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 – ensuring comfort that mass-produced chairs simply cannot match.

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: Milk Paint and Oil (indoor or outdoor) – or – Traditional Oil and Wax (natural, interior only)
• Placement: Indoor or outdoor use (milk paint and oil finish)
• 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 cherry and walnut, as well as quarter sawn white oak, are available with a traditional oil and wax finish – a hand-applied penetrating system that showcases the grain without paint and develops a soft satin sheen that deepens with age. All natural-finish interior rockers are for indoor use only.

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

Wood Comparison

Slat Seat vs. Solid Seat

A slat seat uses spaced wooden slats across the 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 (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. Both 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 designed to be looked after with simple routine care.

Milk Paint and Oil (White Oak – Indoor or Outdoor)

A traditional painted-furniture system, adapted for generational outdoor service. Multiple coats of non-toxic milk paint are followed by deep oil saturation to produce a finish that survives outdoors and wears gracefully with time. Structural failure points (end grain and joint lines) receive targeted protective treatments. 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 milk paint palette. 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. You are welcome to browse the full Real Milk Paint Co. color collection organized by color family or Old Fashioned Milk Paint, and we will discuss the trade-offs when you choose.

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 three species; required for cherry and walnut.

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.

Chair Dimensions and Weight

Most custom-fit rockers fall within these ranges, though your exact dimensions are calculated from your body measurements:

• Length (front to back): 38 to 40 inches
• Width: 29 to 35 inches
• Height: 40 to 50 inches
• Weight: 35 to 50 pounds

After submitting your measurements, you will receive a fitting report showing the calculated dimensions for your specific chair before any wood is cut.

The Custom-Fitting Process

Step 1: Submit Your Measurements

What Happens: You follow the simple online measurement guide to take 10 body measurements at home – all you need is a tape measure, a yardstick, a helper, and about 10 minutes. Works from anywhere. Many customers are out of state.

Step 2: Consultation and Order

I review your measurements and generate your fitting report. We discuss wood species, finish, options, and timeline – by email, phone, video call, or in person at the workshop by appointment. Once all choices are confirmed, a 50% deposit starts your build slot. You will receive a Square invoice by email – pay securely by credit card, debit card, or ACH bank transfer.

Step 3: Handcrafted Construction

Your rocker is built one at a time in my Lexington, SC workshop. Every highly stressed joint is hand cut and fitted. No shortcuts, no production-line compromises.

Timeline: 3 to 4 weeks for construction.

Step 4: Finishing and Cure

After construction, the chair receives its full multi-coat traditional finish system. Each coat is applied and allowed to cure before the next – traditional oil and milk-paint finishes require real cure time between coats, which is part of what makes them durable. The chair rests until the finish is fully set for safe handling.

Timeline for finishing and cure:

I build one chair at a time, which means there is always a wait list. Your rocker takes up to 12 weeks to construct and finish once your slot opens. Current wait list is approximately 14 weeks – plan on about 24-26 weeks total from order to completion.

Step 5: Your Signature Piece

Before delivery, I sign your rocker underneath the seat. Your rocker also comes with a Certificate of Authenticity documenting the wood species, finish system, and rocker configuration parameters derived from your measurements – a permanent record of exactly what was built for you.

“An Authentic Rocker by John
Made for [Your Name]
[Date]
Lexington, South Carolina”

Joinery and Construction

Every Authentic Rocker is assembled with joinery chosen for the specific demands of each joint.

• Wedged and drawbore mortise-and-tenon joints are used at all highly stressed connections – front, side, rear, rocker, and top chair joints. Among the most ancient, strongest, and reliable joints in woodworking.
• Face joints are reinforced with skewed tenons, making them inseparable without destroying the wood.
• Armrest supports use sliding dovetail joints to attach to the front chair legs.
• Cup holder base supports are pinned to the front chair legs.
• Gorilla Wood Glue Ultimate is used with all joints for additional waterproof strength.
• Seat slats and solid seats are secured with stainless steel screws.

All joinery is hand cut and hand fitted.

Shipping and Delivery

Local – Free Pickup or Delivery

Pickup or delivery within 50 miles of Lexington, SC (zip 29072) is free. If you pick up at the shop, you will have a chance to sit in the chair before it goes home with you. You will typically need a pickup truck or trailer and tie-downs. Your fitting report will show the overall chair dimensions so you can plan ahead.

Nationwide – White Glove Shipping

For customers outside the local area, I recommend a white glove freight service with lift gate pickup and delivery to residential addresses – no loading dock required at either end.

A freight marketplace is another option if you want to compare rates from multiple carriers, including white-glove options – you post your shipment and carriers bid on it.

Search “white glove furniture freight” to find current carriers. Read recent reviews before booking – service quality in this industry varies.

You can also arrange your own freight carrier. The chair will be ready for your carrier to package and pickup at the shop. See the Satisfaction Guarantee page for full crating, inspection, and insurance details.

Frequently Asked Questions

Ready to Start Your Custom Rocker?

Submit Your Measurements

Use my step-by-step guide to take 10 simple body measurements at home. Takes about 10 minutes.

Contact Me

Have questions? Want to schedule a consultation or workshop visit? I am happy to help.