Since 1924 we have been a favorite with parents! Keeping in mind that children are great at testing the durability of their furniture, we use the same time honored methods of construction as our adult chairs and rockers. All of our children’s chairs and rockers are constructed using solid hardwoods and the finishes used are safe for children yet durable. We take great joy in having customers tell us they still have the rocking chair their grandmother and mother used when they were little! We have yet to meet a child who does not love a rocker. They kind of go hand in hand with a child – constant motion!! Just as a rocker relaxes adults; children can soothe themselves. We had a child we used to put in the “thinking rocker”... funny how that temper seemed to magically melt away. We think you will like our new color line – we chose the pastel family thinking it fit nicely within most color themes! Our High Point Show featured new pastel colors of the children's line >
Whimsical Painted ChairsPainted Chairs DiyPainted Rocking ChairPainted RockerWhimsical Painted FurnitureWooden Rocking ChairsPainted FurnitùrèWhimsically PaintedPainted VelvetForwardI bought a rocker for the porch maybe I'll give this a try. Rockin' a little paint Rockers are the part of a rocking chair that roll back and forth on the floor. The length and shape of rockers affects the behavior of the chair when it is used. Sharply curved rockers result in a faster, less uniform motion, while long, shallow rockers keep the operation smooth and well balanced. Below are a few tips on how to calculate the length, guidelines for the arc of the curve and how to prevent the damaging of hard floors with the finished chair. Depending on the rocking chair, you may be able to purchase ready-cut rockers. This can be a confusing method, and the risk of purchasing parts that you can't use can be annoying. If you choose to purchase them, make certain the the model and style of rocking chair match and verify that you are getting rockers that will perform as you require.
For a nursery rocking chair, the arc of the rockers should be very small. Calculate the arc to rise one to 1 1/2 inches from the cent to the tips of the rockers. For the length, the rockers are generally equal to the horizontal distance from the tip of the chair back to the front edge of the seat, plus three inches. When installing the rockers, two inches of overhang will be placed on the rear of the rockers, and the final inch will protrude slightly from the front. Although this is a guideline for a nursery chair, it is still a fairly good rule for porch chairs as well. Rockers can be cut from solid lumber, such as including 2x4s, or you can customize the thicknesses. You can also cut simple rockers out of plywood panels. If you are using plywood, cut two rockers for each side and fasten them on either side of the legs of the chair, forming a double rocker on each side. This helps to distribute the weight of the chair, and reduces possible floor damage. Other ideas for materials include shaped aluminum or plastic sheets.
Clear plexiglass is an attractive option because it is flexible enough to be used in shallow curved designs. Curves from Straight Cuts If you do not have a jigsaw to cut curved parts for your rocking chair, you can create many curved cuts with a circular saw and a belt sander. Make several straight cuts in the material so that the curve is made up of many short edges. Then, using a coarse grit paper on a belt sander, round off the corners until the curve takes shape. Switch to a fine grit paper and smooth the sanded surface. How to Protect Floors Cut two pieces of thin rubber that are as wide and long as the bottom of the rocker rails. Glue one of these strips to each rail, so that they form a buffer between the rocker and the floor. This will avoid common damages that happen when rocking chairs are used on hard floors. If you cut the strips wider and longer than the rockers, you can trim the extra material off after the glue dries, saving some time trying to mount correctly sized pieces.
For other uses, see Rocking Chair (disambiguation). A rocking chair or rocker is a type of chair with two curved bands (also known as rockers) attached to the bottom of the legs, connecting the legs on each side to each other. The rockers contact the floor at only two points, giving the occupant the ability to rock back and forth by shifting their weight or pushing lightly with their feet.[2] Rocking chairs are most commonly made of wood. Some rocking chairs can fold. The word rocking chair comes from the verb to rock.[3] The first known use of the term rocking chair was in 1766. A rocking chair designed by Swedish painter and furniture designer, Karin Bergöö Larsson Rocking chairs are often seen as synonymous with parenting, as the gentle rocking motion can soothe infants. Many adults find rocking chairs soothing because of the gentle motion. Gentle rocking motion has been shown to provide faster onset of sleep than remaining stationary, mimicking the process of a parent rocking a child to sleep.
Rocking chairs are also comfortable because, when a user sits in one without rocking, the chair automatically rocks backward until the sitter's center of gravity is met, thus granting an ergonomic benefit with the occupant kept at an un-stressed position and angle. Varieties of rockers include those mounted on a spring base (or platform) called "platform rockers" and those with swinging braces commonly known as gliders. A photo of man lounging in a rocking chair while reading Though American inventor Benjamin Franklin is sometimes credited with inventing the rocking chair, historians actually trace the rocking chair's origins to North America during the early 18th century, when Franklin was a child. Originally used in gardens, they were simply ordinary chairs with rockers attached. It was in 1725 that early rocking chairs first appeared in England. The production of wicker rocking chairs reached its peak in America during the middle of the 18th century. These wicker rockers, as they were popularly known, were famous for their craftsmanship and creative designs.
Michael Thonet, a German craftsman, created the first bentwood rocking chair in 1860.[8] This design is distinguished by its graceful shape and its light weight. These rocking chairs were influenced by Greek and Roman designs as well as Renaissance and colonial era artistry. During the 1920s, however, folding rocking chairs became more popular in the United States and in Europe. They were handy for outdoor activities and travel purposes. By the 1950s, rocking chairs built by Sam Maloof, an American craftsman, became famous for their durability and deluxe appearance. Maloof's rocking chairs are distinguished by their ski-shaped rockers. President John F. Kennedy made the P & P Chair Company's rocking chair famous. In 1955, Kennedy, who suffered with chronic back problems, was prescribed swimming and the use of a rocking chair by his physician. The President so enjoyed the rocker that, after he was inaugurated in 1961, he took the chair on Air Force One when he traveled around the country and the world.