Making a rocking chair with your own hands: drawings for production from plywood. Durable DIY metal rocking chair DIY wooden rocking chair

A rocking chair is the most comfortable piece of furniture designed for home relaxation. Such a product is expensive, and not everyone can afford to buy it. In order not to spend money on purchasing a product, you can design and make a rocking chair with your own hands. A beautiful and original self-assembled product will become a central decoration in your home interior.

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How to design correctly

There are several types of rocking chairs that suit different needs and habits of users. The first models that appeared in everyday life were equipped with simple arches and skis. You can make rocking chairs with your own hands according to a ready-made drawing. But you need to know that these drawings were created for an individual person and may not be suitable for others. First of all, the product must be comfortable and meet your own needs.

If a family consists of 3-4 people, then the design of the chair is designed for the heaviest and tallest member of the family.

What you need to know when designing a product:

  1. When making a chair, it is necessary to take into account that the center of gravity of the rocker must be correctly located in relation to the center of the circle of the rocker. Then the product will be comfortable and stable.
  2. A rocking chair made of wood will not move if these two points converge into one.
  3. The product will become unstable if the center of gravity moves higher relative to the center of the circle.

How to choose material and design

The material for the chair is chosen depending on the interior of the room in which it will stand and financial capabilities. Design and choice of material:

  • Wicker products have a beautiful appearance and are the most popular models. They are expensive because they are hand-woven from rattan and reed. Models made from Indonesian rattan are very durable and have good quality. These are elegant, comfortable and environmentally friendly products. Thanks to good shock absorption, they are able to withstand any weight. They are often installed on balconies and loggias of country houses.
  • The frame for rocking chairs is made of profile pipe, metal or wood. Plywood is often used. The metal frame is combined with natural materials such as rattan. These products are highly durable and can withstand heavy weight. To make them comfortable to sit on, the back and seat are made of plastic pipes.
  • The most budget-friendly products are those made from wood. They are less durable, but have a beautiful appearance. A classic armchair made from wood yourself will look great in a living room with a fireplace.

The comfort and smoothness of the chair's swing depends on the runners (skis). They can be made in two ways:

  • According to the drawing, 2 blanks are cut out of plywood and sanded. The thickness of the plywood must be at least 15 mm. Skis must be installed in the grooves symmetrically with respect to each other. To do this, grooves are made in the legs of the product. Their depth should be from 7 to 10 cm. In the place where the legs of the chair and the skis adjoin each other, cut through holes. A wooden spike is inserted into them, having previously lubricated the holes with glue.
  • To make skis, use 2 square bars 1 m long and 45 mm thick. Grooves are cut into it into which the chair legs will be inserted. To give the runners the required shape, the bars are soaked in hot water. When they soften, the material becomes elastic and is slightly bent. When the skis are dry, they are placed on the legs. The parts are fixed with glue, so all joints are pre-lubricated with the substance.

What do you do with old furniture?

Much has been written about the beneficial effects of relaxing in a rocking chair. It also helps to concentrate during intellectual work. Finally, it’s just convenient, after pumping, to take books from the shelf behind you or a cup of coffee from the coffee table. The prices of ready-made rocking chairs, as it should be in a consumer society, react to such advantages in their own adequate way: a rocking chair for 5,000 rubles. it's still cheap. And people are artisans and also respond adequately in their own way: there are more and more people wanting to make a rocking chair with their own hands. However, the rocking chair differs from other pieces of furniture, firstly, in that the whole thing moves and swings. Secondly, so that it does not turn from a rocking chair into a kicker or tipper, the entire product with the person sitting in it must have an accurate balance, which must be maintained within acceptable limits for riders different weights and complexion. This publication is devoted to consideration of issues of how to achieve the required qualities of a rocking chair.

Types of rocking chairs

You need to comply with your own needs already at the stage of choosing a prototype. There are several types of rocking chairs, aimed at users with different habits and needs. The main types of rocking chairs are shown in the photo. Rocking chairs on simple radius runners (arches, rocker arms, skis) were the first to appear in everyday use. They are in use to this day, both in modern and classic appearance, pos. 1 and 2. Their main advantage is constructive and technological simplicity.

Radius runners provide smoothness and softness of rocking only with relatively small swings, and with strong swings they do not guarantee against tipping over. Therefore, rockers “on radii” are made with a low landing, ensuring a large excess of the center of the generating circle (GC) above common center gravity (CG); For more details on the kinematics of rocking chairs, see below. If a seat of normal height is required, then the runners are equipped with bumpers, pos. 3. The shocks of the bump stops on the floor are noticeably felt at the “fifth point”, and in any case, you have to get out of the rocking chair on the radius runners, straining somewhat.

Note: Stability when swinging with a slightly larger amplitude at a normal landing height is provided by rockers on radius runners with a closing horizontal arc, see fig. on right. But, suddenly the limit is reached, the supporting surface instantly reduces to a point and a sharp push follows in the back.

Tipping is excluded in rocking chairs on runners of variable curvature, pos. 4. All of them are comfortable enough for riders of different body types. They themselves gently unseat the rider of a rocking chair of the Nirvana type who has stood up and leaned forward on runners of variable curvature, pos. 5 and 6. It is also possible, by changing the progression indicator in the law of change of the generating radius (also see about kinematics), to design them for any landing height, within acceptable limits.

Note: mother and baby are given complete rest with complete unity of souls in the rocking cradle. Reliable rockers with a cradle are made only on runners of variable curvature, see fig. on right. Otherwise, suddenly the little one will get worried and the mother will perk up, and we can tumble together. Which is simply dangerous for a baby.

Nirvana rocking chairs on elliptical runners, pos. 7, provide a gentle, truly blissful rocking, but do not prevent tipping over during strong swings, so they are equipped with bump stops; the front one is often combined with a footrest. Garden rocking chairs with ellipse awnings never tip over, pos. 8.

Nirvana rockers on springs, see fig. on the left, they swing as softly as on ellipses, because The mechanical characteristics of the springs are progressive. But making a spring chair with your own hands is difficult: you need either high-quality boards of special types of wood (teak, boxwood, dogwood) or a rubberized strip of spring steel so that it does not scratch the floor. In addition, dirt gets packed into the gap between the spring and the runner and it can be very painful to pinch your finger. For the latter reasons, spring chairs are now very rare on sale.

Rocking chair 3 in 1

Finally, there are also multifunctional “3 in 1” rockers on runners with smooth bends, see fig. on right. When seated upright, this is a regular chair; by leaning back, it can be switched to rocking mode on radii, and by leaning back even more, it can be turned into a sun lounger. But the dimensions of the 3 in 1 rocking chair are too large for apartments below business class, and transitions from mode to mode are accompanied by rather sensitive shocks. In unsuccessful models, you either have to stand up or twitch, squirm and fidget like a puppet on strings. Therefore, 3 in 1 rocking chairs are a piece of furniture for everyone.

To start

Without any special pretensions, just to relax after work, a rocking chair on radius runners will help. Drawings of a simple sample, made, with the exception of the runners, only from straight parts, are given in Fig. For a dacha, veranda or garden, this chair can be made in half a day, using only a jigsaw, a drill and a couple wrenches(assembly - bolted). And having swayed to your heart's content, you might already think about home rocking chair for the more experienced; then you will need a more thorough tool and knowledge.

How does it swing?

Most home craftsmen make rocking chairs according to ready-made drawings, but prototypes often turn out to be developed and tailored to a specific person, and an exact replica is not so convenient. Therefore, before making a rocking chair, it is necessary to obtain at least initial information about its kinematics.

The CG of an upright person of normal build is located on the border of the lumbar and sacrum on the inside of the spinal column. In a sitting individual, it will blend somewhat forward and even less downward. In a seat-seat system, the overall CG is shifted back almost to starting position and a little further down. The downward shift of the general CG for the design of a rocking chair is not particularly significant and we can assume that the projection of the general CG onto supporting surface(floor) is approximately the same as that of a standing person. In the future, the resulting error can be easily compensated by final balancing of the chair, see below.

The vertical location of the central center relative to the central center has a much stronger effect on the stability and comfort of the rocking chair; the latter is also a determining factor when designing rocking chairs on runners with variable curvature. If the CG and CO coincide, this is an indifferent equilibrium: for any physically possible tilt of the chair, the projection of the CG on the floor falls on the point of contact of the runners O, pos. 1 and 1a in Fig. The chair does not rock, and if you lean back too much, you will instantly somersault with the risk of breaking your neck. Fortunately, an exact match between the CG and the CO is only theoretically possible.

If the CG is higher than the CO, then its projection, at any inclination, “runs” outward, backward or forward, from the point of contact. At the slightest tilt, a tilting moment Mo occurs (positions 2 and 2a), and the rocking chair turns out to be unstable. To avoid such a situation for a family rocking chair, it is designed and balanced for the tallest, heaviest and pot-bellied rider possible so that its CO is 450 mm or more higher than the CO. Then, when the chair is tilted, the point O will “run away” from the CG projection, the restoring moment Mv will constantly act (positions 3 and 3a) and the chair will not tip over when rocking within acceptable limits. For those who are smaller, the excess of the CO over the CG will be too large, and the swaying will be harsh, but this can be easily compensated for by pillows under the back and seat. In general, the lower the elevation of the CO above the CG, the softer and smoother the swaying, but the likelihood of capsizing, suddenly straightening up and standing up in a chair, is higher. Therefore, it is better for novice carpenters to set the CO exceeding within 600-700 mm.

Note: if it is impossible to determine the position of the CG of the largest of the riders (say, in his absence), the radius of the generating circle R is taken equal to the average height of the users minus 5 cm. Suddenly the rocking turns out to be harsh, this can be corrected by placing a permanent pillow on the seat.

There is no need to drag your own pillows with you into a chair on runners of variable curvature: it will itself rise to the position of greatest comfort. At the same time, the big guy will lean back more, and the slender one will sit straighter. When swinging backwards, the point O will run away from the CG projection the further, the greater the angle of inclination, and it will simply not be possible to swing until it capsizes. And if you “pump” forward, which is actually difficult, the chair will smoothly drop the hyperactive person onto the floor: where should you rest? Go do something.

To construct a profile of runners of variable curvature, the radius of the generatrix of the circle (it is determined as in the previous case) will have to, firstly, be rotated several times by a fixed angle α; usually take α = 10 degrees. Secondly, to build the rear branch of the runner, R is increased at each turn according to the law of geometric progression with the index k = 1.02-1.03. That is, it will be (see position 4 in Fig.) R1 = kR; R2 = kR1; R3 = kR2; R4 = kR3, etc., if required. Actually, R changes according to some trigonometric function, but for furniture accuracy and the size of the rocking chair, it is more convenient to replace it with a progression, so it’s easier to count.

The construction of the anterior branch is carried out at a constant R, but with each rotation of the generatrix of the circle, the CO is raised vertically (ibid., in position 4 of the figure). The initial elevation Δh1 is taken equal to 2-3% R, i.e. (0.02-0.03)R, and the subsequent ones also follow a geometric progression with the same indicator as for the posterior branch. Δh1 in this case is a fairly critical value; its smaller value should be taken for thin people, and its larger value for fat ones.

Finally, the resulting points are connected using a pattern with a smooth curve. Do not be embarrassed if the tangents to it turn out to be not perpendicular to the radii: in order for the chair to be stable, at each moment of rocking it should be on the opposite slope. When constructing, it is advisable to take the scale no smaller than 1:5.

Note: if a nirvana chair is designed, but the front ascending branch of its runners will be an elliptical arc (green dotted line in position 4), tangent to the constructed profile of the runner in volume I there.

Final balancing

It is unlikely that a novice craftsman will immediately find a rocking chair comfortable enough. Most likely, the product will need to be balanced. If the chair doesn't rock well, and when you get out of it it pushes, you need to make the rear overhang heavier. The easiest way to do this is to connect the ends of the rear branches of the runners with a low U-shaped beam of boards, with the notch facing down. Weights are placed in the recess. The lever arm in this case is long, so there is no need to hang weights. Another option, depending on the design, is a transverse pipe beam with a weight inside. But during the balancing process it will have to be removed and put back several times. If the rocker tends to fall back, you need to make the front overhang heavier. The easiest way to do this is by placing a step and attaching weights to its underside.

About materials

Rocking chairs are made primarily of wood. Metal, for all its manufacturability, low waste and greater resistance to outdoors, too heavy. The influence of the chair on the overall CG turns out to be significant, the moment of inertia of the system is large and, as a result, the rocking is too sharp. Or you have to set an extremely small initial elevation of the CO above the CO, risking that the rocking chair will tip over under someone. However, we will return to metal rockers when we consider individual samples.

Plywood is a completely different matter, especially for novice woodworkers. Firstly, when making the parts of the rocking chair with 3-layer glued ones, you can only use a jigsaw to make accurate and durable tenon-groove joints, on the left in the figure, if you follow the following. rules:

  • Plywood for the middle layer is taken twice as thick as for the outer layers. For example, if you need a total thickness of 20 mm, then glue 5-10-5 mm.
  • The parts are assembled from blanks using 2-component waterproof glue. If it is on PVA, be sure to reinforce it with small nails.
  • The connections are assembled with gluing (wedging in this case is unacceptable) and reinforced with diagonal pairs of self-tapping screws on both sides.
  • The supporting surfaces are protected with linings made of thin (6-10 mm) strips of hard, durable wood or dense sheet rubber 4-5 mm thick. Plywood under a concentrated load cracks very well at the end.

Secondly, plywood makes it possible to use non-standard technical solutions, eg. as on the right in Fig. Such a rocking bowl can be made from plywood, again using only a jigsaw. Comfort is high, stability is absolute, and can serve as a hanging hammock chair or swing chair. The thickness of the lamella boards is from 12 mm; connecting half-washers on poles – from 24 mm.

Note: in any case, the finished plywood rocking chair must be soaked twice with a water-polymer emulsion or liquid acrylic varnish on water based. This will not only increase the strength of the product and its resistance to external influences, but will also relieve excess residual stresses in joints and bent parts.

How to install overlays

Wear-resistant wooden pads are installed on the rocking chair runners. way:

  1. Turn the chair over with the runners up;
  2. We warm the blank plank thoroughly with a construction hairdryer;
  3. We place the workpiece on the runner and wrap it tightly along the entire length with cotton braid. Don't get burned, the wood is very hot!
  4. We also grab the second workpiece onto another runner;
  5. Once the strips have completely cooled, remove the braid bands and glue the pads with PVA on wood or with 2-component glue;
  6. We attach the ends of the planks with small nails until the overlays fit snugly along the entire length. Place washers or pieces of plywood under the nail heads;
  7. Once the glue has completely dried (2-3 days), remove the temporary fasteners. We drill blind holes for screws and secure the ends completely;
  8. We fill the holes with the fastener heads with putty made from sawdust of the same tree, thickly mixed with PVA.

Note: The linings need to be secured with metal hardware only at the ends. Otherwise, when the lining wears out during use, the fastener heads will stick out and begin to scratch the floor.

Examples of rocking chairs

Metal

Let's start our review of rocking chairs with metal ones, because... making rocking chairs out of it is justified in few cases. Forged rockers, imitating classic wicker ones from wicker or rattan, as requiring special equipment, a forge, etc. We don’t touch qualifications. But a metal rocker “like a braid” can be made by welding from a profile pipe; preferably elliptical section. In this case, you need to choose the kinematic diagram of the nirvana rocking chair as the least sensitive to the excessive elevation of the CO above the CO; it also corresponds well in design to wicker rocking chairs, see Fig. In order not to increase the moment of inertia, the seat is made of braided cables, belts, etc.

It also makes sense to make garden tumbler rockers from metal, see below, due to its strength and resistance to wear. But a welded frame like the one in pos. 1 pic. on the right - the solution is not optimal, it is too complex, labor- and material-intensive. It is much easier to make a steel frame for a garden rocking chair of the Concept type, pos. 2. Pipe – round from 40x2. The bed itself can be sewn like a hammock; balancing - by changing its tension and, accordingly, sagging. As a result, the work and costs are much less than repeating the established forms of rocking chairs that come “from the tree,” and the comfort is no worse.

Here we can see another interesting option: the frame of a rocking chair Concept made from... gymnastic hoops. Just not aluminum or propylene, but carbon fiber (carbon). Strength is monstrous, durability is absolute, weight is negligible. The same cannot be said about the cost, however.

Vanka-Vstanka

Recently, garden rocking chairs - tumblers - have gained popularity. If you lean back completely in this one and tuck your legs, it falls back almost 90 degrees without losing stability; the rider will find himself lying on his back with his knees at the zenith. And if you stretch your legs forward, the rocking chair - the vanka-stand-up chair becomes its normal position and then you can rock as always.

The Vanka-Vstanka toy with a spherical bottom sways quite sharply. Comfortable rocking of the tumbler rocker is achieved by profiling its runners according to a complex law. It will not be possible to build their sidewalls “school style”, as described above. You need to be guided by proven samples and draw markings on the grid, see fig. The inset version, with cladding made of planks 30-40 mm thick, is more expensive, but less labor-intensive. It also allows you to increase the length of the rocking chair by installing intermediate supports-runners.

Note: wooden balls are placed on the protruding ends of longer rods (1050 mm) and form handles for rocking and carrying.

Rocking bench

Rolling your heels into the sky, throwing your hands behind your head and admiring the clouds floating in the blue heights through the fluttering foliage is a heavenly pleasure, but it doesn’t suit everyone. Some people want to look more impressive while relaxing. This is more suitable garden bench– rocking chair, see fig. It is a little difficult to swing on it, its own moment of inertia is large, but it also swings for a long time. The maximum span between supports with runners is 750 mm with cladding made of 40 mm thick slats. The back covering is decorative.

Sun lounger with awning

Both those and other requests will be satisfied by a garden rocking chair on elliptical runners and with an awning. The dimensions of its sidewalls are given in Fig. their material is 24 mm plywood. The width of the bed is up to 900 mm, its covering is made of 50x50 slats. The sidewall areas, indicated by gray circles, are connected by round wooden crossbars with a diameter of 60 mm or more.

Rocking chair

Here we're talking about not about rocking horses, they are toys, not furniture. But it’s also not harmful for children to rest while rocking, so it makes sense to give your child a rocking chair. Its proportions will be slightly different than for adults, due to the influence of the square-cube law.

The structure of a children's rocking chair, its assembly diagram and specification of parts are shown in Fig. material – wood. It will not be difficult for a more or less experienced home craftsman to build a rocking chair for a child, guided by these data, and beginners can first watch a master class on making almost the same children's rocking chair.

We will send the material to you by e-mail

You used to look at a rocking chair in a store and think: it’s expensive and it takes up a lot of space. And you sit in it and realize that it is simply impossible to refuse such a purchase. Extraordinary comfort and peace - I could sit and sit in it on the veranda of a country house, admiring the garden. Don’t rush to spend money, because you can make this product with your own hands. We have collected drawings for you and useful recommendations from folk craftsmen, as well as information about the cost finished products.

Few things can compare to the comfort of a rocking chair.

Rocking chairs may vary in design and material, but they all share common advantages:

  • beneficial effects on the human muscular and nervous system;
  • creating conditions for a comfortable stay;
  • Possibility of use in indoor and outdoor spaces;
  • use for different age categories;
  • reliability and safety.

By the way, the opinion that a rocking chair takes up more space than a regular one is wrong. Modern rocking chairs are compact and in terms of space occupied and are in no way superior to ordinary furniture. Rocking chairs are universal, but if you are thinking about a chair for the garden, it is better to select it taking into account the specifics of the installation. Soft seats should be removable so that they can be removed when it rains. The covering of the chair should be selected from a material that is resistant to impact. sun rays and precipitation.

For your information! Whatever the design of the rocking runners, they will get stuck in soft ground. Therefore, you need to place this furniture on a solid surface.

Types of rocking chairs

ViewMain characteristicsPeculiarities

On skids
Paired base;

No unnecessary details;

Weight limit up to 100 kg;

Inertial type of control.

A classic option, not intended for use on soft carpets and ground. It is distinguished by its extreme simplicity of design and sensitivity to irregularities. They may creak if there are problems in joining parts.
PendulumFixed base;

The presence of hinges;

Can be equipped with a swinging mechanism.

The base of the glider is stationary; a pendulum mechanism is used for swinging. They can be installed on any floor, provide a uniform swing mode, are silent, and indifferent to floor unevenness. Can be equipped with touch and electronic controls.
SpringFixed base;

Fastening on a large spring;

They are distinguished by an inertial rocking mode, have round and inclined seats, and are usually made of rattan.

Wood, plywood, metal or rattan are used as the basis for the frame. Wood produces exquisite models with bent elements. Such products need to protect the wood from moisture and insects. Budget options Rocking chairs are made of thick plywood. It is better not to leave such chairs outside, as plywood is afraid of moisture. The best base for garden tools is metal. Craftsmen can even offer you forged chairs, but they are very heavy.


The seats and backs of such chairs are made soft or hard. It is convenient if the soft mattress can be easily removed. They can be washed or put away during bad weather. The filling of pillows can be made of foam rubber, padding polyester, latex, coconut fiber or horsehair. Seat upholstery is selected from practical materials. You can find designs made of tapestry or jacquard, cloth, flock.

Genuine leather is more practical in this regard. If the material is well-made, it is soft and not afraid of moisture. But genuine leather is an expensive pleasure. An alternative could be eco-leather - durable and moisture-resistant. Its only drawback is that using such a chair on a hot day will not be very comfortable. The pictures below show the most comfortable rocking chairs that we found for you as an example.





DIY rocking chair: possible options

On the Internet you will find many options on how to make a rocking chair at home. Craftsmen sometimes they use the most unexpected ideas and achieve amazing success in this matter.

High-quality wood will provide the product with durability and strength. And minimal knowledge in carpentry will allow you to build a very attractive design. If you have no carpentry skills at all, it is better to take plywood. It is easy to cut and process, and you can also find reliable furniture fasteners on sale. The most difficult thing to make is from wicker or rattan. It is difficult to make a wicker rocking chair with your own hands; you cannot do without special knowledge. To work with metal you will need a welding machine. If you know how to use it, there is nothing difficult. Some craftsmen suggest using plastic for structures, but such chairs can only support a child. They are not suitable for an adult due to their fragility.

Let's look at some popular ideas on how to make a rocking chair.

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How to make your own rocking chair from an old chair

The easiest way to make your own rocking chair is to use an old armchair or stool as a base. You'll probably find a piece of furniture in your home that's just begging for a makeover. You can make a homemade rocking chair out of it in just a couple of hours. The only question is what to make the runners from. And they can be made from a pair of wide boards, or a bent pipe.

Rocking chair runners: drawings and dimensions

The most important thing about runners is their curvature. The amplitude of movements depends on it. For this reason, you should not make parts that are too round. The easiest way is to use a thick and wide board - it is easier to attach it, and it is not difficult to make an element of the size and curvature you need. A simple drawing with dimensions for a standard chair looks like this.

How to make chair runners

Option 1: made of plywood. For work you will need a thick sheet of plywood (at least 1.5 cm). Two shaped strips, 100 cm long, are cut from the sheet according to the pattern. For cutting, it is better to use a jigsaw. Holes are made in the side of the legs of the old chair for tenon and groove fastening. You can, of course, go even simpler and use ordinary self-tapping screws. It won't be very aesthetically pleasing, but it will be quick.

Option 2: bent beam. If you are not looking for easy ways, try making runners from bent timber. To do this, a wooden blank with a cross-section of 45×45 mm must be soaked in hot water until elasticity is achieved. Then the timber is bent onto a pre-prepared form and fixed until completely dry. Next, the skis are attached to the chair using the tongue-and-groove method.

Option 3: board. A semicircle is cut out of a wide board. The thickness of the wood must be at least 3 cm. The ends of the runners must be carefully sanded. The runners can be fastened with self-tapping screws or using the tongue-and-groove method.

Features of fastening using the tongue-and-groove method

For this method of fastening, the chair legs need to be drilled from the sides. Afterwards, a groove is selected in the legs corresponding to the width of the runners. They are inserted into the grooves, the location of the hole in the leg is marked, and they are drilled in the same place.

To ensure fastening strength, all parts are carefully treated with wood glue. After connection, you need to tightly fix the contact point and leave until completely dry. This method of fastening guarantees a neat appearance and high reliability. The only caveat is that it is not suitable for chair models with thin legs.

Important! To balance a rocker made from an old chair, use a counterweight system and cross bars.

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DIY rocking chair made of wood: drawings and master class

Wooden furniture has a number of advantages. It is environmentally friendly, durable, reliable.

Such rocking chairs look great in the country house or in the apartment; they can be used by children and adults. For a wooden rocking chair, it is better to use coniferous wood: spruce, pine, larch. This tree is relatively light and has low density, which means it can be easily processed at home. In addition, coniferous wood is inexpensive, which means you don’t have to worry about ruining some of the material if something goes wrong. Expensive woods such as ash, oak or beech are also suitable for making furniture, but to work with them it would be good to have at least some carpentry skills.

Important! Wood for furniture must be thoroughly dried, otherwise the finished product may become deformed over time.

Examples of drawings of wooden structures.

And now a master class on making a rocking chair with your own hands. Suitable for any drawings.

IllustrationDescription of action
All parts of the future structure must be thoroughly polished before assembly.
Mark all connections. For accurate markings, use a caliper or a regular ruler.
To make grooves, use a router or drill.
Carefully trim off the tenons for installation. They should not have any irregularities or burrs.
Before final assembly check all connections. The tenons must fit into the grooves with force. Use a rubber mallet.
During the pre-assembly process, the chair is made first and the runners are made last. The straight legs of the chair need to be rounded under the surface of the skis.
To give the ends of the legs the desired shape, you must use a grinding wheel.
Attach batting or foam rubber to the seat blank with glue and cut it to shape.
Cover the seat with upholstery. Use a staple gun to secure fabric or leather.
Final assembly is done using wood glue. All joints are carefully coated with glue. You need to give the product some time to dry and harden.
Lastly, secure the runners using hidden fasteners.

How to make a simple rocking chair from a profile pipe with your own hands

For metal structure you will need a round profile with a cross section of 20-25 mm. To make a seat you need to buy a piece of durable awning fabric.

Drawing of a metal rocking chair for making it yourself and a master class

The design of this chair is very primitive. You just need to weld a frame of the appropriate size and stretch a fabric seat strip over it. The drawing looks like this.

Working with metal will require the use welding machine and a primitive device for bending pipes. If you have difficulty bending, take the workpieces to the master in advance. The photo shows a simple algorithm for making a metal rocking chair with your own hands; let’s look at all the steps one by one.

IllustrationDescription of action
Bend the skid tubes slightly. If you don’t have a pipe bender, this can be done manually with a simple device.
To ensure a tight fit of the pipes at the joints, you need to slightly sharpen the ends.
Weld the side parts of the seat as shown in the photo.
Secure the runners. Pay attention to the reliability of the fastening. All welding areas must be sanded afterwards.
Assemble the structure into one whole by welding the cross bars.
Cut out the fabric for the seat. It is better to do this directly on the welded structure in order to adjust the depth and ease of fit.
Paint the frame with corrosion-resistant paint.
Secure the seat by stitching the seams directly onto the frame. Make double or even triple stitches for security.
A simple and comfortable chair will delight you every day.

We have given you the simplest example of a metal structure. If you are ready for more serious work, watch the video on making a pendulum rocking chair with your own hands, it is very interesting.

DIY rocking chair made of plywood: drawings and recommendations

Plywood is a lightweight and easy-to-work material. It’s not at all difficult to make a rocking chair out of it. Such a product can be easily “adapted” to any interior by painting and design. For a chair, it is better to look for oak plywood; it is characterized by increased strength and resistance to a humid atmosphere. Optimal thickness plywood sheet - 1.5 cm. If you were unable to find such material, you can buy thinner sheets and glue them together with wood glue.

What is important to consider when working with plywood:

  • plywood sheets are very large - prepare comfortable spot for cutting, where you can turn the material without problems;
  • Before assembly, all parts must be coated with a protective composition: paint or varnish, stain;
  • All end parts must be thoroughly sanded. Ideally, hide them with a plastic or metal edging;
  • remember that plywood is not cut across the grain;
  • Nails cannot be driven into plywood parts; all fastenings are made only into drilled holes;
  • if there is a need to make a part with a bend, the plywood is soaked in hot water and, after soaking, fixed in the desired position until it dries;
  • For durable gluing, the surface of the plywood must be sanded with sandpaper and only then applied adhesive composition parallel to the wood fibers. The parts to be glued are pressed using a press.

We offer an example of assembling a plywood product of the most primitive design in step-by-step instructions.

IllustrationDescription of action
Mark the runners using patterns.
Sand the cut parts along the ends with sandpaper.
Cut the seat slats to the same size.
Pin on inside runners rectangular pieces of plywood as shown in the photo. Use self-tapping screws and wood glue for fastening.
Attach the cross bars to the runners.
Cover the structure with stain and varnish.
Stretch the fabric or leather on the back of the chair. You don’t have to do this, but it looks more aesthetically pleasing.
Place a foam cushion covered with fabric or leather on the chair. The chair is ready.

The result in half an hour: video instructions for making a rocking chair from a car seat

Car seats are extremely comfortable, because they are developed by automotive industry engineers taking into account the anatomical characteristics of a person. It’s a shame to throw away such a chair, but what if you decide to update the interior of your car? Use the driver's seat to create a cozy rocking chair.

If you don’t have time, but have the desire: prices for ready-made models of rocking chairs

Any amateur activity requires effort and time. You need to look for suitable material, fasteners, assemble and design. Does not work? You can always take the path of least resistance and simply buy or order such a chair. There are a lot of offers of finished products, for every taste and budget. You can buy a rocking chair inexpensively in large stores like Ikea at a price of 5,000 rubles. Products made from natural wood with luxurious design already cost tens of thousands.

Your own garden is a great place for both work and relaxation. For a complete country holiday, people have come up with the most various devices from swings to hammocks. Armchairs are considered a classic piece of comfortable furniture. But someone brilliant managed to add an addition to its design that made it even more convenient: a rocking chair was born. This model allows you to perfectly relax all the muscles, and the leisurely and rhythmic rocking encourages pleasant thoughts, calms you down, and lulls you to sleep. The rocking chair turned out to be so popular that many variations and modifications have appeared since its invention. Moreover, it turned out that a DIY rocking chair made from different materials- this is not a myth.

For creating classic model Rocking chairs need willow vine. The openwork and light design looks great against the backdrop of country greenery and goes well with the interior garden house or gazebos. This lightweight and durable product has one drawback - the fear of excess moisture.

Making a light and seemingly unpretentious chair from willow wicker is not so easy. You need to be able to prepare the material, and the weaving technique requires special skills

Rattan is a flexible vine that grows in Southeast Asia. Wonderful and very beautiful chairs are also woven from rattan. They are not inferior in beauty to willow trees, which cannot be said about their strength. No screws or nails when creating rattan furniture does not apply. All connections are held together only thanks to glue and skillful knitting.

Rattan is not sold as a raw material in our stores. Such a rocking chair for a dacha owner is a good purchase, and not a product in the manufacture of which he can show his creative abilities

If we talk about the strength and durability of the product, then an example of reliable furniture is this model, created from forged metal. An elegant lace structure will decorate any garden.

The main advantage of this model is its durability. The main one, but not the only one. Agree that this thing looks like an elegant silver jewelry

Rocking chairs are used not only as country furniture. Distinctive feature The features of an office rocking chair are its respectability and solidity.

Office workers also appreciate high-quality rocking chairs as accessories that help them fully relax from the hustle and bustle of business. Of course, office models differ from the country version

There are also designer models of rocking chairs made in high-tech style.

A very interesting and, most importantly, quite functional model. Combines a comfortable rocking chair and a directional lamp

Some cutting-edge rocking chair designs are truly unique. Like more simple models, they guarantee their owner comfort, but, in addition, independence from energy sources. This product, equipped with solar panels, allows you to spend time with comfort and benefit.

For the base of such a structure, you can use thick plywood, and for its upper part - polycarbonate. Finding solar panels online today is also not a problem.

Master class: rocking chair for two

A two-seater rocking chair looks more like a sofa. If you put a few pillows or throw a blanket on this convenient structure, you simply won’t find anything better for a country holiday. We will tell you how to make such a rocking chair with your own hands.

Who said you can only enjoy the comfort of a rocking chair alone? This model is good for two

Stage #1 – preparing tools

Making a quality rocking chair is not as difficult as it seems. Having everything necessary tools and stocking up quality materials, you can leisurely do everything yourself. What exactly tools will we need for this work?

  • Electric jigsaw complete with wood saws.
  • Disc sander. It will require attachments with different grain sizes. Actually manual frezer may also be needed, but if available large quantity coarse-grained sandpaper and provided the grinder has sufficient power, you can do without it.
  • Screwdriver with a set of wood drills and bits.
  • A right angle with a long measuring ruler.
  • Roulette.
  • Hammer.
  • Putty knife.
  • Brushes and pencil.

Proper organization of work assumes that all of the listed tools will be literally at hand.

Stage #2 – draw a drawing

Any responsible work begins with the production of a drawing. It is necessary in order to correctly calculate the need for materials. However, the drawing already exists. On a metric grid, the pitch of which is 100mm, there is a template for the side of the chair. It is best to transfer the drawing to paper and cut out a pattern, which will make it easier to apply the outline to the plywood.

Drawing of a great rocking chair that you can make your own with skillful hands, made on a metric grid, the pitch of which is 100 mm

Small inaccuracies are acceptable, it is important not to make a mistake in the main thing: the sidewalls must be identical, there should be no protruding corners on their rolling, lower side.

Stage #3 – cutting blanks from plywood and timber

To make drawstrings and sidewalls, you will need Europlywood, the thickness of which is 30 mm. The sides, as already mentioned, are cut out with a jigsaw strictly according to the pattern. The dimensions of each of the three drawers are 800x120 mm.

Now you need to cut the blanks of the bars, which will later make up the surface of the seat and back of the rocking chair. To do this, we need a beam measuring 50x25 mm, from which we will cut 35 blanks of 1200 mm each. Before purchasing the material necessary for this, find out what the standard length of one such bar is in your stores.

Based on the proposed drawing, you need to make a pattern, with which you should apply the contour of the side of the chair on the plywood

You can easily calculate the total molding you need on your own. Observe the multiplicity so that when cutting the workpieces there is no large amount of residue. It’s better that your rocking chair turns out to be a little narrower than originally planned. For example, with a standard length of 2.4 meters, the length of one workpiece will be 1195 mm (the thickness of the cut and subsequent processing are subtracted).

With fasteners everything is simple. Needed:

  • confirmations (euroscrews) 12 pieces, size 5x120mm;
  • self-tapping screws 140 pieces, size 4x45.

In fact, the initial part of the work is already over, but you still have to work hard to get the desired result. In the process of this work, you will need drying oil, wood varnish, putty, and antiseptic, which also need to be purchased in advance.

Stage #4 – pre-processing of parts

We proceed to sanding all the parts and removing small chamfers. If your Sander It’s powerful enough and you know how to handle it; this procedure won’t take you much time. Considering that the rocking chair will be located outdoors, Special attention it is necessary to pay attention to the ends of all elements in order to protect them as much as possible from dampness, to which they will undoubtedly be exposed.

Pre-treatment of parts consists not only of sanding and chamfering them. All measures must be taken to protect the end parts of the elements from rotting

The ends of the parts must be soaked in hot drying oil, and the wood fibers on them must be slightly flattened with a hammer. This way less moisture will be absorbed. For the ends, the processing-varnishing-processing procedure must be carried out twice before general assembly designs.

Stage #5 – assembly of the structure

There are no specific standards in the manufacture of this item. garden furniture not provided. The holes for the drawers are marked as required by logic: headboard, middle part external arc of the sidewall and footboard. The drawers will be pulled to the sidewalls with the help of confirmations. To do this, preliminary markings are made on the sidewalls, after which the two sidewalls are aligned, and a through hole is drilled in their planes with an 8 mm drill. For a hole in the end of the drawer, use a 5 mm drill. Now you can tighten the chair frame using Euroscrews.

The holes for the drawers must first be marked, after which both sides are folded together and neat through holes are drilled

Now let's talk about how to drill the bars that form the seat and back of the chair. We have exactly 35 of them. It is necessary to drill 4 holes in each block (two on each side). And these are 140 symmetrical holes.

To simplify the task, we use a “jig” - a device for marking a large number of homogeneous parts. We make it very simply: we take a piece of the same timber, no shorter than 250 mm, drill holes in it for the template, the diameter of which should be the same as that of a marking pencil. We nail scraps of plywood to the end and one of the side parts of the “conductor”, which will serve as a limiter that prevents you from missing during the marking process. The "conductor" is ready.

Assembly is the most time-consuming and labor-intensive part of creating a rocking chair. However, the “jig” will help you simplify the procedure for drilling symmetrical holes

This is what the chair looks like at the final stage of work. Of course, it still cannot be used in this form. It is necessary to take measures to protect it from bad weather

The “jig” will be used to mark holes; you cannot drill through it, because a drill can break the template holes and the parts will have to be countersunk separately. If you take a 3.5x30 drill with a countersink, you can use the finished markings to make the hole as needed.

According to the drawing, there should be a gap of 15 mm between the bars. To avoid distortions, it is necessary to mark on the side of the chair the distance that will correspond to six bars along with intermediate intervals, and check that the template liners match in thickness. If they match, you can continue attaching. Otherwise, adjustments must be made. A four-millimeter wood screw holds perfectly in europlywood. But given the high frequency of fastening, it is better to use a three-millimeter drill.

Stage #6 – finishing of the finished product

The holes above the screws must be carefully filled with putty. Next in line will be treatment with an antiseptic and coating the product three times with waterproof varnish. You need to work very diligently. Remember how much work you have already put into this chair. After all, you want it to last as long as possible, right? Then try!

If you have small children, you can involve them in filling the holes above the screws, but you will have to carefully inspect the model to look for damage to eliminate them yourself

Sliding chair without runners

You probably noticed that all the models presented above have general principle work. The trick is that these rockers use curved runners as the base. How to make a rocking chair without runners? It turns out that such a possibility also exists. Watch this video and you'll get an idea of ​​exactly how it's done.

- a fairly popular piece of furniture found in living rooms, gardens, and terraces. They are made from different materials, have all kinds of designs and vary in design.

Despite the huge range of materials, the most popular are models from natural wood. They are elegant and noble, safe and durable.

When choosing manufacturing materials, preference should be given coniferous species. They are also often made from larch and alder. The advantages of these types of wood include low weight and low density. Thanks to this, products are easily moved from one place to another, and the low density of wood does not create problems during the manufacturing process.

Important: Coniferous trees produce products of a light gray shade. They fill the premises with a pleasant aroma and have a beneficial effect on the well-being of users.

The advantages of coniferous wood include:

  • Ease and flexibility in processing. These chairs can be given any shape.
  • Light weight. This makes the products light and easy to use.
  • Elasticity and viscosity. This allows you to create original models different forms.

Attention: coniferous species with high humidity swell. Therefore, furniture items must be treated with antiseptic compounds.

To the benefits larches worth mentioning:

  • high density;
  • resistance to deformation;
  • resistance to temperature changes and high humidity;
  • attractive appearance.

You can also make a rocking chair from oak, ash or beech. Such furniture will amaze with its aesthetic qualities, durability and elite appearance.

Drawing with dimensions

To make a practical and easy-to-use rocking chair, you need to think about its design, dimensions, manufacturing materials, and type of construction. Next, a drawing is drawn indicating all sizes. To make a chair, it is recommended to take an ordinary chair as a basis.. Since he has simple design, where all elements are located at right angles.

Reference: for a rocking chair, it is recommended to make a square seat measuring 50-60 cm. Its thickness can vary between 1 - 1.5 cm. For the rear legs, it is better to use a beam with a section of 4.5 by 4.5 cm. Their height should be within 105 - 110 cm. But the height of the front legs will be 55-60 cm.

Tools

To make furniture you will need the following tools:

  • jigsaw;
  • plane;
  • sander;
  • milling cutter;
  • laser level;
  • screwdrivers;
  • tape measure and pencil;
  • clamp.

How to make a wooden rocking chair?

The production of a rocking chair begins with the preparation of all parts. They are cut according to the drawing. Field of production of all necessary details Let's start assembling them. You can connect parts in two ways:

  • thorn to thorn;
  • using glue.

It doesn’t matter which option for fastening the parts you chose, but all work is carried out using clamps and gaskets. The gasket is placed between the rocker and the clamp. After this, the clamp is tightened and the product is set aside for a day until the adhesive composition has completely hardened.

As for the installation of runners, different options are also used here.

Simple option

Method number one is simple and consists of the following steps:


With runners made of timber

The second option is more labor-intensive. Wood beams are used as runners here. The works look like this:


Advice: In order for the rocking chair to have a long service life, the wood for the runners must be of high quality.

After making a rocking chair from wood, it must be check for balance. The comfort of using the furniture item will depend on this:

  • if the product leans forward strongly when standing up, transverse strips must be installed on the runners behind the back;
  • if the product tilts backwards, then the counterweight is installed on the front of the product.

Finishing

When the product is completely ready, it needs to be given an aesthetic and noble appearance.

For this, the chair will need to be carefully polish, cover with stain and varnish in several layers. This will not only increase the attractiveness of the product, but also extend its service life.

After all, many people use a rocking chair outdoors in the warm season. And this contributes to the deterioration of wood under the influence of negative factors.

So that the tree does not give in various diseases, before covering it with stain it must treat with antifungal agents.

Photo

Selfless work will bring excellent results:

Useful video

You can see how to make runners in the following video:

Then it’s time to assemble the entire chair:

Conclusion

In conclusion, it is worth noting that making a rocking chair out of wood with your own hands is not as difficult as it might seem at first. Subject to technology, procurement of all necessary materials and tools, you can make a piece of furniture of any design and design.

Such a chair will not only be comfortable and cozy for spending leisure time, but will also delight you with interesting design solution and high technical characteristics. And rhythmic rocking in the product will strengthen the nervous system and help you relax after a hard day. working day and relieve tension from the back muscles.

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