Custom-Fit Rocking Chairs

Built to Match Your Body Perfectly

Measured. Made. Meant for You.

Every Authentic Rocker by John is handcrafted to your exact measurements, bringing you comfort that mass-produced chairs simply cannot match.

Crafted by Hand, Created for You

Your rocker is created for you, starting with the measurements you provide. A preliminary design is developed, tailored just for you, and there it is – your rocker on paper! Parts are rough-cut with power tools; after that, every joint, every curve, and every angle is cut, pared, and shaped by hand with hand tools until the chair fits your body. It is slower work, and it is the reason your chair fits you and lasts for generations.

Pricing

All prices include a multi-coat traditional finish system and free local pickup or delivery within 50 miles of Lexington, SC (zip 29072). Payment terms: 50% deposit at order; 50% at completion before delivery or pickup. Payment is processed securely via Square – you will receive an invoice or payment link by email at each stage.

Why Custom-Fit Matters

The Problem with Mass-Produced Rockers

Most rocking chairs are built for an average person who does not actually exist. The result?

• Too tall? Your feet dangle, putting pressure on the backs of your thighs
• Too short? Your knees are cramped and rocking motion feels awkward
• Wrong arm height? Shoulder and neck strain after extended sitting
• Poor back support? Generic angles do not match your spine’s natural curve
• Uncomfortable seat? Flat seats create pressure points

The Custom-Fit Solution

When I build your rocker, I use 10 precise body measurements to engineer every dimension of your chair – seat height, depth, width, armrest position, backrest curve, and rocker radius – all calculated specifically for you.

Result: A chair that feels like it was made FOR YOU – because it was.

Choosing Your Wood

The wood species – and how it is cut – determines how your rocker looks, where it can live, and how it will hold up over time. All species used are considered sustainable according to the Wood Database.

Interior and Exterior: Quarter Sawn White Oak – Recommended

I use quarter sawn white oak exclusively – not plain sawn. Quarter sawing cuts the log perpendicular plus or minus 45 degrees to the growth rings, producing a board that is significantly more stable, less prone to warping or cupping, and more resistant to moisture movement than plain sawn lumber. Combined with white oak’s exceptional strength and natural moisture resistance, this makes for a chair built to last indoors or out.

• Cut: Quarter sawn for maximum stability
• Finish: Linseed Oil Paint or Milk Paint with linseed oil/wax finish (indoor or outdoor) – or – Traditional Pine Tar with Wax (exterior, natural wood color) – or – Traditional Oil and Wax or linseed oil soap (interior only)
• Seat: Slat seat to shed water (required)
• Best for: Porches, patios, sunrooms, living rooms

Interior Hardwoods – Traditional Oil and Wax Finish

For the natural beauty of the wood grain, plain sawn ash, cherry and walnut, as well as quarter sawn white oak, are available with a traditional oil and wax finish or linseed oil soap – a hand-applied penetrating system that showcases the grain without paint and develops a soft satin sheen that deepens with age. These rockers are for indoor use only.

• Available species: American White Ash, American Cherry, Black Walnut, Quarter Sawn White Oak
• Finish: Traditional oil and wax or linseed oil soap to showcase the natural grain
• Placement: Interior use only
• Seat: Slat seat (standard) or solid seat
• Best for: Living rooms, bedrooms, reading nooks, libraries

Painted Interior – Linseed Oil Paint or Milk Paint, Any Color

An interior rocker can also be painted. Indoors there is no sun to fade the color, so a painted indoor chair can be finished in any color in the linseed oil paint and milk paint range, including custom blends mixed to suit your room. One honest note: a chair that will live in a bright, all-day window still sees some sun, so mention it if that is where yours will sit.

Paint is offered on quarter sawn white oak and ash only. Cherry and walnut are finished natural, never painted – those two are chosen for the grain and color they develop, and paint would only hide these beautiful woods.

• Species: Quarter sawn white oak or ash (cherry and walnut natural only)
• Finish: Linseed oil paint or Milk paint, any color
• Placement: Interior use only
• Best for: Painted-furniture looks, color-matched rooms, accent and kids’ pieces

Wood Comparison

Slat Seat vs. Solid Seat

A slat seat uses curved spaced wooden slats across a sculpted seat frame rather than a solid panel – this is not just a style choice:

• Airflow: Slats allow air to circulate, keeping you cooler during extended sitting
• Moisture resistance: Water drains and dries quickly – critical for outdoor use
• Comfort: Individual slats are curved to conform to your body and flex naturally
• Durability: Less prone to warping or cracking over time

All exterior white oak rockers use a slat seat. Interior hardwood rockers (ash, cherry, walnut, white oak) can be built with a slat or solid seat – a great option if you prefer a more traditional look.

Finish Options

Every Authentic Rocker receives a traditional, multi-coat finish system chosen for two specific reasons: durability proven across generations of indoor and outdoor service, and ease of future care that keeps you in control of how your chair ages. Systems are penetrating finishes rather than surface films, so they cannot peel, chip, or delaminate. A scratch or cracks in a film finish such as polyurethane or spar varnish typically requires a professional refinisher to address properly; these traditional finishes are chosen to you can care for them.

Linseed Oil Paint (White Oak – Indoor or Outdoor, Ash – Interior Only)

A traditional Swedish painted-furniture system, adapted for generational outdoor service. Pigment carried directly in linseed oil soaks into the wood and stays flexible, rather than sitting as a separate paint-then-oil layer – three coats build the color and protection in one system. Structural failure points (end grain and joint lines) receive the same targeted protective treatments used across our painted systems. The bottom of the rocker runners are raised with a UHMW polyethylene strip to keep wood off wet surfaces.

Five base colors offer maximum UV stability and are time-tested for outdoor durability: black, brown, yellow, red, and orange. These are iron-oxide-based pigments with a centuries-long track record on outdoor furniture.

Blends and other color families are also available – for example, mixing white with black to create grey, or selecting from the broader available range. Pigments outside the five base colors have less inherent UV stability, so a blended or non-iron-oxide color will need somewhat more frequent refresh over time. Of course, for interior rockers, UV stability is less of a concern. You are welcome to browse the full Ottosson Färgmakeri collection at Atlas Preservation, and we will discuss the trade-offs when you choose.

Traditional Pine Tar with Wax (White Oak Only – Exterior Only)

The traditional Scandinavian exterior finish – the same system that has protected Norway’s stave churches and farm buildings for centuries. Pine tar blended with linseed oil and citrus solvent penetrates the wood, keeping the natural color and grain fully visible rather than covering it with paint, finished with a wax topcoat. This is the finish to choose if you want your exterior chair to show the wood itself rather than a painted color.

Pine tar deepens the wood to a warm honey-amber that continues to darken toward tobacco-amber with age and sun exposure. It is not optically clear – if you are hoping for a pale or grey weathered look, this is not the finish for that; see the Wood Finishes Gallery for example photos.

Available on quarter sawn white oak only, for exterior use only.

Traditional Oil and Wax (All Species – Interior Only)

A traditional Amish and Pennsylvania German interior finish – a hand-applied penetrating system built up over multiple coats with extended cure time between each, then buffed to a soft satin sheen. The finish lives in the wood rather than on the surface, so it cannot peel, chip, or delaminate. The wood’s natural character is fully visible and develops greater depth and chatoyance with each coat. Available on all four species; required for cherry and walnut.

Linseed Oil Soap (White Oak, Walnut, Ash – Interior Only)

A traditional Danish interior finish – a hand-applied penetrating system built up over multiple coats. The lightest possible interior finish — pale, matte, almost-raw. The traditional finish of Danish and Swedish light furniture. The finish lives in the wood rather than on the surface, so it cannot peel, chip, or delaminate. The wood’s natural character is fully visible. Available on white oak, black walnut, and white ash.

Full care and refresh details are on the Resources page. The specific materials and application sequence are part of my workshop process and not published in detail – your Certificate of Authenticity documents the finish system used on your specific chair, and I provide direct guidance on care for as long as you own it.

Options and Add-Ons

Armrest and Cup Holder Options

Armrests are available in three configurations. Cup holders are integrated directly into the armrest – no inserts, no added hardware.

• Coffee Mug Style – Standard configuration. Cup holder with a cutout for the handle. Accommodates standard mugs and travel cups up to 3-1/2 inch diameter.
• Tumbler Style – 3-1/2 inch diameter cup holder without the handle cutout. Fits tumblers and straight-sided cups. Allows the chair to be slightly more narrow than the mug style.
• No Cup Holder – Plain armrests. The most narrow option.

Tenon Style

• Flush tenons (standard) – Tenon ends trimmed flush with the surface for a clean look.
• Protruding tenons – Tenon ends extend slightly proud of the surface for a traditional craftsman appearance.