Re-caning The Seats On My Old Town Canoe

Shirley Doell

Curious about Wooden Canoes
I'm replacing the pressed cane on the seats of my canoe. I'm wondering if I should varnish the seats before or after installing the cane? Maybe one or two coats first? Should the cane be varnished? Thanks for any help and tips.
 
Certainly do all the prep work on the seat frames before you replace the pre-woven cane. I will re-glue if needed, sand, oil, and 3-4 coats of spar varnish, then new cane. You will get a variety of opinions on how to best extend the life of the cane. Some use thinned varnish, or linseed oil, or something else to keep the cane as water repellent as possible. Tom McCloud
 
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