Mrs. Peel 7,148 Posted December 18, 2018 I have 6 dining room chairs with woven cane backs and upholstered seat cushions - they need to be recaned (they're not antique, so it's the pre-woven caning that comes in sheets/rolls), the caning needs to be stained, and then the cushions need to be replaced with new foam and upholstery (with a single row of piping where the cushion meets the wood frame of the seat). I am completely floored by the quotes I'm getting. I mean... I literally had to pick myself off the floor when the first quote rolled in! So far, I have 2 quotes... same ballpark: 200+ per chair just for the recaning/staining... and another 230+ per chair for the new upholstered cushions. It's an expensive, high-end dining room set, so I will insist on great workmanship... but still, that would be over $2500(!) for what I (mistakenly?) thought was a very simple job by anyone's standards. Honestly, I've never had this kind of work done... I was expecting 200 per chair for EVERYTHING... not over 400/chair! (I shudder to think what these people charge for a complicated project...like a tufted, button back sofa with kickpleats on the skirt, etc.) So here's my questions: 1) can you recommend anyone who does one or both of these crafts at more reasonable prices? Perhaps someone in semi-retirement mode who does this out of his/her house? 2) The steep pricing is making me consider the DIY route. I'm not currently set up with a sewing machine, so I can't do that part of it... but I am considering tackling the recaning & staining part myself. I've already researched it - I'm confident I can do a beautiful job. (It seems I could recane and stain for well under 100/chair - that's over $600 in savings). Does anyone have experience with this work? Any tips/suggestions? Thanks, in advance! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Zeke 5,504 Posted December 18, 2018 i can’t help myself Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Zeke 5,504 Posted December 18, 2018 you can do this Peel its sewing and some stapling. I’ll loan ya the compressor and staple gun. yarn barn all you Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mrs. Peel 7,148 Posted December 18, 2018 11 minutes ago, Zeke said: its sewing and some stapling. Didn't I say I don't have a sewing machine? You can't make self-piping, for instance, without a sewing machine (not well or efficiently anyway). Nor would I want to sew the cushion corners by hand either. You need the perfect stitches of a machine for that to look really professionally done. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Scorpio64 5,120 Posted December 19, 2018 11 minutes ago, Mrs. Peel said: Didn't I say I don't have a sewing machine? Just buy a stupid sewing machine, they cost like $125 for a pretty good one. You will need to get a piping/cording presser foot though. If you don't want to make your own piping, just go to JoAnn Fabrics or wherever and buy ready made stuff. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Zeke 5,504 Posted December 19, 2018 Ya! Sew sew. get cracking I’ll loan you my sewing machine also Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Zeke 5,504 Posted December 19, 2018 It’s a singer Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mrs. Peel 7,148 Posted December 19, 2018 15 minutes ago, Scorpio64 said: Just buy a stupid sewing machine, they cost like $125 for a pretty good one. Good lord, are they really that cheap? To think of all the hand hemming I've been doing... for YEARS... I thought they were like 500 bucks and up?? And yeah, I can't buy the piping at JoAnn Fabrics or someplace like that because I want "self-piping" - that means piping made from the same fabric you're using to cover the object... so you have to cut and sew it over the cord yourself. 12 minutes ago, Zeke said: I’ll loan you my sewing machine also Now this is getting a bit "too" DIY. The project is growing into Frankenstein. Oh dear. Unless I get a good tip from someone on here on the caning, I think I'll just order caning materials this weekend. Might as well get that part done first. I'll circle back to you if I need the machine. Thanks for the offer! 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Zeke 5,504 Posted December 19, 2018 Peel, sis.. we do this here fully expect a Peel upholstery thread. With pics and know how. Tools ck! Knowledge..... um, YouTube. Ck! Determination... standby Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Scorpio64 5,120 Posted December 19, 2018 16 minutes ago, Zeke said: fully expect a Peel upholstery thread. With pics and know how. Operation cane and pipe Peel? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dilbert1967 145 Posted December 19, 2018 2 hours ago, Mrs. Peel said: I have 6 dining room chairs with woven cane backs and upholstered seat cushions - they need to be recaned (they're not antique, so it's the pre-woven caning that comes in sheets/rolls), the caning needs to be stained, and then the cushions need to be replaced with new foam and upholstery (with a single row of piping where the cushion meets the wood frame of the seat). I am completely floored by the quotes I'm getting. I mean... I literally had to pick myself off the floor when the first quote rolled in! So far, I have 2 quotes... same ballpark: 200+ per chair just for the recaning/staining... and another 230+ per chair for the new upholstered cushions. It's an expensive, high-end dining room set, so I will insist on great workmanship... but still, that would be over $2500(!) for what I (mistakenly?) thought was a very simple job by anyone's standards. Honestly, I've never had this kind of work done... I was expecting 200 per chair for EVERYTHING... not over 400/chair! (I shudder to think what these people charge for a complicated project...like a tufted, button back sofa with kickpleats on the skirt, etc.) So here's my questions: 1) can you recommend anyone who does one or both of these crafts at more reasonable prices? Perhaps someone in semi-retirement mode who does this out of his/her house? 2) The steep pricing is making me consider the DIY route. I'm not currently set up with a sewing machine, so I can't do that part of it... but I am considering tackling the recaning & staining part myself. I've already researched it - I'm confident I can do a beautiful job. (It seems I could recane and stain for well under 100/chair - that's over $600 in savings). Does anyone have experience with this work? Any tips/suggestions? Thanks, in advance! I don't know about whether he does upholstery but I've had work done by the company in the link below: https://businessfinder.nj.com/233548/Granddads-Refinishing-LLC-Mount-Laurel-NJ He re-caned the chair in the attached photo. Good luck! 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Zeke 5,504 Posted December 19, 2018 Don’t take the easy way Peel Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Krdshrk 3,872 Posted December 19, 2018 2 hours ago, Mrs. Peel said: Good lord, are they really that cheap? To think of all the hand hemming I've been doing... for YEARS... I thought they were like 500 bucks and up?? https://smile.amazon.com/Heavy-Duty-4423-Decorative-Automatic/dp/B003VWXZQ0/ref=sr_1_5?s=arts-crafts&ie=UTF8&qid=1545188905&sr=1-5&keywords=sewing+machine $124 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
YankeeSC 1,204 Posted December 19, 2018 We have an antique chair that needs to be re-caned and before we moved my wife had gotten some estimates ... yeah it's going to be in the $200 range per chair. Seems to be a hard to find/forgotten skill. Let me see if I can find who we got estimates from. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Handyman 5,682 Posted December 19, 2018 www.ikea.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dilbert1967 145 Posted December 20, 2018 22 hours ago, dilbert1967 said: I don't know about whether he does upholstery but I've had work done by the company in the link below: https://businessfinder.nj.com/233548/Granddads-Refinishing-LLC-Mount-Laurel-NJ He re-caned the chair in the attached photo. Good luck! It cost me $200 to re-cane this chair. Since it's an antique, and I have no idea what I'm doing (re-caning) I'd rather have a professional do it. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
the_stranger 13 Posted December 21, 2018 We used the person below. Was somewhat closw. Claire Dixon 610-253-3797 910 Morgan Hill Rd Easton, PA Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites