| Fixing a Wobbly Leg | | | | injecting glue directly into it. In most cases, however, it is |
| There is nothing more irritating than sitting on a chair | | | | better to remove the leg altogether and clean up the |
| that wobbles continually: a common fault that is usually | | | | joint thoroughly before reassembling. |
| caused by one of the legs wearing down faster than | | | | First, check how the leg is held in position. In some |
| the others do. Before you start it is worth checking | | | | chairs, the leg will be mortised and tenoned into the |
| that it is not the floor which is at fault, as if this is the | | | | seat rail and possibly screwed into the corner block. If |
| case you may end up hopelessly cutting about | | | | this is the case, start by unscrewing the corner block. |
| 18inches of the legs of your chair. To do this, place the | | | | Then gently ease the mortise and tenon apart. |
| chair on a piece of flat board - chipboard is ideal. If it | | | | If you have trouble undoing the joints, check to make |
| still wobbles, find out which leg is causing the problem. | | | | sure that they have not been nailed in an attempt to |
| You can generally do this by getting on your hands | | | | repair them. If they have, remove the nails taking care |
| and knees and having a look at the legs. | | | | not to damage the wood. |
| Once you have found the culprit, pack thin pieces of | | | | If the nail heads are proud, you can pull them out with |
| cardboard or scraps of paper under the short leg until | | | | pincers. However, if they are below the surface, you |
| the chair is steady. The thickness of the packing gives | | | | will have to trim the wood with a chisel or drill a small |
| you the amount of wood you need to cut off the | | | | hole to be able to reach them. |
| remaining three legs. Remove the packing and place it | | | | In some chairs the legs are stop jointed directly into the |
| in turn against the other legs, making a mark where | | | | base of the seat board. If they are simply held in place |
| each as to be trimmed. | | | | with glue, twisting them some be sufficient to ease |
| Remove the packing and place it in turn against the | | | | them out. If they offer any resistance, check they are |
| other legs making a mark where each has to be | | | | not screwed into the seat board from the top, with the |
| trimmed. | | | | screws hidden by wooden plugs which match the |
| Saw the excess off each of the legs with a tenon | | | | chair. The leg may also be mortise and tenoned to a |
| saw and then smooth down with sand paper. | | | | stretcher rail, and these joints will have to be taken |
| If your chair legs are at an angle to the seat board | | | | apart. If your dealing with a chair with a circular |
| make sure you cut them horizontal to the floor and not | | | | stretcher rail, the legs are normally screwed to this. |
| at right angles to the leg. To ensure this make all | | | | Before replacing the leg, make sure you clean all the |
| around the leg with the packing. | | | | joints thoroughly. Scrape any old glue off using a knife |
| If the chair leg is sturdy an alternative solution to the | | | | or chisel, and check they all fit securely by |
| problem is the lengthen the leg by nailing a piece of | | | | reassembling them without glue. Rebuild any worn |
| packing to the end of it. | | | | tenons. |
| Mending A Loose Chair Leg | | | | Glue and fit the leg then screw the corner block back |
| Do not use a chair once one of the legs has become | | | | in place. If the leg is stop jointed into the seat board, |
| loose. If the end of the leg moves in the joint, this can | | | | vertically clamp it while it dries. |
| lead to further damage. | | | | Once the glue has dried, replace the stretcher rail. If |
| Joints normally become loose because the wood | | | | this is held in position by a mortise and tenon joint, |
| shrinks and the glue fails. Occasionally you may be | | | | clamp the two legs together until dried. |
| able to strengthen the joint without dismantling it, by | | | | |