How Long Should Rockers Be on A Rocking Chair?

There’s something so soothing about sitting back in a rocking chair and rocking yourself backwards and forwards.

Not only are these types of chairs super comfortable, the gentle movement is also a great way to relax in the comfort of your own home. 

Perhaps you want to try and make your very own rocking chair so that you can enjoy your own craftsmanship.

But if you’re new to making rocking chairs, it can be tricky knowing how the integral part of the chair works. Chances are you’re wondering how long should rockers be on a rocking chair? 

How Long Should Rockers Be on a Rocking Chair?

The rockers are of course the part that sits on the floor, and allows you to rock back and forth. They are an important part of the chair, as the shape and length of these rockers will affect how the chair works.

Long, shallow rockers will give your chair a smoother movement and make the chair better balanced. However, rockers that are sharply curved will give you a less uniform motion that is much faster.

When it comes to trying to find the right length of rockers for your chair, the general rule of thumb should be to calculate the distance between the center of the rockers and their tips.

You will need the arc to be around 1 to 1 ½ inches above the center of the rockers. In terms of length, your rockers should have an equal horizontal distance from the front edge of the seat of the chair, to the edge of the chair back.

You can opt for a set of pre-cut rockers. However, there’s no guarantee that these will be suitable for use with the chair you wish to turn into a rocking chair.

It will be even more frustrating if you purchase a set of rockers you won’t be able to use. If you’re trying to make a rocking chair by hand, it will be best to make your very own set of rockers.

This is because you can tailor them to suit the chair you are trying to transform, and you will know that they will definitely fit.

Can You Turn A Chair Into A Rocking Chair?

Yes, you can turn a chair into a rocking chair. In fact, this is a fairly straightforward process to achieve. You can easily transform your chair into a rocking chair to give it a new lease of life. 

You will of course need to ensure that you have the right sized rockers ready to put in place. You can do this using the general rule of thumb that we’ve mentioned above.

It will be best to cut your rockers from solid lumbar, as this will allow you to customize the thickness that you need.

If you want to protect hardwood floors, you may wish to attach a thin piece of rubber to the base of the rocker using glue.

Next, you will need to position your chair along your rockers so that you can have a better idea of where exactly they are going to sit.

Remember, by following the rule we’ve mentioned above in terms of rocker length, there should be more rockers towards the back of the chair so that it will have plenty of room for movement.

This will give you a better idea of where you need to position the chair legs.

Remove the legs from your chair, and reposition these where you would like the legs to connect with your rockers.

Make sure to draw circles or squares around the bottom of the chair leg on the rocker where you want these to meet. 

Now you will need to drill out the shape of the chair leg so that it will slot into the rockers. Once this is done, you may need to sand the bottom of your chair legs into more of a point so that they will slot into the holes you have drilled into the rockers.

Next, use your wood glue to secure the chair leg into the rocker slot. You may also wish to secure it in place with a nail. If you want to add rubber to protect your floor, it will be important to do it after this stage.

Your new rocking chair will now be ready to use. Once you’ve got the structure in place and it gives you a smooth flow of movement, you can then customize it however you wish.

This could include a new lick of paint in a striking new shade, or a customized cushion or upholstery design.

What’s the Point of Rocking Chairs?

Rocking chairs are enjoyed by both adults and children alike because of their soothing, gentle rocking motion. In fact, using a rocking chair could even be beneficial to your health. 

It has been proven that using a rocking chair can help to increase your blood flow.

This will help to send more oxygen to your joints, which can even help to alleviate the symptoms of conditions such as arthritis.

It can also be a fantastic way to build up the strength in your knees.

In Summary

So there you have it! You now know that you can easily transform an ordinary chair into a snazzy new rocking chair.

The process is much easier than you think, and it will be much easier to make your own rockers.

This is because you will be able to measure the correct size for your chair rather than have to guess which size of pre-cut rockers you need.

To find the right length and arc for your rockers, it’s best to follow the general rule of thumb that the arc should be around 1 to 1 ½ inch higher than the center of the rocker.

Your rocker will also need to reach just beyond the edge of your chair seat, as well as extend back beyond the edge of the chair back.

The back of the rockers will also need to be slightly longer than the front of the rockers.