole in the other part of the chair. Keep working it in until there is no more motion or give between the two pieces. Brush off any access around the hole so it is smooth. Take your Miracle Glue bottle and release a few drops onto the powder and let it soak in. Again, let gravity help. I usually do a drop at a time and keep going as long as it will soak in. Normally, 3-4 drops are enough unless there is a very large space to fill. With the right glue your chair will be fixed within minutes and although it is probably not necessary I wait 24 hours before letting my in-laws use the chair.
There you go – no more wobbly chair.