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Don't sand a veneer -- it will come off, and who knows what's underneath?

Are you sure it's veneered? Chairs like that are usually solid wood (looks like teak to me).

if you're sure it a veneer, it can't be sanded or stained.

i find it hard to believe that's veneered -- there are a lot of curves and weird angles on that piece. it would be an impossibly difficult veneering job.

Thanks for the replies - it's my chair. I just assumed it wasn't solid wood because it's pretty light. Also the underlying wood where the chips are is a lighter color. I suppose I'm better off leaving well enough alone. Perhaps just color in the chips with a wood filler marker?

It looks like a Selig Z Chair to me, so I doubt it has a veneer. But since it's an authentic Danish Modern chair, you should probably to leave any re-finishing to the pros.

Great find!

I have the same chair! I got mine for free from an old couple across the hall who were throwing it out. There were no cushions, so I've been using box floor pillows. I'd really like to get rid of them now.

Besides getting the cushions custom made, does anyone know where I can get cushions for this chair?

Custom cushions for that type of chair are cheap and easy. Just go to a local upholsterer with the fabric you want to use (maybe 1-2 yards, ask). I had this done not too long ago and it cost around $40 for the labour and new foam.

To the chair's owner - the wood is lighter where chipped because it's not stained there, and lightweight because all it is is the frame (no springs, padding, other bulk like more traditional armchairs). Anyway, it's got great lines. I'm sure it will look fantastic once you get it into shape.

I have a very similar chair, and it's definitely NOT veneer. I don't think chairs of this design ever are.

Like bkrafi, I also picked mine up for free - out by a dumpster! I tossed the cushions, and I've been contemplating sanding it down, since the wood is extremely scratched up. Regardless of whether I do anything with it, it's a great chair just the way it is.

I'd say a couple of nicks and a little paint would not justify possibly ruining such a fantastic piece as the one pictured. I would also agree that it looks like teak (yummy!). Just leave it!

Thanks azra! I was afraid that it would be really pricey to get custom cushions made but $40 is not bad at all.

Where ever the wood is lighter under the chipped bits, it's probably just that the stain only goes skin-deep.

But veneer is for surfaces that are at least somewhat flatter. Your chair is far too sinewy not to be solid wood.

I hope you measured the cushions before throwing them out, so that when you replace them, the chair would look right.

But no, your chair is too sinewy to be veneer.

Solid wood is often lighter than veneer. You can probably get the paint scrapes off pretty easily. Very light scrubbing with steel wool should get them off.

I also have this chair! I found mine at a resale place near Ann Arbor.

It's solid wood, not veneer, and a simple light sanding with a fine guage sandpaper will do the trick.

Finish it off with some Liquid Gold, or Old English, and you're good to!

www.thebitterfoodie.blogspot.com

If it's teak I highly recommend a very light sanding and then a coat of teak oil.

We have this chair also and had it refinished and custom cushions made. It looks great. I agree with other comments, leave it to the professionals. This chair really came back to life when we refinished it!

I love that chair. For ideas, use the search terms provided by hazelnut spread, to see the chair in many colors...

Black frame, burnt orange tweed cushions:
http://cgi.ebay.com/Pair-50s-Danish-POUL-JENSEN-For-SELIG-Z-LOUNGE-CHAIRS_W0QQitemZ270247443487QQcmdZViewItem

Wood tone with blue:
http://chicago.craigslist.org/nch/fur/728877019.html

Wood with oatmeal tweed:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/spins_lps/1465528330/

Wood with orange pattern:
http://tinyurl.com/5xnxgx

Wood with red/black circle-in-square pattern:
http://baldmanmodpad.blogspot.com/2007/12/15thousanddollarsforachair.html

Apparently a "big chair" was made too (count the back posts), like the top link and this one:
http://mokindo.typepad.com/649_6th/furnishing/index.html

The designer is Poul Jensen. The manufacturer is Selig. The chair is called the Z chair.

There are also modern versions that are currently made, but where I saw them, I don't remember. I guess that white cross on red trademark will be on the chair somewhere, as shown in the first link.

If that trademark is there, you have a chair with a first and last name. This is very important. That's when you turn to professionals for assistance. As the chair has resale value if it is in good shape.

I don't know anything about these chairs, but I did notice something...the "brace" between the front legs of yours is curved, and in the other images above, they all appear to be straight.

It's hard to tell with your photo, but also, look at the shape of the back horizontal "bars"...they seem to stick out a bit like a slight boomerang shape in the above images.

Either way, it's a darn good looking chair and I would think it worthy of spending a bit of money on for refinishing, putting new webbing and new cushions. It will probably last for years and be a focal point in your home.

One of the chairs I was thinking of is this one:
http://www.contemporaryfurniture.com/Catalog/Products/product_00001576_25.asp

Used to be in this sellers inventory too (plus they had the sofa):
http://stores.ebay.com/SkyPods

I remembered the arm, but it's obviously not the same. I'm trying to think of where else I saw an angled arm like that.