16 Different Types Of Rocking Chairs For Best Comfort

A rocking chair is an Iconic piece of furniture cherished by many homeowners. Everybody want something that is comfortable to sit or blends well with the interiors. Thankfully, rocking chairs serve these concerns along with other benefits that they provide.

As the lounge chair, rocking chair gives you soothing relaxation while you are reading something, watching TV, or just sitting quietly for a while.

The movement from rocking chairs improves blood circulation in your body, which enhances oxygen circulation as well. This process not only strengthens the joints and muscles but has also helped people in curing arthritis.

The smooth motion on the rocking chairs releases endorphins in our brain and we tend to feel calmer with a lesser level of stress. They can also make you sleep very quickly. For nursing purposes too, rocking chairs are the best.

Generally when we hear the term ‘rocking chair’, what strikes our mind is a simple, old wooden rocking chair with an elderly person sitting on it. But now you have a wide range of rocking chairs with numerous designs and materials. They all have something that would attract you to own them.

Here we are examining the different types of rocking chairs available in the market. Whether they are old or the latest one, rocking chairs bring a traditional look to your setting.

The new types are mostly focus on comfort while the old ones are ideal for your health as well as the interiors.

Types of Rocking Chairs Based on Style and Design

Rocking chairs can be identified in different ways. We have made it simple for you by listing the different styles and designs you can look for while choosing a rocking chair.

Traditional Rocking Chairs

Traditional rocking chairs possess the oldest style in rocking chairs. You must have seen them as antique pieces of furniture in peoples’ homes. Old films and shows played a great role in making these rocking chairs popular.

They are mostly made up of wood and have 2 bent wooden legs as the base which are responsible for the back and forth motion. The back of the chairs is mid-level and the seat mostly has a waterfall design.

As there is not much complexity in the design and they don’t have mechanical parts, traditional rocking chairs are very durable. They are also one of the cheapest types of rocking chairs you will find in the market. Though anyone can use these chairs, elderly people find them more suitable.

Bentwood Rocking Chairs

This is another old and popular type of rocking chair that was first created by a German-Austrian furniture maker Michael Thonet in the 1930s. The swirling frame is the main identity of the bentwood rocking chair. To get this swirling shape, the makes have to heat the wood with water vapor and make it pliable.

Nowadays you hardly see these types of chairs in their original design. Either there are a lot of modifications and sold at a very high price or the base is made metallic that resembles the wooden design. Bentwood rocking chair have inspired various types of chairs. You can see pieces that come with swirls in the frame even if they are not rocking chairs.

Reclining Rocking Chairs

Here, you get to rest a little more than on the other rocking chairs as the back of the seat is reclined. They resemble somewhat the beach chairs (tumbonas) but have got rockers at the base. The rocking movement is not much in these chairs and they are mostly meant for resting. To give you more comfort, these chairs are padded thickly.

There are different types of rocking chairs that are categorized under the recliner. An adjustable rocking chair that is padded like a BarcaLounger recliner and is also called a reclining rocking chair. These chairs are very expensive in comparison to other types of rocking chairs.

Boston Rocking Chairs

When people hunt for antique furniture, they can’t miss considering this one. Boston rockers started gaining attention in the late 1800s and in the next century, they got highly popularized. A lot of people also have these chairs inherited from their past generations.

You can also get these chairs on Amazon and other shopping or furniture websites. The original Boston rockers had high back with spindles and no padding. Now, apart from the traditional rocking chair design, you will find Boston rockers with multiple modifications. Some furniture makers produce this chair is s small size for kids and it is called Baby Boston Rocker.

Glider Rocking Chairs

Glider rocker are slightly different than the other rocking chairs and a lot of people consider them separate from the rockers. Instead of the to and fro motion of the rockers in an arc, Gliders have forward and backward movement like at a fixed place.

It moves like a swing with the help of the liver and hinges. Well, this swinging is also kind of rocking, so technically they ‘are’ Rocking chairs. Glider chair is mostly preferred by mothers as nursery chair and a lot of these come with a footrest.

They have plush padding for additional comfort and are much more expensive than the traditional rocking chairs. They are much heavier too and you won’t like moving them from one room to another frequently. Because of the mechanical parts of the gliders, these chairs can be damaged too soon. You are advised to buy them only from trusted sellers.

Spring Rocking Chairs

Spring rocking chairs are like the regular rockers only but they offer more intensity in the to and fro motion. The springs are mounted and hidden at the base to provide a bounce to the chair. Most of these chairs have comfy cushion for good comfort.

As the spring rocking chairs let you rock more and also have comfortable sitting, they can be a great piece of furniture for patients that are recommended mild exercises.

Swivel Rocking Chairs

For providing more motion while sitting, you have the swivel mechanism in some rocking chairs. You get a lot of variety in here. Firstly there are the old swivel rockers with a heavy wooden base and the seat attached together with just a thick metallic swivel bearing.

Then you have the swivel rocker chairs with rattan frames which are very comforting as lounge chairs. Some spring rocking chairs also come with a swivel.

The most sought out combination is glider rocking chairs with a swivel. Such chairs provide 3 types of motions i.e. forward/backward, to and fro in an arc, and rotation. They also prove to be great for nursery chairs. Like Glider chair, swivel rocking chair also have a big issue with durability because of their so many mechanical parts.

Bench Rockers

Bench rockers are like normal rocking chairs but with more width. They mostly have 2 seats and are perfect as garden benches or balconies. The arc of the wooden base in bench rockers is relatively less than other rockers, thus they provide lesser motion.

For more durability, you should consider buying the ones with a metallic base. There are also glider rocker benches available in the market.

Ladderback Rocking chairs

These are simple-built rocking chairs like the Boston rockers but have got horizontal slats at the back like a ladder. They are usually high back and kelp you keep upright. Being a classic piece of furniture, they can be kept in your drawing room.

The seat of ladderback chairs was traditionally wooden and was inexpensive too. Now you have a lot of versions that come with a padded seat.

Platform Rocking Chairs

Platform rocking chairs have a mechanism similar to spring rocking chairs. There are stationary legs above which the chair with rockers is placed.

The legs of the chair ensure that it does not slide across your room. These are chairs are relatively heavier and expensive than other rocking chairs.

Gaming Rocking Chair

These are probably the most unique chairs among the rocking chairs. The base that is usually found in other rockers is absent here and the seat goes on the ground. It is a thickly padded chair built to provide your comfort for long hours. The high back, headrest, and waterfall seat design add to the comfort.

Most gaming rockers have similar functions to gaming chairs. They can recline back, have in-built speakers, and can connect to your gaming consoles. The folding design of these rocking chairs is also available in the market.

Foldable Rocking Chairs

These are different than the foldable gaming rockers. Foldable rocking chairs are also known as camping rockers. As the name suggests, these chairs can be folded and easily transported from one place to another. People who go on hikes and camping regularly and need a relaxed sitting there will find them useful.

Mostly, foldable rockings chairs have wooden or metallic frames and the rest of the body is made up of fabric. Some manufacturers also sell foldable rocking chairs with a canopy. It makes good outdoor furniture for the games and beach sides.

Types of Rocking Chairs Based on Their Material

Here are the rocking chairs that are made up of different materials. Sometimes you get to see the rocking chairs are made up of more than one material like some wooden chairs with a metallic base. Also, with these materials, fabric padding can be found attached most of the time.

Wooden Rocking Chairs

It is pretty obvious that being a piece of furniture, you see most of the rocking chairs are made up of wooden material. Wood rockers add natural beauty to your room and look very appealing. If made from good quality wood, they are very durable and can last more than 50-60 years.

The wood used in making the chairs does have variety i.e softwood and hardwood. In brief words, softwood is collected from the evergreen trees that grow too fast. Such wood is very light in weight and does not last that long. So the softwood rocking chairs are cheaper and do not offer much durability.

Have you seen people boasting about their antique piece of furniture? Well, they are made up of hardwood. These are the deciduous trees like oak, maple, teak, and mahogany. These trees shed their leaves each fall and grow very slowly.

The wood obtained from them is very dense. The Hardwood rocking chairs are the most durable ones as they are not damaged easily by the beetles. The old chair types we discussed above like the traditional rocking chair, the Boston rocking chair, the ladderback, etc. were originally made from hardwood by the furniture makers.

Wicker Rocking Chairs

Wicker rocking chair is another stylish piece of furniture made up of wicker or rattan. They are woven by artisans with their hands and the craft looks fabulous at your home. They are ideal for keeping in your garden, porch, or anywhere with a natural setting.

The wicker rockers are lightweight and can be easily shifted inside in case of rain. For the rocking feature, the makers use wood or any metallic arcs as their base.

Metal Rocking Chairs

People who want durability from the furniture but can’t spend much on hardwood have this amazing option. Metallic chairs are made up of iron, stainless steel, and even aluminum. These chairs look better in professional or modern settings and they are a lot more stable than other chair types while sitting.

You will find a wide range of metallic rocking chairs. Some of them are just the result of modifications with traditional designs. Most metallic chairs come with fabric padding and some only have the legs and back made up of metal.

Plastic Rocking Chairs

Plastic rocking chairs are new to the furniture scene. They are made up of hard and durable plastic and are much more affordable than other rocking chair types. But you won’t find many sellers with these chairs. They are good for keeping outdoors in the garden as the moisture can’t harm them.

Conclusion

With thousands of big and small furniture industries, we have so many options for all types of furniture. There are many rocking chairs that can’t be put under one specific type.

These were the most popular types of rocking chairs according to their design and build. Some of them have been common across households for more than a century and while some got attention in recent decades. We hope you found the right piece for your home.