Expert: Mark H. Miller - 6/7/2008

Question
Dear Mark,

Here's a question for you all the way from the Netherlands:

I recently bought a set of 1930's dining chairs (Dutch art deco, Amsterdam school) which I am rebuilding. All of the seats were in very poor condition, broken burlap, missing springs etc. The seats originally had 6 coil springs in them. I replaced the burlap and reattached the springs (on 1 chair now), but when I sit on the seat, the springs will bottom out immediately (even though I'm a light person). Is it possible that old springs can sag or wear out? Or is it possible that it was a design flaw to use just 6 springs, maybe it is normal to use more on a dining chair?  

Thanks a lot for your answer, it seems like nobody here in Holland still uses these old techniques (they ususally replace the cusion with foam or zig-zag springs, but where's the fun in that?)

Best regards,

Don

Answer
Hello Don,

Six coil springs in a dining chair seat is the proper amount,  and yes, they do loose their tension after 20 or so years of use.  So they should be replaced.

If I were doing the seats for myself I would definitely remove the coil springs and replace them with zig-zag springs.  The reason for doing so is that the zig-zag springs are flatter, don't have as much of a crown and therefore will allow for more padding - making the seats more comfortable and they never wear out.  Also, there isn't much room for coils to move up and down in dining seats which could cause the coils to rub against each other and make noise.  

So to summarize, the coil springs should be replaced they have lost all their tension in 70 + years, they are way beyond their life expectancy and zig-zag springs are superior in dining chairs.

I hope this helps, and having lived in Ede and Apeldoorn, Holland for 14 years I can also say "tot U dienst - Ik hoop dat dit helpt - eet smakelijk"  
:-)

Mark Miller.