National Average Improvement and Repair Cost
Pro
DIY
Hours:
8
12.5
Cost:
$ 350
$ 70
Would you do this project? According to our survey, 52% of respondents preferred DIY compared to hiring a pro.

The average price to Cane a Chair Seat noted above is cost data to compare a contractor’s estimate with doing it yourself.
How much does it cost to cane a chair? Transform an old chair with a new cane seat and give it a new lease on life, It will cost $350 to have it done vs. doing it yourself for $70.
Looking for a chair with a cane seat as an accent piece in your home? Antique hunters are always on the lookout for a chair with an original cane seat because it’s a prized possession. If you’re looking for such a treasure and find one with damaged or missing caning, you can have the chair recaned or do it yourself, assuming you’re patient and persistent – and adept at working with your hands.
There are two kinds of caning for a chair, one is a sheet of machine-woven cane that you install with glue and pegs in a chair with a narrow groove around its edge. The sheet and materials will run about $50.
If your chair has holes around its perimeter, it’s an older piece and can be recaned with narrow strands of thin cane. A professional will charge about $2 a hole, so a typical chair will cost about $350. You can buy the materials for $70 and do it yourself and pocket a nice savings. But that saving is well earned because it’s a tedious, time-consuming job, and well worth mastering if you have more than one chair. It will cost more if the chair requires repair work or refinishing to restore it.
Read these directions to do it yourself from the Wicker Woman Chair Caning Instructions.
The average price to cane a chair seat noted above is cost data to compare a contractor’s estimate with doing it yourself.
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