Rocking chairs have been one of the most common pieces of furniture for quite a long time in history. They have been there to calm infants and comfort adults with their constant gentle oscillating.
People in most cases, do not intend to exclude this piece of furniture from their interior decor. Usually, the rocking chairs are made of wood but these days they also come in metal-based foundations.
How much space does a rocking chair need?
An average rocking chair is 30-37 inches long and 18-30 inches wide. Assuming three feet on each side, the square feet measurement is nine feet. So, in order to place another piece of furniture anywhere near the rocking chair, the spacing should be at least 36-40 inches.
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Rocking chairs refer to chairs that have curved legs or curved bands that connect with the legs helping the chair to oscillate. These chairs come in different shapes and sizes. The regular most size is the 36/30 inches length/width wise.
They can be really tall as much as 46 inches, measuring from the ground. So, there are no tiny pieces of furniture that you can put anywhere.
If you want a rocking chair in your home or in any desired place, you’ll need to have enough space so that the chair doesn’t collide with any object.
As it is required that you have at least nine square feet of free space, you will need to plan your furniture accordingly. So, making sure that you’re sparing some extra inches including the designated space for the chair is necessary.
Otherwise, trust me, you don’t want any damage to your other pieces of furniture because of constant collisions between the rocking chair and other furniture. Also, your decor will look congested if you leave no space in between.
However, nine feet is the standard size but you will need to know the size of your rocking chair. You need to know if your rocking chair is bigger than the average size or if vice versa. Only then the measurement of the spacing can be proper.
Does a rocking chair need a lot of space?
Yes, compared to a lot of other pieces of furniture. Being a chair, a rocking chair does require more space than a regular chair would. This is so because this type of chair oscillates and moves back and forth.
Despite the accurate size of this chair, it will need a bit more space to move freely without any obstacles on its edges or so on the sides.
What are the dimensions of a rocking chair?
Although there are too many different sizes for rocking chairs, the standard size will take about nine square feet of space as mentioned before. However, the volume will be different when you will include the height of the chair.
These chairs can take space, by length, up to 30 to 37 inches, and by width, 18- 30 inches. And for the height measurement, these chairs are usually 36-40 inches tall. The height can sometimes be even bigger or smaller and the same is for the length and the width.
The mentioned sizes are what the regular rocking chairs come in the furniture stores. You can also customize the rocking chair according to your choice.
There are rocking chairs for infants as well. The sizes for these rocking chairs are usually 26-28 inches long, 14-17 inches wide, and 20-25 inches in height.
What are the parts of a rocking chair? What is their average dimension?
A rocking chair, being a sophisticated and comfort-provider piece of furniture, has many parts to name specifically. These simple yet necessary parts are –
Seat:
Seat is the basic necessity to define a chair as one. So, rocking chairs definitely come with seats; often the puffy ones. The depth of the seat is 18 to 19 inches maximum.
Legs:
Legs are another basic part of the chair to hold the weight and give it height. Completely basic-shaped rocking chairs come with four legs as regular chairs. On the other hand, some have legs curved from the front and attached to the bottom.
P.s. the front legs are longer than the legs of the backside only to keep the chair leaned backward. This helps with comfortable reclining. The front legs are usually 21 ½ inches to 22 inches and the back legs are 19 ½ to 20 inches long.
Arms:
Arms are optional in some chairs but in rocking chairs, these are a must. No rocking chair is modeled without arms by the sides. The arms are usually 20 ½ inches to 22 inches long.
Back:
Backs aren’t optional in the case of chairs because backs are often the parts that differentiate between chairs and tools. So, yes, rocking chairs have backs. The depth of the back is 32 inches on average.
Rockers:
Rockers are what give the rocking chair its name. They are curvy and get attached to the legs of the chair. These rockers help the chair to oscillate back and forth.
Rockers can come in a lot of different sizes. The most regular is 34-36 inches.
Rails:
Rails keep all the other parts like the seat, legs, arms, back, and rockers together. Although they might look decorative and not completely functional, they actually are.
The size of the rails actually depends on the other parts that these will keep together.
What should I look for in a rocking chair?
When buying a rocking chair, there are certain things you need to make sure they have.
Comfort:
The first thing here is comfort. Make sure the seat, if puffed, is not too hard or stiff. Also, ensure that there are no pointy edges that might be harmful later on.
Wide Seat:
Make sure the seat is wide enough so that your hip and waist can rest properly. A congested seat will not be comfortable.
Cushioning:
Although this is entirely optional, yet you can give your rocking chair a perfect perfect piece of cushion for adding to its comfortability.
Strong Fabric:
The rocking chairs that come with puffy seats and backs and even the arms, should have durable fabric. The fabric used here will have many chances to get discolored, demolished. Only if the fabric is strong and durable, will it last longer.
Locking Tackles:
Some rocking chairs are foldable. The locking mechanism here has to be strong and easy to tighten. Otherwise, accidents will not be surprising here. The unfoldable, basic ones need to be screwed tightly.
Longevity and Durability:
Just like any other store-bought object, the rocking chair will also come with instruction manuals, warranty cards, etcetera. Learn how many years the seller is ensuring the longevity of the rocking chair.
If it’s 10 years, think how it will look after 10 years and if it will go with the interior decor then. Although this is an optional process, you can still do it.
Just make sure that the chair lasts you at least 5 years.
How do I choose a rocking chair?
You need to choose a rocking chair according to space, overall other facts.
You need to measure how much space your place can spare and if it’s suitable for a rocking chair. Only then get yourself one. Because, rocking chairs in congested areas don’t look good, first of all, and secondly, they’ll harm other objects or pieces of furniture.
Final Thoughts:
Rocking chairs are there to comfort you as soon as you relieve your body from all the stress and recline on the chair. It may need a lot of space, but the spacing is worth the comfort. Just make sure to be aware of the measurement of both the free space and the rocking chair.