How to Fix a Broken Rocking Chair

Before you part ways with your broken but beloved rocking chair, read this and learn how easy it can be to repair the chair yourself and enjoy many more years of rocking.

Glue and clamp

To repair a broken rocker, lay the rocking chair face down and gently clean the break by scraping the old glue away. Spread an thin layer of carpenters glue inside the break, then press the sections together by hand and wipe away any excess with a clean damp cloth. To make a splint, place waxed paper and a thin, flat piece of wood along each side of the break. Secure the break with adequate pressure with a pair of C clamps for 4 hours. When the time is right, remove the clamps and splint and you can now reinforce to the break.

Drilling a dowel hole

To determine the depth of the dowel hole, measure along the side of the rocker; the dowel will be inserted two thirds of the way into the rocker. Mark the hole position with an awl. Fit a power drill with a bit the same size as the dowel and wrap masking tape around the bit to indicate depth of the hole. Brace the chair against a wall and drill a hole at the mark, stopping when the tape touches the rocker.

Inserting the dowel

Cut a dowel one inch longer than the depth of the hole and bevel one end slightly with coarse sandpaper. Draw the dowel through the jaws of pliers to score its side; this will allow excess glue and air to escape as the dowel is forced into the hole. Spread a thin layer of white or yellow glue on the dowel and in the hole. Set the beveled end of the dowel in the hole and tap it in with a rubber mallet. Wipe away excess glue with a clean, damp cloth. Let the glue set for 24 hours. With a coping saw, cut the dowel flush with surface of the rocker. Use medium then fine grit sandpaper to sand the dowel smooth.