Gliders vs. Rockers

Rocker of Ages

• A rocker, also called a rocking chair, is a seat meant for one person. Rockers can be used indoors or out. Rockers have an old-fashioned history and are often associated with Americana furniture, although nowadays they are made in a variety of styles. The origins of the rocker are unclear. It is believed that the "skates" or rockers on the bottoms were borrowed from baby cribs.

  Rockers have been used for centuries as the indispensable hearthside furniture item for mothering baby, dispensing family wisdom, or ticking off the final hours of a long lifetime.

Rockers in Design

• Rocking chairs can be found in bedrooms, dens, and on front porches. The rocker has remained a staple in home furnishings suitable for use in rustic, traditional, western, country, cottage, and even modern room designs. Whatever the design where a rocker is used, comfort and homeyness are components of the room's character.

Rock Cares Away

• The motion of a rocker is forward and backward, with the balls of the feet used to power the rocking motion. Rocking a chair is a solitary pursuit. Its gentle motion is able to lull the rocker into deep thought, while a spirited rocking pace can soothe agitated nerves by an energy release. Rockers are a source of comfort and stress release for the rocked.

Glide into Season

• Gliders are strictly porch furniture and were invented in the late 1940s. Traditionally gliders were made of molded and welded aluminum in sizes that could accommodate two large or three or more smaller kids on its cushions.

Glider Mechanism

• Gliders use a simple chain and S-hook mechanism to operate the forward and back motion, powered by pushing off with the heels of the feet as opposed to the balls as with a rocking chair. The chain mechanism lifts the glider couch off its base and is the source of the limited swing motion of gliding.

  Gliders are common on the front porches or under a shady tree across America. Unlike a rocker, gliders are meant for convivial visiting, courting, and a kid's substitute for an amusement park ride at Grandma's.

Glider Design

• Vintage gliders featured ornate carved designs on their iron backs and seats. They are traditionally painted all white, pale yellow or blue with white. Modern gliders are often painted bright red, blue, or dark green.