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Danish cord, fiber rush and seagrass for woven seats
Seat weaving covers the woven seats that wrap around a chair's rails, rather than sitting in a groove or a row of holes. Three materials do most of this work. Danish cord is a three-ply paper cord used on Danish modern side chairs, stools and backs; laced cord is rounder and crisper, unlaced is flatter and softer. Fiber rush is kraft paper twisted tight to imitate natural cattail rush, the classic seat on ladderback and farmhouse chairs with four round rails. Seagrass is a twisted natural grass cord with a green-to-wheat color that mellows with light, often used on stools and casual seats.
Start from the chair. On a Danish cord seat, the warps hook under steel L-nails driven into the inside of the rails, and a typical seat uses 30 to 50 of them. Fiber rush is woven around the four corners toward the middle; our fiber rush seat guide shows the pattern.
For thickness, match the old seat if you can. Finer rush suits smaller, more delicate chairs; coarse 7/32 in rush covers faster and suits larger, rustic ones. For quantity, most dining chair seats take 1.5 to 2 lb of Danish cord, and a 2 lb coil of fiber rush typically does one average seat.
All three are woven dry. Danish cord and fiber rush are paper and should not be soaked; seagrass can be lightly misted. A coat of shellac or a water-based finish helps a fiber rush seat stand up to wear.
- Paper cords are woven dry; never soak Danish cord or fiber rush.
- Plan on 1.5 to 2 lb of Danish cord and 30 to 50 L-nails for most dining chair seats.
- Match the thickness of the old seat if you can.
- Seal a finished fiber rush seat with shellac or a water-based finish.
- Mist seagrass lightly if it feels stiff; do not soak it.
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Twisted Seagrass Cord, 1 lb Coil, Sizes #0 to #3
Natural seagrass twisted into a cord, in full 1 lb coils from #0 (2.25 mm) to #3 (5 mm), for woven chair seats, stool tops, baskets and wrapping.
From $18.99 · 4 options
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Laced Danish Cord, 3-Ply Paper Cord, Natural or Black, 1 or 2 lb
Laced 3-ply Danish paper cord in natural tan or black, 1 lb (about 180 ft) or 2 lb (about 360 ft), for weaving Danish modern chair seats and backs.
From $29.99 · 4 options
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Unlaced Danish Cord, 3-Ply Paper Cord, Natural, 1 or 2 lb
Unlaced 3-ply Danish paper cord in natural tan, plies lying side by side for a flatter, softer weave. 1 lb (about 180 ft) or 2 lb (about 360 ft).
From $28.99 · 2 options
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Danish Cord L-Nails, Steel, 13/16 in, Packs of 24 or 100
L-shaped 13/16 in steel nails that hold Danish cord warps on the inside of the seat rails. A typical seat uses 30 to 50; packs of 24 or 100.
From $9.99 · 2 options
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Fiber Rush, 2 lb Coil, 4/32 to 7/32 in, Kraft Brown or White
Tightly twisted kraft paper fiber rush in 2 lb coils, 4/32 to 7/32 in, for weaving rush seats on chairs and stools with round rails. Brown or white.
$24.99 · 5 options
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Fiber Rush 10 lb Reel, 7/32 in, Kraft Brown
A 10 lb reel of 7/32 in kraft brown fiber rush for chair shops and sets of chairs. Coarse rush that covers a seat fast and suits larger, rustic chairs.
$49.99
Questions
What is the difference between laced and unlaced Danish cord?
Laced cord has its three plies twisted together, so it is rounder and shows a crisp, defined pattern. Unlaced cord has the plies lying side by side, which gives a flatter, softer look. Match the original if you are restoring a chair.
Is fiber rush real rush?
No. Fiber rush is kraft paper twisted tight to look like natural cattail rush. It is more even in thickness than the natural plant and is woven dry, straight from the coil.
Why does new seagrass smell like grass?
Because it is a natural grass. A slight grassy smell when it is new is normal, and the green tones mellow toward wheat with light.
What happens if a Danish cord or rush seat gets wet?
Both are paper, so a soaking can soften and weaken them. Wipe up spills right away and let the seat dry; a sealed fiber rush seat copes better with everyday use.