Reglue loose chair joints properly: strip old glue, dry-fit, clamp square, and let it cure overnight for a solid repair.
CH-01Find every loose jointTurn the chair upside down and grip each joint in turn, gently rocking it. Listen and feel for movement or a faint creak. Mark every loose joint with a bit of masking tape so you don't miss one once you start work.
CH-02Set up your workspaceWork on a bench or table protected with an old towel or dust sheet. Have your clamps, glue, a damp cloth and a soft-faced mallet within reach before you start, so you're not hunting for tools with glue drying on your hands.
1 each · Dust sheet or old towel CH-03Take apart only the loose jointsTap the joint gently apart with a soft-faced mallet, protecting the wood with an offcut if you're using a hard mallet. Don't force sound joints apart — you only want to open the ones you marked as loose. Keep parts from the same joint together so you don't mix them up.
1 each · Soft-faced mallet 1 each · Scrap wood offcut CH-04Clean off all the old glueScrape old, dried glue off both the peg (tenon or dowel) and the socket with a small flat screwdriver or a purpose-made glue scraper. Sand lightly with fine sandpaper to remove any remaining film — old glue stops new glue bonding properly. Blow or brush out any dust from the socket.
1 sheet · Fine sandpaper (240 grit) 1 each · Small flat screwdriver or glue scraper CH-05Dry-fit before gluingPush the joint together without any glue to check it still fits snugly. If a dowel or tenon has shrunk and feels loose, wrap a thin sliver of wood veneer or a few strands of wood wool around it with a dab of glue to bulk it back up. Sort this out now — it's much harder once glue is drying.
1 pack · Wood veneer strips or cocktail sticks (for packing loose dowels) CH-06Apply the glueUse a wood glue such as PVA — it's the right choice for solid wood joints. Apply a thin, even coat to both the peg and inside the socket with a small brush or offcut of card; don't overload it, as excess glue squeezing out just makes more mess to clean up later.
1 bottle · PVA wood glue (250ml) 1 each · Small glue brush or card offcut CH-07Clamp the joint squarePush the joint fully home and clamp it with a sash clamp or a ratchet strap clamp wrapped right around the chair frame. Check the chair sits square and true on a flat surface before the glue grabs — a chair glued up skewed will wobble again. Leave the clamp under light, even pressure, not overtightened.
1 each · Ratchet strap clamp or sash clamp CH-08Wipe off excess glue straight awayRun a damp cloth along any glue that has squeezed out of the joint while it's still wet. Dried glue is much harder to remove and can show through a finish or stop stain taking evenly later.
CH-09Leave the glue to cure fullyLeave the clamps on and the chair undisturbed for at least 8 hours, or overnight if you can. PVA wood glue reaches a firm bond in a few hours but needs longer to reach full strength — don't put weight on the chair before then, even if it feels solid.
CH-10Remove clamps and check the chairTake the clamps off and repeat the original wobble test on every joint, not just the one you glued. Sit on the chair carefully on a soft surface first, ready to step off if anything gives. Tidy away glue, cloths and offcuts once you're happy it's solid.
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