WWOT: rocker runners and hardwood floors

[SadieKate]

Since this seems to be the go-to forum for house and kitchen questions, here's mine. What have you done to protect your hardwoods floors from wooden rocker runners if you don't/won't have an area rug under the rocker?

I just bought an antique rocker and my husband is thinking of glueing leather on the runners which would probably work fine but what about damage, probably really only fiscal as rocker bottoms get worn anyway, to a signed and numbered antique?

I'm just learning about living with hardwood floors, but I am perfecting my skating technique.

SK

[72gmc]

We use felt strips with an adhesive backing. The adhesive should come off with a mild cleaner only--I haven't had reason to try, but it seems much less serious than hot glue or something like that.

I don't know where my wife found them, but they're pretty much the same as what this company offers:

http://www.countryplank.com/floorprotectors.html

[Ginger]

Yep. I go to the hardware store and pick up some of those adhesive back felt strips and apply them to the runners.

Seems to work well for me.

[SadieKate]

Has anyone found the felt strips wider than 1/2"? Or the wider pads longer than 6"? I'm guessing that a rocker needs longer than 6". I appreciate your input as the hubby would prefer the look of leather but the potential glue removal issue just makes me cringe.

Someone suggested weatherstripping because it comes in more widths but I've only found the felt version in glue or tack application.

I may need to do a roll-out test to determine length once the rocker arrives. Will I need a calibration chart? :rolleyes:

I haven't had a rocker in my home in 20+ years. I love them; I had my great-grandfather's rocker in my bedroom growing up and lived in the thing. We didn't have space to take it in a few years back when my parents offered and they subsequently kept it and reupholstered it in a completely non-era fabric. It will be nice to have a good solid Arts and Crafts slatted rocker again.

Thanks for helping.

[Fixed]

We use felt strips with an adhesive backing. The adhesive should come off with a mild cleaner only--I haven't had reason to try, but it seems much less serious than hot glue or something like that.

I don't know where my wife found them, but they're pretty much the same as what this company offers:

http://www.countryplank.com/floorprotectors.html


home depot or lowes has felt pads in all sizes
I'd ues a small rug
cheers imho

[SadieKate]

Well, gosh. I can use a small floor rug or my heating vent. It was a balmy 8 degrees this morning. Hmm, hmm, what should I do? :)

Hey, it just dawned on me:

Rocker = fixed
La-Z-boy = geared

Cheers.

[sspielman]

I just bought an antique rocker and my husband is thinking of glueing leather on the runners which would probably work fine but what about damage, probably really only fiscal as rocker bottoms get worn anyway, to a signed and numbered antique?


SK

Stickley?

[SadieKate]

Limbert.

But thank gawd the Stickme dealer here in town has been having a clearance sale.

[sspielman]

Limbert.

But thank gawd the Stickme dealer here in town has been having a clearance sale.

Stickme....lol......

Limbert is some of my favorite furniture...The design is so good.......they always managed to get some curves in a style that was otherwise straight and angular. Is your rocker the smaller "sewing rocker"?...(alot of people think it is a child's rocker)

[SadieKate]

I can't take credit. A friend came up with "Stickme."

I'm also not a Limbert expert. I just know what I like and I did want a smaller rocker, but not too small.

This is the seller's description. I corresponded with him quite a bit and got more photos. It's definitely one of the smaller rockers. Is it the sewing rocker?

Arts & Crafts Rocking Chair made by Charles Limbert. Solid quartersawn oak with new leather on drop in seat and back. Pegged/pinned with thru tenons on arms. . . Signed & numbered. Dimensions are: 27" wide, 29" total deep 31 1/2" high.

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b310/SadieKate/Rocker/Limbertrocker.jpg

[sspielman]

I can't take credit. A friend came up with "Stickme."

I'm also not a Limbert expert. I just know what I like and I did want a smaller rocker, but not too small.

This is the seller's description. I corresponded with him quite a bit and got more photos. It's definitely one of the smaller rockers. Is it the sewing rocker?

Arts & Crafts Rocking Chair made by Charles Limbert. Solid quartersawn oak with new leather on drop in seat and back. Pegged/pinned with thru tenons on arms. . . Signed & numbered. Dimensions are: 27" wide, 29" total deep 31 1/2" high.

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b310/SadieKate/Rocker/Limbertrocker.jpg


No that is a regular rocker. All of the Limbert furniture tended toward the smaller side. The chair is great. What a great form.....see what I mean about the curves mixed with the straight lines? The chair should have a burned label underneath with a picture of a man working..and it will say "Limbert Arts &Crafts....Holland....Grand Rapids' They had the coolest label in the business. By the way, just in case you aren't familiar, you should stop by the Stickme dealer....Stickley owns the rights to the old Limbert designs and is remaking some of the more famous pieces...and doing a good job, too....

[SadieKate]

By the way, just in case you aren't familiar, you should stop by the Stickme dealer....Stickley owns the rights to the old Limbert designs and is remaking some of the more famous pieces...and doing a good job, too....You don't need to tell me. Because of the clearance sale, we bought a Limbert Cafe Chair (in cherry, my favorite) and a hall tree. I've had to place the store offbounds. There is a Roycroft Magazine pedestal I'm trying to ignore.

BTW, was there a name to that rocker? Seems many of the styles have a commonly used name.

[sspielman]

You don't need to tell me. Because of the clearance sale, we bought a Limbert Cafe Chair (in cherry, my favorite) and a hall tree. I've had place the store offbounds. There is a Roycroft Magazine pedestal I'm trying to ignore.

If you are referring to the BIG Roycroft magazine pedestal..with the "R" trademark carved in the sides, I understand....Did you just move into a bungalow or something?

[SadieKate]

Yep, that one.

We just moved into a much larger house so most of our living and bedroom furniture went into other rooms. I've always loved Arts and Crafts-era furniture with Southwest influences (aka not flowery green bungalow), as long as it's comfortable, and have some family antiques from that era which my husband didn't really care for until suddenly he discovered Limbert and Stickley himself. The black walnut hutch made by someone in my family was always "that thing" . . . until now. He's also the one that kept saying we didn't have the room for my great-grandfather's rocker. Boy, is he sorry now. :rolleyes:

[SadieKate]

BTW, sspielman, why and how do you know so much? Just a personal interest or business or what?

I need to go find more info about the sewing rocker. Just because.

[rwsaunders]

If there is a good finish on the floors, the rocker should have a negligible effect on the finish. You can't beat the wood-to-wood creak either.

[SadieKate]

Hmm, never thought about that. As I said, I'm learning to live with hardwood floors.

It'll be next to the fireplace. How can I make a gas fireplace pop and crackle? Don't I need that sound to make the wood creak sound right?

[rwsaunders]

Hardwood floors are easier to keep clean, appreciated by anyone who has allergies. They also develop a patina which makes the other furniture, carpets/rugs and bikes look good as well. You'll never go back to wall-to wall carpet.

[SadieKate]

Some household residents' opinions on hardwood floors:

Izaak the Wonder Poodle - NO!

The Union of Dustbunnies - THUMBS UP!

[thejen12]

Some household residents' opinions on hardwood floors:

Izaak the Wonder Poodle - NO!

The Union of Dustbunnies - THUMBS UP!

Hilarious!

[CaptStash]

Has anyone found the felt strips wider than 1/2"? Or the wider pads longer than 6"? I'm guessing that a rocker needs longer than 6". I appreciate your input as the hubby would prefer the look of leather but the potential glue removal issue just makes me cringe.

Someone suggested weatherstripping because it comes in more widths but I've only found the felt version in glue or tack application.

I may need to do a roll-out test to determine length once the rocker arrives. Will I need a calibration chart? :rolleyes:

I haven't had a rocker in my home in 20+ years. I love them; I had my great-grandfather's rocker in my bedroom growing up and lived in the thing. We didn't have space to take it in a few years back when my parents offered and they subsequently kept it and reupholstered it in a completely non-era fabric. It will be nice to have a good solid Arts and Crafts slatted rocker again.

Thanks for helping.


Here is a low tech solution. Get a roll of self stick velcro. It comes in various widths. Apply the "loops" side to the rocker and discard the hooks.

See? You're done. Now go ride a bike.

CaptStash....

[SadieKate]

Great idea! And I have yards of the loop side leftover from tons of projects and more coming with another large project on the horizon. The adhesive should be light enough not to damage to finish.

BTW, your "various widths" are .75" and 3/4". Take your pick. ;) I use the hook side to hang all kinds of things so I tend to visit Velcro's website regularly hoping they'll wise up and make a wider tape.

My stash is even tan-colored and plentiful enough to replace regularly. Wish I'd thought of that.

[Hardlyrob]

Hi Sadie - great taste in furniture. We had a 1922 bungalow in the Philly area and all the arts and crafts stuff looked great in it. I've been building furniture for about 18 years as a hobbyist, and for the past two as a pro.

Your Limbert rocker is white oak, and there is a very high probability that your floors are white oak as well. Since the woods are the same hardness, the rocker won't do anything to your floor or finish. The width of the rockers is more than enough to spread the weight of the occupant out enough to not damage the floor.

I keep rockers on our floors and they are wide yellow pine - much softer than the oak of the rocker - no worries.

If you do want to glue something to the bottom of the rockers use hide glue - available in HD / Lowes if you look and are lucky, and at specialty woodworking stores like Rockler and Woodcraft. This glue can be completely reversed with heat and moisture. It's what they use to hold the backs on violins even Strads, and what the early 20th century and older furniture is held together with. Not great stuff for everyday use in a furniture shop, but perfect in certain applications.

Cheers!

Rob

[SadieKate]

Thank you. Is hide glue made from hooves, aka gelatin? I think our floors are hickory because the grain is similar to the cabinets. The hardness should be about the same?

The house is kind of contemporary PNW Craftman-Lodge-Cottage hodgepodge built just a few years ago. I don't know how to describe it but it works with Arts and Crafts furniture . Fir doors and framing, hickory cabinets, fruitwood bookshelves and banisters (I think).

Do you have examples of your furniture to show us? We have a shop here in town that deals with lots of small (most Midwest) furniture makers using hardwoods and rubbed or very light finishes, all on the Stickley/Limbert scale - nothing dainty. I adore furniture like that where you just have to touch it to feel the wood.

[Hardlyrob]

Yup hide glue is made from...hides - what you get when you send the old horses to the glue factory. Today it is likely cattle and hog hides.

If you have hickory floors, or ash - which looks a lot like hickory, you have nothing to worry about. This is one of the really tough woods traditionally used for abusive situations like axe handles, shovel handles, baseball bats and other things that get beat up on.

I don't have anything to post right now, but I may in the future. The custom furniture world has recently awoken north of Boston, and I've got four big jobs in the shop right now.

Thanks for the interest!

[Fixed]

If there is a good finish on the floors, the rocker should have a negligible effect on the finish. You can't beat the wood-to-wood creak either.
my wife's painting she was commissioned to paint for the winter park arts festival cheers

[SadieKate]

Perhaps we should post photos, and paintings, of our favorite rockers?

Thanks, Fixed, that is a beautiful work.

[jel]

For Izaak :cool:

[SadieKate]

:D

Did you know you can even get socks for those? Much fancier than they're older version.

Ruff Wear is also around the Bend so I'd be supporting my local business.