Quality Considerations

Joinery refers to interlocking pieces of wood to form a strong connection.  A common example seen in drawers are dovetail joints.  These joints are formed by shaping the two wood pieces such that they interlock.  By adding glue, the joint is even stronger.  Another common joint is the mortise and tenon.  In this case, the tenon fits into the mortise, doubling the glue area.  Most chairs made in the last 100 years use this type of joinery.

If the manufacturer does not use joinery, the alternative is really just carpentry.  At the low end of available products, nails or braids (staples) are used to hold wood pieces together.  Most manufacturers, however, provide screws in their kits for the user to assemble the final product.  A kit normally includes 30-60 pieces of wood plus an ample supply of screws.  Those products rely on the strength of the screws themselves to hold and to not break.  Because these manufacturers sell kits for the consumer to assemble, the manufacturers cannot take the extra steps to first glue and clamp the wood together.  By first using a waterproof wood glue and then adding screws, these extra steps provide a greater bond for the furniture.

A plug is a piece of wood that follows the screw into the hole and hides the screw.  The overwhelming majority of manufacturers do not use plugs.  That's because those manufacturers sell kits to be assembled by consumers.  They leave the screws exposed, which may result in water seeping in, rust forming, or even scratches to one's skin or decks from the hardware.  Of course, there are additional steps needed to offer products using plugs.  First, the screw hole must be predrilled and countersunk, leaving a gap between the screw head and the wood surface.  Once the screw is in place, a piece of wood is made to fit in the gap.  This flat head plug is glued into the gap.  Once the glue is dry, the excess wood from the plug is removed and the wood surface is sanded.

Wood thickness and species should be discussed together.  As an example, suppose you had to walk across a board to get from the rooftop of one two-story building to another.  Would you prefer to use a pine board or an oak board?  If you are like most people, your initial reaction is to say the oak board.  Most of us understand that oak is stronger than pine.  But what if the pine board was 1" thick while the oak board was only 1/2" thick?  We may need to call an architect friend to get some advice.  Of course, that advice may be to go downstairs and use the sidewalk.  Generally speaking, the harder the wood species, the thinner the boards can be without sacrificing safety.

No one wants to see rusty fasteners on outdoor furniture.  So, most manufacturers will use screws coated with zinc as a means to inhibit the rust.  Of course, if the zinc coating chips off the screw head during installation, rust will eventually appear.  The usual improvement over zinc coated screws is to use a grade of stainless steel known as 304.  The next step above that is grade 316 stainless steel.  Grade 316 has more molybeum content.  It is ideal for use near coastal areas where the air off the saltwater tends to be more caustic.

Last time we checked, people come in different sizes.  A critical mistake by many rocking chair manufacturers is that they create a one-size fits-all product.  Research has shown that rocker comfort is a function of the rocker leg height and rocker runner radius, both of which are derived from the height of the person sitting in the rocker.  As such, we have created four different sizes to ensure a comfortable experience.

We include two cupholders with our rockers.  From a market perspective, that may seem like a waste.  90% of the population is right-handed.  But we want our lefties to have a cupholder, too!  Our design even accommodates the two-fisted drinkers out there.  Finally, for those folks who need to stay connected, one cupholder can even hold a cell phone.  The Extra Large, Large and Medium rockers from Up North Rockers have two 316 stainless steel cupholders with drain holes.  They are 3.625" in diameter with a 2.6” section in the bottom, so a drink in a koozie should fit.  The Small rocker cupholders are 2.6" in diameter with no drain hole, making them big enough for a can of pop, bottle of beer, or a standard water bottle.  We use the smaller cupholders in order to scale down the rocker arms.

When we think of spacious seating on an airplane, first class seats come to mind.  Most first class seats are about 22" wide, which is the width between the seat legs of our Large rocker.  There are many chairs and rockers with contoured seats.  However, the University of California at Berkeley did research showing that too many contact points are actually detrimental to comfort.  We paid attention to the back-to-front shape and length in order to provide a supportive rocker that did not cut off one's circulation.  There are many mass production seats that simply extend upwards, thus hindering circulation just behind the knee.  There are other seats that provide a rounded area for the back of the knees, rather than having a flat apron.  Once again, circulation becomes an issue, especially if the seat length is too long.

Let's start by stating what may be obvious to some ... a cherry finish does not mean the wood is cherry.  Recently, we reviewed a website offering an Acacia rocker, which is a beautiful species from Africa.  Closer reading of the site, however, revealed that the wood used was actually actually Fir, which is not suitable for outdoor use.  So, caveat emptor - let the buyer beware!  Our Lumber Considerations section below describes the wood species that are generally accepted as being suitable for outdoor use.  The various finishes most often used on rockers include stain, polyurethane or paint.  There are very few manufacturers such as Up North Rockers, which offer products unfinished.  Unfinished allows consumers to finish the product and save some money, or to paint the product in whatever color they want.

Many people want to personalize their rockers.  However, the mass production rockers on the market do not accommodate this desire.  There are a limited number of manufacturers who provide this level of detail.  Some use laser engraving while others, including Up North Rockers, use a CNC machine to actually carve the wood.  Normal places to add personalization are either on the front of the rocker back or on the front board known as the apron.  These personal touches may include names, short messages or even logos.