There’s something timeless about a rattan dining chair. Light, airy, and full of character, these woven beauties can bring a whole room together — until time, spills and everyday life take their toll.
Over the years we’ve seen cane that’s sagged from use, snapped under little feet, or simply dried out and broken. Frames can loosen, finishes fade and suddenly a chair that once felt special starts looking a bit sad.
The good news? You don’t need to throw them out. At Bywater Design, we love restoring rattan chairs and giving them a second life. With a little care and craftsmanship, we can bring them back to their beautiful, functional best — ready for many more family meals, coffee catch-ups and long conversations around the table.
Why It’s Worth Saving Rattan
Quality rattan chairs are usually built on solid timber frames, often in beautiful Australian or European hardwoods. That alone makes them worth keeping. Instead of ending up in landfill or being replaced with something mass-produced, a repair can preserve their character (and save you from having to shop for a whole new dining set).
We often hear the stories behind the chairs we repair — gifts from a wedding decades ago, a special marketplace find, or heirloom pieces passed down through family. Knowing the history behind a piece makes it even more rewarding to restore.
How We Bring Them Back to Life
Our process is hands-on and careful, never rushed:
Assessment & Repair: We start by checking the frame — tightening loose joints, fixing cracks, and making sure the timber is strong enough to last.
Re-caning or Panel Replacement: Depending on the chair, we’ll weave new cane by hand or install pre-woven cane sheets to match the original pattern.
Finishing Touches: Once the structure is sound, we clean, sand, polish or refinish the timber. Some pieces just need a gentle refresh; others call for a full strip-back and re-stain.
Seat Comfort: If your chairs have padded seats, we can replace worn-out foam and fabric so they feel as good as they look.
The goal is always the same — to respect the original design while strengthening it for everyday use.
Everything we do happens right here in our Brisbane workshop. We work with natural materials every day — timber, rattan and cane are our passion. There’s a quiet satisfaction in bringing an old chair back to life and knowing it will serve another generation rather than be thrown away.
If you’ve got a set of rattan dining chairs that have seen better days — whether it’s just one broken panel or a whole set needing a full refresh — we’d love to help.
👉 Get in touch with us to chat about repairing your rattan chairs and giving them the care they deserve.
