Take it to a professional furniture repair shop

A furniture repair specialist or antique restorer will disassemble the piece, clean and re-glue all joints, replace broken dowels, and reassemble with proper clamping. The result is furniture that's as strong as new.

Why It Works

Professionals have the clamps, jigs, and experience to fully disassemble complex furniture joints without damage, make precision dowel or mortise-and-tenon repairs, and apply even clamping pressure during glue-up.

Tips

• Cost is typically $75-200 for a chair, $100-300 for a table, depending on complexity
• Worth it for antiques, heirloom pieces, or high-quality furniture where a DIY mistake would be costly
• Ask about their process — good shops disassemble completely rather than just injecting glue
• Search for "furniture repair" or "antique restoration" in your area