The chair that won't sit still
Every house has one chair that rocks. Guests lean forward all meal; you stopped hearing the creak.
Flip it over on a hard floor, push each corner. The leg that lifts is the one that moved. Find the joint that gave: hand on the seat, hand on the leg, pull. Movement there is the story.
Causes, most common first. – Loosened joint: years of leaning back won the screws. – Worn foot: the tip is gone, so one leg is a coin shorter than the rest. – Failing stretchers: twist the rungs. If they turn, the legs splay. – The floor lies: old houses have one proud board. Test it in another room before you cut anything.
The move. Tighten every screw, one turn past snug, never gorilla. Still rocking? Glue the loose joint, clamp it, 24 hours. Scrape old glue first; glue on glue doesn't hold. Worn foot: a felt pad on every leg, same thickness. Stretchers: one rung at a time.
Tape the joint first; squeeze-out dries forever on bare wood.
What not to buy: a new set, angle braces, wood filler. Joints want glue.
Sit like you don't trust it yet. That's how a chair tells you it held.
First move free, like they all are. Tell me what's broken at your place. More: paper.wf/kaelfixes