How to Make a Rocking Chair Into a Swivel Chair

Rocking chairs provide a relaxing way to sit on a front porch, or they can be helpful in rocking your baby to sleep. However, if you no longer have a porch or your baby is grown, the rocking chair may have less use. Instead of throwing it out or donating it to a thrift store, repurpose the rocker into something you can use. Using a swivel attachment and a chair base, you can create a swivel chair from your old rocker.

Circular saw
Medium-grit sandpaper
Flat swivel kit
Chair base
Screwdriver
Drill (optional)

Instructions

- 1
  Cut the seat off the legs of the rocking chair with a circular saw. Make the cut so that it is flush with the lowest point of the chair’s skirt. The skirt consists of the pieces of wood along the front, back and sides of the chair below the seat. Sand the cut area with medium-grit sandpaper to remove any splinters.
- 2
  Turn the chair upside down, so you can see the bottom of the seat. Either set it so the back hangs off the side of a table or place the back on the work surface so the seat is at an angle, depending on your available work surface.
- 3
  Place a flat swivel on the underside of the seat. A swivel consists of two pieces of metal that have circular interconnecting parts that allow the metal pieces to rotate independently while remaining attached. Center the swivel on the seat and secure it in place using the screws that come with the swivel. Screw the screws into the wood of the rocking chair seat.
- 4
  Attach the other side of the swivel to a chair base. Place the swivel in place, centering it on the base. Turn the seat so you can reach the holes and screw the screws into the base. Use any style base you want, such as a standard chair, a base on casters or a barstool.

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