Buy or make it yourself
Today, a rocking chair has become a common attribute of home and country furniture; children and older people adore it, the former love to play with furniture as if it were a toy, and the latter get the opportunity to relieve their back and lower back. Rocking chair photo is gaining popularity and is gradually turning into the most favorite relaxation option even in a city apartment.
There are not many options for getting your own rocking chair:
- You can buy a ready-made rocking chair on the Internet or in a specialized furniture store;
- Make a rocking chair with your own hands using ready-made drawings or copy a model you like that you saw from friends or a neighbor;
- Order the production of a rocking chair in a specialized workshop.
It is clear that the fastest way to buy a rocking chair is to buy a rocking chair; most people who want to get a magic chair do just that. Moreover, a rocking chair professionally assembled in a furniture workshop will look much more impressive than an item made with your own hands using amateur carpentry equipment.
The second way to make a rocking structure with your own hands looks more attractive from a financial point of view, especially since, at first glance, there is nothing complicated about building a rocking chair, and most summer residents and DIY enthusiasts have always had an abundance of tools and carpentry skills.
The main secret of the rocking chair
But it's not that simple. The main difference between a rocking chair and ordinary furniture is the fact that its design is unique and unlike any other piece of home furniture.
The closest relative of a swinging rocking chair is considered to be a children's hanging swing; in fact, it is the same pendulum, only with a smaller angle of deflection, which means that a wooden rocking chair is not entirely safe if you try to make it on your own, without drawings and calculations.
The main parameters of a rocking chair that determine the safe use of furniture are:
- The seating height of a person above the floor level, as a standard the center should be no higher than 50-55 cm above the floor level;
- At the maximum deviation of the chair, the projection of the support skids beyond the vertical passing through the center of gravity should be at least 25 cm.
If you take a closer look at the design and layout of several dozen similar rockers, it becomes obvious that they are all very similar to each other in terms of the height of the pillow installation, the width and bending radius of the support runners, the height of the backrest and the presence of a safe deflection angle limiter.
Important! The main dimensions of the rocking chair directly depend on the owner’s parameters, primarily his height and weight. The safe level of deviation and the period of oscillation depend on this.
The weight and height of most adults fall within the standard parameters, in which case they can freely use the chair, although they do not feel as comfortable as they would like. For people who do not fit into the weight and height standards, using a rocking chair will not be entirely comfortable. Therefore, real rocking chairs were always made according to individual orders for the specific parameters of the future owner.
Calculating the parameters of a rocking chair is quite difficult, and there is no particular need for this. It is enough if, to make a rocking chair with your own hands, the drawings were taken from trusted sources. If this is not possible, then it is best to take measurements from an existing rocking chair, built and tested “live”.
Manufacturing materials
Before you begin manufacturing and assembling a rocking chair, you need to decide on the design, dimensions and materials of its manufacture.
As for the materials for making the frame, it can be made from:
Metal.
Such products are highly durable. They can be decorated with forged elements to add aristocracy. You can place metal furniture in any room: living room, bedroom, veranda. The metal product can withstand weight up to 300 kg.- Rattan. The wicker model has an elegant openwork design. Rattan products are found in country houses and dachas. Their advantages include: the ability to withstand heavy weight, environmental friendliness and safety, long service life of more than 15 years, strength and reliability of the design.
Tree.
Wooden structures are the most common. They are able to decorate any room interior or courtyard exterior with their noble and elegant appearance. It is important to choose the right wood here. The ideal option would be: pine needles, oak, larch .- Willows, vines. Such rocking chairs are in particular demand. The material has a unique composition that provides furniture items with high wear resistance. You can weave a rocking chair with your own hands. To do this, you need to choose a suitable scheme and stock up on consumables. The advantages of wicker furniture include its light weight, compact size and high strength.
- Plywood. She is easy and pleasant to work with. It pleases with its long service life, naturalness and the ability to make products of any design.
- Profile pipe. The features of the material include: low weight, strength and resistance to stress, ease of use (PVC pipes are assembled into interesting designs), and affordable cost of the material.
Some models of chairs are decorated with textile upholstery:
- Natural leather. It is durable, wear-resistant, and resistant to negative factors.
- Eco-leather. The material has an affordable price, a wide selection of color palettes, and practicality.
- Faux leather. It is characterized by low cost, resistance to high moisture, resistance to deformation and tearing. Dust does not collect on its surface and stains do not remain.
How to make a rocking chair with your own hands
All kinds of swinging toys and baby sitters have always been a favorite pastime for children of all ages. For them, you also need to use professionally designed drawings, or make your own baby rocking chair according to the proportions of the design for adults, but in a reduced size.
Before making a rocking chair, in addition to the drawings and basic dimensions, you will need to select two more very important parameters:
- The material from which all the main parts of the rocking chair will be made;
- Method of connecting parts.
The best material for making swinging furniture is considered to be ordinary plywood. It is easily processed, drilled and cut with hand tools, has higher strength than OSB or, especially, chipboard, and most importantly, unlike most wood-based materials, plywood does not crack or chip.
There are two ways to fasten structural parts - using steel angles and bolt-nut fasteners. Often, in addition to metal fasteners, craftsmen use more traditional materials - wooden pins and furniture casein glue.
Wooden rocking structure
In addition to high strength, plywood has another quality: it does not change its strength characteristics under alternating loads. Therefore, you can make the entire body from plywood sheets or limit yourself to only arched runners.
One of the options for a rocking chair made of plywood, available for making yourself, is shown in the drawing.
The basis of the swinging structure is:
- Support structure assembled from two pairs of vertical posts, 640 mm and 1120 mm. They perform the functions of chair legs, they account for 2/3 of the load, so each support is made from two pieces of plywood, 20 mm thick;
- A pair of supporting runners or arcs, 1500 mm long and 200 mm high. Each part is cut out of a 40 mm plywood sheet in the form of an arc with a radius of curvature of 1700 mm. The runners are connected to the racks with two pairs of bolts;
- Two auxiliary struts, 900 mm long. The struts are used as a bench and at the same time increase the rigidity of the entire structure;
- The back and side rails are cut from 20 mm plywood and attached to the chair structure using pins and glue.
Today this is the safest design of a rocking chair; it can be trusted for children to play with or used at the dacha for relaxing in the garden or under a canopy. Unlike apartment models, this design is not afraid of soft soil, the width of the runners is sufficient to prevent it from sinking in damp soil, and the large supporting area guarantees no slipping.
The chair diagram can be simplified a little. If the swing angle is relatively small and amounts to 10-15o, additional struts can be abandoned and only the central posts can be left. This solution will make the chair more convenient to carry and store.
Wooden rocking bench
An interesting version of a rocking bench is presented in the diagram and photo below. In this case, the design is simplified to a minimum and consists of two load-bearing sidewalls, transverse beams connecting them and slats that form the seat and backrest.
To make a rocking bench, you will first need to cut two side panels from thick plywood. Since the contours of the sidewalls are made in curved arcs, the easiest way to do this is with a regular jigsaw.
The sidewalls are connected to each other by three transverse beams, with a cross-section of 60x70 mm, after which the surface of the bench must be covered with a lath made of durable wood. After grinding and polishing, the structure of the rocking chair is opened with protective polyurethane or acrylic varnish.
Using a similar technology, you can make a more modern version of a swinging chair with a hanging hammock cushion and a high back. In fact, this rocking chair model can be considered a type of hammock chair for apartment conditions.
Design features
According to their design, rocking chairs are divided into:
Gliders (with a pendulum mechanism).
These models have a fixed base, and the furniture swings due to a pendulum mechanism. Unlike classic products, they are distinguished by: silent operation and stability. They are often used by young mothers for feeding and rocking babies .- Hanging. Such designs are most often used in city apartments. They are made from different materials: rattan, wicker, metal, wood. Products are hung from the ceiling, tree poles. There are also models with independent supports. They create a feeling of weightlessness and lightness in any room.
As for the varieties, rocking chairs with pendulum mechanisms are made:
On skids.
Such products are the most common and are most often installed in classic interiors. They are equipped with radius skids, are distinguished by their simple design and simple assembly technique. But you won’t be able to swing too much on the chair. Because it can simply turn over.- With variable curvature. The features of the model include safety in operation. Such a piece of furniture is unable to roll over, which allows it to be used as a children's chair .
- On elliptical runners. Such products provide soft rocking. To reduce the likelihood of capsizing, they are equipped with bump stops.
Metal rocking chair
Anyone who has ever repaired wooden chairs and armchairs is well aware that the weakest point of seating furniture remains the points where the legs are attached to the base of the seat. Even the use of plywood to make a rocking chair does not always provide the required durability of the entire rocking structure.
The bolted joints have to be regularly tightened with a hex wrench, and the protruding ends of the swinging skids are not very convenient for everyday use.
You can simplify the task if you try to make a chair or rocking chair using a metal profile. The design of the indoor version of the rocking chair is quite simple to manufacture. To work you will need:
- Steel angle No. 40 in the amount of 6 m, square pipe 25x25x2 mm - 2 m;
- Support mesh woven from polyester cord;
- Soft furniture pillows;
- Two beams of especially durable wood, preferably elm, steppe oak or acacia.
Ordinary beech, ash, walnut or alder are not suitable for making runners; alternating loads will lead to the formation of cracks over time. Oak and elm are ideal for these conditions.
Initially, two supporting sidewalls are cut out from the corner, bent and welded. The resulting blanks are welded with two jumpers from a pipe, a back frame and two cross members supporting the seat cushion are made from a square. The runners are cut separately using a tabletop router. Using the finished arches, fasteners are marked, drilled, and the runners are installed on the sides of the chair. All that remains is to tighten the base with a mesh of polyester cord, secure the pillows, and the rocking chair is ready.
What types of rocking chairs are there?
The idea of a rocking chair is finding more and more fans, especially among those who, due to their occupation, have to spend a lot of time in a sitting position. Working in a rocking seat is not very comfortable, but such furniture can effectively combat swelling of the muscles of the back and legs.
For example, you can buy office-style furniture, which at first glance cannot be distinguished from other chairs.
For your home interior, you can use a design with massive arches and a huge seat, in which a person of any build and size will feel comfortable.
The guest version of the rocking chair can be made with your own hands from ordinary upholstered furniture; it is enough to supplement the standard legs with swinging runners.
From a few meters of square pipe and a dozen beech slats you can make an excellent version of a rocking chair for an open terrace. Such furniture can be safely left in the rain, and with proper care, the rocking chair will serve its owners for several decades.
Wicker rocking chair
About half of all swinging chair and armchair designs are made from wicker and rattan. At the same time, the dried woody stem of the vine is clearly inferior in strength to plywood, and even more so to metal. The reason for the popularity of rattan rocking chairs is that the wicker structure is almost half the weight of heavy plywood or plank furniture.
Where does a wicker rocking chair begin?
First of all, you need to stock up on enough willow twigs. The material is calibrated, debarked, dried and sent to work. To trim the vines, use a regular jigsaw and connect them together using carpentry screws and dry braid.
At the first stage, it is necessary to make the back of the future rocking chair. To do this, two rods are spliced, steamed over boiling water and bent according to the chosen template.
In a similar way, the frame of the future seat and the arches of the front legs of the rocking chair are bent. All parts are first secured with cords until the material has completely cooled and dried. The back, legs and seat are connected to each other using carpentry screws. The result is a structure made of a thin rod, in general outline reminiscent of a classic chair made of wicker, but still very weak to be used for its intended purpose.
Manufacturing of frame and runners
The assembled frame is reinforced with the help of transverse inserts made from short sections of rods. They are used to strengthen the base of the seat and backrest, and are inserted as spacers under the handrails and between the rear legs of a rocking chair.
Each element of the spacers must be drilled and fixed with a self-tapping screw. If a rocking chair is being made for the first time, all joints and joints must be glued with wood glue.
The second step is to make the runners. For the arches, the straightest and strongest rods are selected, defects and remnants of buds are cut off, steamed over boiling water and tied with a cord into a structure reminiscent of a primitive bow. After cooling, the arc is installed on the chair legs without removing the cord, glued and fixed with a screwdriver.
Final finishing of the chair
The frame of the rocking chair is almost ready, all that remains is to lay additional rods and make the braiding. Additional vines are laid in layers in the direction of applying the greatest force. The number of reinforcing rods may vary; the more massive the rocking chair, the more material is used.
The rods can be located in one plane or laid in a bundle. For example, four or five rods are additionally tied for the seat and back of the chair, four are enough for the legs, two or three rods are placed in the remaining parts. The joints between the legs and the seat of the rocking chair must be reinforced with additional rods - spacers.
At the final stage, the finished frame is braided. The thinnest rods are unraveled on a special device into thin strips, which are used to cover almost all parts of the rocking chair. The tape covering is steamed, glue is applied to the frame and wrapped around the rod with great effort. After the chair is completely dry, the tape will tightly tighten all the parts of the rocking chair frame.
The back and seat are braided with thin wicker or a fabric cushion is sewn on. In the final processing, a chair made of twigs must be treated with toner and varnished.
In more complex and heavy designs, the runners are made from solid wood, and the back and armrests of the rocking chair are made with a wide belt in the form of one element.
Tips for choosing
When planning the purchase of this piece of furniture, it is recommended to consider the following important factors:
- the cost of the product, which is usually at a high level. This is due to the use of only environmentally friendly components in the production process. If the price is low, this guarantees the low quality of the product, as well as the use of low-quality and often harmful substances in its creation;
- its composition and other parameters. All characteristics are indicated in the accompanying documentation, so it is important to study it carefully before purchasing;
- the quality of the frame - it is the central element of the entire chair, so it must be strong and rigid. It is optimal if it is made of wood or metal;
- appearance of the product - it must fit well into a certain interior or exterior, depending on where it is planned to be used. Pay attention to its color and pattern. White color is considered optimal for dark rooms;
- the quality of the chair - for this it is important to examine it well from all sides. All joints must be reliable and small. When using the chair for its intended purpose, a slight squeak should occur, indicating that the product is adjusted to the weight and build of the person. It is recommended to apply a little pressure on important areas to determine the density of the weave, as well as its tension;
- the presence of additional elements - some manufacturers produce wicker chairs with a soft seat or other items that increase the comfort of its use.
It is necessary not only to choose the right chair, but also to provide it with proper care during use.
