Preparing the frame
Old cane, spline and glue are removed completely. Holes and grooves are cleared and loose joints are made sound, so the new weave has a solid base.
About the workshop
Caning repair, restoration & replacement
Our story
A small workshop devoted to a patient craft.
Alucain Natural Furniture exists for one thing: the woven cane that gives a chair its character — and the people who want to keep sitting in it.
Caning is slow work, and that is exactly why we love it. Each strand is soaked, drawn through the frame and woven by hand until the pattern closes into the familiar honeycomb you remember. No shortcuts, no staples hidden underneath, no synthetic substitutes.
Some pieces arrive with one broken strand, others with nothing left but the frame. We look at every one the same way: what was it meant to be, and what does it need to get there? Sometimes a careful repair is enough. Sometimes a seat has to be woven again from the first hole to the last.
Whether it is a family rocking chair that has seen three generations, a set of café chairs found at a flea market or the cane doors of a favourite cabinet, your furniture is treated as if it were our own — and returned ready for many more years of everyday use.
What we stand for
The way we work.
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01
Respect for the piece
We keep what can be kept and match new cane to the age and tone of the original.
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02
Made to be used
Seats are woven tight and finished properly, so they hold up to real life.
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03
Clear from the start
You know the price, the method and the timing before we begin.
The craft
Why hand caning takes time.
A woven seat is built in layers. Each one has to be right before the next can begin.
Weaving the pattern
Soaked strands run front to back, side to side and across both diagonals. Only when the last layer goes in does the familiar octagonal pattern appear.
Finishing and drying
Edges are bound, ends are tied off underneath and the cane tightens as it dries — leaving a surface that is firm, even and comfortable.
Free estimates
Have a piece that needs new cane?
Send a few photos and a short description. We will tell you what it needs and what it will cost — with no obligation.