The more comfortable and beautiful the furniture, the more pleasant it is to relax on it. And, by the way, some options for furniture products can significantly decorate the interior, giving it individuality and completeness. One of these types of furniture is a rocking chair. It was invented a long time ago, but so far designers have not been able to find a worthy replacement for it, characterized by the same convenience. Such a chair is by no means cheap, but you can go the other way - a DIY rocking chair made of plywood will save a lot of budget money.
DIY rocking chair made of plywood
Facts from history
Today, there is almost no information left about from which country and approximately at what time the world saw the first rocking chair. One can only make guesses on this score and refer to one’s own associations, which for some reason are closely connected with England.
Historians offer two versions of where this chair could have come from. The first one talks about a certain furniture maker from Venice who lived in the 19th century. His name was associated with wood of an unusual type - round and curved.
- However, turning to English dictionaries and the history of the origin of words, one can see several inconsistencies with this theory.
- The first, perhaps, tells us that the word “rocking chair” itself appeared two centuries earlier, and at the beginning of the 19th century, chairs of this configuration began to be mass-produced by English manufacturers.
- Only people from the upper class and creative people could afford such an outlandish piece of furniture.
The second version talks about a certain Benjamin Franklin. The years of his life almost coincide with the Venetian furniture maker, however, most historians believe that he was the first person to buy such a chair.
The history of the rocking chair most likely began in the 18th century. More specific information has not yet been found.
Where is the best place to place a rocking chair?
You can place the rocking chair anywhere, the main thing is that there is enough space for it in that room. Most often, such a chair can be seen in private homes, on spacious terraces, verandas or gardens.
A metal or wicker chair looks very nice. They are durable and not as susceptible to environmental influences as, say, if they were made of wood.
If you have a burning desire to have a similar piece of furniture in your apartment, then take care of the appropriate design of the room. For example, a chair should not stand out particularly against the general background and look like an alien object. Either choose a chair of an appropriate design, or decorate the environment to match it.
Types of designs
Rocking chairs can be divided into several categories depending on the purpose of use or the material from which they are made. But there is also a certain classification of such chairs, according to which rocking chairs are divided into several types depending on their design features.
Rocking chair - an important element of the cottage
Table. Types of rocking chairs.
| Type | Description |
| With simple runners | These are chairs that are mounted on runners that have a radius curvature (for example, rocker arms, skis, arches). This is the very first option that began to appear on sale. Such chairs are the easiest to make, but you need to use them carefully - if you swing too much on them, there is a risk of the product tipping over. So in this case, it is important to take into account the location of the center of gravity during manufacturing - it should be located as low as possible. |
| On elliptical skids | Such chairs have a very soft swing, sometimes have small bumpers, and are often equipped with springs or a footrest. By the way, it’s not so easy to make a chair with springs at home. |
| Gliders | This chair has a fixed base, but swings due to the fact that it is equipped with a pendulum mechanism. The design is complex but interesting, but a novice master may not be able to do it. |
| On runners with variable curvature | Such chairs cannot tip over due to the special structure of rather long runners with variable curvature. It’s quite difficult to build a drawing yourself; it’s better to use a ready-made version, but it’s quite possible to make such a chair yourself. |
| Vanka-stanka | Simply put, this is a tumbler chair. Usually placed in the garden and very stable. Here the chair and runners are a single unit. It is almost impossible to turn it over; it always returns to its original position. The drawing is quite complicated, but you can find ready-made options on the Internet. |
Drawings of a simple rocking chair
Advantages of a homemade rocking chair
The positive aspects of making furniture yourself far outweigh the disadvantages. So, for example, we can highlight the following several main points that testify in favor of homemade furniture elements:
- Adequate price: here you pay only for materials and spend money on purchasing the necessary tools, if such a need arises. Stores include many other services in the price of the product, which is why they get a crazy markup.
- Environmental friendliness and quality: you always know what and how an item was made from, since you are its direct creator.
- Durability: Since you are doing the work for yourself, you will definitely do it well, paying attention to every detail.
- Design: here no one can limit your imagination and force you into the confines of the store’s assortment. The only limiting points are your experience and ability to work with the selected material.
In addition, you will receive unlimited use of a chair that has a strong association with comfort, pleasant evenings by the fireplace with a cup of hot chocolate and an interesting book.
Thanks to rhythmic rocking, brain function stabilizes, stress levels decrease and it becomes easier to settle into sleep.
Moreover, it has been proven that being in a certain rhythm, you can focus on a disturbing thought and quickly come up with a solution to the problem, catch inspiration and simply increase concentration. There are only advantages from such a chair!
Selecting a drawing or drawing it
Before you start work, you need to obtain an accurate drawing that will show the dimensions. If you couldn’t find it on the Internet, you can draw it yourself. True, without experience in furniture production or making accurate drawings with projections, you should not do this.
Limit yourself to what you can find on the Internet. This is due to the fact that the production of a chair requires knowledge of the anatomy of the human body, so that in the future the design will be comfortable and safe for sitting and swinging.
When the drawing has been selected, you need to enlarge it and transfer it to graph paper or thick cardboard. This will make it easier to cut out or complete individual elements.
When the stage is completed, you can proceed directly to cutting out the elements and assembling the complete structure.
Swing principle
Basically, there are three types of rocking chairs, regardless of their modification options: chairs with curved runners, hanging models and pendulum models. Although they have external differences, swinging still occurs according to the principle of a pendulum.
This principle is achieved by shifting the center of gravity. The first swing always occurs with effort, when all subsequent swings occur by inertia, which ultimately gradually weakens.
Materials and tools
To make the simplest chair you will need the following materials and tools:
- Plywood;
- Drawing;
- Self-tapping screws;
- Milling cutters;
- Hardware;
- Wood glue;
- Paint and varnish;
- Jigsaw;
- Screwdriver;
- Drills, bits;
- Clamps;
- Tool for sanding wood surfaces.
Nuances of choosing plywood
Plywood sheets are selected based on the specifics of the project. In this case, you can adhere to the following recommendations:
- For large and visible (external) parts, elite grades of plywood that do not have visible flaws are suitable. Quality will guarantee that chips and cracks will not appear during cutting.
- If you are going to laminate or paint the chair, the luxury material can be replaced with 1st grade plywood. There are a small number of pin-shaped, fused and/or falling knots on its surface; edge defects and closed cracks are possible.
A creative approach to the design of a rocking chair Source kayabaparts.ru
Assembly Tips
The elements of the future rocking chair are connected, as a rule, using wood glue and fasteners. Since the load on the structure will be considerable, glue alone will not work. Nails will help secure the parts.
It is necessary to cover the parts with glue in those places where they come into contact with each other, and then secure the work done using nails. They are driven in all the way.
In places where excess glue appears, a rag is used to remove it. This must be done immediately after applying the material to the surface, otherwise, after it has completely dried, it will be impossible to remove it. The chair should stand untouched for about a day for the glue to completely harden.
What will you need?
To work with plywood at home, you don't need a lot of tools. The required list includes a jigsaw with a suitable saw blade, a drill for drilling holes, a sander or sandpaper, and a brush for applying paint and varnish. You also need to have a pencil, ruler, and pattern on hand.
Almost every craftsman has an electric jigsaw.
As for materials, in addition to the required amount of plywood, you will have to purchase fastening elements, as well as a composition that will be applied to the product in order to decorate it and protect it from external influences. Wood glue may be required.
A drawing is one of the aspects that must be thought through before purchasing everything you need. It will allow you not only to immediately imagine what the rocking chair will look like, but also to calculate the required amount of materials and make sure that the chair will be as safe as possible. It will also facilitate the assembly process and applying the necessary markings to materials. You can draw the drawing yourself, or you can download a ready-made one from the Internet. It is important to understand that it is recommended to make a diagram yourself only if you have at least some experience in this matter.
Structural diagram of a rocking chair made of plywood
Important! On the drawing you need to immediately note all the dimensional parameters of the product. This will make the job easier.
It is recommended to transfer the drawing before starting work onto a large sheet of paper or polyethylene and thus create templates that will make it easier to cut out parts of the same shape. In general, this requirement only applies to complex curved elements.
Possible difficulties and problems
Do not forget to properly test and check the manufactured structure before you begin finishing. The problem may be insufficient swing amplitude. It indicates that the balance is disturbed.
To eliminate this difficulty, you will have to slightly weight the back of the rocker. This can be done by adding an additional crossbar between the runners. For greater effect, use a heavier material.
Manufacturing stages
The rocking chair is assembled in the following order:
- Patterns are being prepared. The details of the diagram are transferred onto cardboard (you can take graph paper) from the drawing, observing the dimensions and scale.
- Mark the plywood. The patterns are laid out on a plywood sheet in such a way as to reduce waste to a minimum. You may have to try several options to find the best one.
- Cut out the sheet. An electric jigsaw gives the best results. After it, you get a smooth and neat cut line, which cannot be said about working with a regular file. It leaves behind rough edges, which will take extra time to polish.
An electric jigsaw will help you cut plywood without chipping Source briobit.ro
Finishing
Once all the flaws have been identified and corrected, you can safely begin finishing.
The decorative compositions used are:
- Varnish;
- Alcohol stain;
- Paints.
The option where the seat and back are covered with fabric cannot be ruled out. Upon completion of finishing, you need to pay attention to the places where the fasteners are located.
They must be masked using special furniture plugs. Or there is an option using sealant.
