Hi
I need advice about how to repair loose furniture joints. Our climate cycles between wet to very dry. We have an old cherry wood dining room set that is becoming very wobbly. Other pieces of furniture are beginning to loosen up as well. We keep them waxed to no avail.
I use the Fine Homebuilding forum a ot, but need expertise in this area.
Replies
NO expert here on the subject..
I would explain what is really happening and I'm sure the EXPERTS can help you.
Joints subject to seasonal movement often do this. The "cure" -- gluing tightly -- often makes things worse as later expansion in the glued joint crushes wood fibers. The best fix, IMHO, is to disassemble the joints, clean them thoroughly, and reassemble using hot hide glue which has less tendency to damage the joint and is easily fixed in the future by simply applying hot water to re-loosen.
Mike Hennessy
Pittsburgh, AP
I agree with Mike, dissassemble and reglue. If the joints are well fitting you can tighten them by adding a little veneer to the tenons, or with single layer of cotton or linen cloth saturated with the hide glue.
Don't use epoxy. Then what will break is not the joint, but the wood, and the results might well be unrepairable.
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