Repairing Danish Paper Cord Seat

Post by Allyson - Feb. 26, 2015

The partners at Mid Mod Collective are constantly learning  about different furniture, designers, and manufactures from the mid 20th century. One thing we did not expect to learn was how to repair a danish modern chair with a paper cord seat. Chris decided he was up for the task. The partners found a set of Moller teak chairs. The frames were in amazing shape, but five out six seats needed to be repaired. So, we did the obvious. We ordered a 40 lb spool of paper cord and Chris watched a video multiple times.

Chris started by ripping out the seats of the damaged chairs. He cut the seat out with a utility knife. He then bent each nail so he could use them as a hook. The instruction video said you may break them while bending them. Chris used a pair of needle nose pliers and removed the cord before bending the nail. This allowed him to take his time and not damage any of the nails. His goal was to try and salvage the original Danish L shaped upholstery nails.

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You will notice the tack that is holding the cord in place. These will be used throughout the project to secure the cord as you finish certain section.

The process begins with the front to back weave. You will also start on the left side.

The next step will include wrapping the front and back of the chair. You may have 5 or more rows between your front-to-back weaves. It all depends on the size cord you're using.

The next step is the side to side weave. You will be weaving the cord over and under the front-to-back weave. Once you reach the other side, you hook the cord on the first nail. You will then return alternating the under and over pattern. Pay close attention at this stage. It is easy to miss a weave.

The image above shows how the nails are used as hooks.

The finished chair seat should not show any wood on the front, back, and side rails. That means the weave is good and tight.

This post is a glimpse into the process of repairing these chairs. There are some great videos out there that will walk your through the process. There are also some great websites with instructions. If you live in the Knoxville area, you should stop by and check out Chris's handy work. I think he has discovered a new hobby.