How To Fix A Glider Chair

The glider rocking chair is the Cadillac of rockers, every bit information technology features a polish and quiet, to and fro motion that is far better tan the spring type rocker recliners; that is, when it'south working well. But as gliders age, and accrue hours of pacifying infant to music, and watching loftier-activity TV shows where y'all only have to rock, they can become noisy over time. They offen go squeaky. And then in this post, nosotros offer tips and help on fixing squeaky wooden glider rocking chairs, to help extend their useful lives.

Fixing Squeaky Wooden Glider: Initial Remarks

Squeaks and squawks in a rocker are like historic period spots on a homo. They happen gradually as the years pass by, but can exist removed without bad effect if washed advisedly, and with the right tools, potions, and procedures. Accept owned several glider rocking chairs over the past virtually-decade, and use them just about every day, for at to the lowest degree 2 hours per twenty-four hours.

Picture of a Typical Wooden Glider Rocker with Cushions Well Used — Typical Glider Rocker with Cushions Well Used.

At present gliding rockers aren't necessarily cheap (some running into many hundreds of dollars), then the budget did at present let for replacing them every bit they developed incessant squeaks, grinds, and creaks. Since nosotros also appreciate quietness, simply making due with the squeaking noises until the rocker finally collapsed was non an acceptable program either. And so, repairing the glider rockers when they got to squeaking was the but option; especially when their cushions and finishes still looked relatively new.

Summary of the Fixing Squeaky Wooden Glider Procedure

Here are the steps we take routinely, to silence the gliders. Note that y'all need non execute all of them, nor in the order given; although for the longest-lasting and best overall quality of the maintenance, doing everything below is the about constructive way to keep your gliders rocking smoothly for decades to come. But if pressed for time, simply perform the suggestions that seem like they might work, given the characteristics of the squawking, and stop the repair operation when the noises disappear. With a typical glider rocking chair, the bearings starting making noise first. Then, in a glider, we recommend checking these as the beginning step in silencing the rocker.

Fixing Squeaky Wooden Glider Rocking Chairs: Suggested Tools

It's helpful to take a well-equipped toolbox full of carpenters' and mechanics' aids when fixing glider chairs. We recommend the following tools:

Screwdrivers

Well constructed screwdrivers or driver heads for electric drills, with Phillips, direct, and star heads. Unlike models of the same brand of glider use a wide assortment of differing fasteners. And then its helpful to have a wide diverseness of drivers.

Allen Wrenches

A fifteen to 30 piece prepare is best, because these are the sizes of allen heads you may meet in furniture like wooden gliders.

Socket Wrench S et

This set should accept heads sized in pocket-sized increments from one/iv inch on up to 1 and one/2 inches in diameter, with both metric and English sizes. We proceed the Husky xvi-slice Universal Socket Ready in the toolkit just for furniture fixes and restorations.

Rubber Mallet

Used to tap the chair sides loose, or back together after fixing squeaky wooden glider rocking chairs is complete.

Lubricants

3-In-One oil, white lithium grease (in both a spray and squeeze tube), and silicone spray. Graphite lubes that dry immediately are great for those near-sealed bearings.

Wood Glue

Elmer'southward or Gorilla glue work best, just in instance you snap a dow rod or other delicate piece.

Wood Clamps

Clamps or hand vices hold furniture for whatever re-gluing required.

Picture of a gliding rocking chair, bottom side up, showing carriage attached via the bearings. — Gliding rocking chair, lesser side upward, showing wagon attached via the bearings.

Fixing Squeaky Wooden Glider Rocking Chairs: Procedures and Tips

Earlier starting, remove any cushions and upholstered items from the chair to prevent possibility of staining them with dirt, grease or oil. Plus, without the cushions, hearing precisely where the squeaks are coming from is much easier and more accurately discerned.

How to Detect Noises in the Glider

And so, rock in the chair, listening for the squeaks. Information technology's helpful at times, to accept a friend rock in it while you listen effectually its joints to determine which one(south) are the squeaking culprits. Knowing where the squeaks are originating will help you select the appropriate repair procedure below.

If it'due south a joint (a place where two pieces of the chair are glued, nailed, or bolted together, the ways to terminate squeaks here are dissimilar than, say, if the racket is coming from a glider bearing that requires lubrication or replacement. Indeed, information technology'due south often the bearings in heavily used gliding rockers that showtime to squeaking and grinding first. And so, investigate these locations on the chair offset, to find the noises.

Picture of a gliding chair carriage, base assembly, attached to seat frame via a hardened metal bolt through the bearing. — Glider chair carriage, attached to seat frame via a hardened metal bolt.

Check the Bearings

How freely and noiselessly the chair glides, is largely determined by the condition of the ball bearing assemblies that join the base railroad vehicle pieces to the chair seat itself. Almost gliders feature 8 of these. This method by and large requires at least partially disassembling the glider chair as detailed beneath, and taking apart the begetting joints to go at the bearings themselves. Often the bearings besides serve to hold the pivoting joints together through big bolts and washers, as pictured to a higher place. Flip the glider upside downwards to get admission to these bearing bolts.

Remove all Bearing Bolts

Utilise a socket set and needle-nosed pliers to agree even so the part of the begetting that rotates to loosen and remove it. It may want to turn, while you loosen the bolt with your socket.

Test Bearing Rotation

Then, with the bolts removed, effort turning each one with your fingers. The bearing shaft (pictured in a higher place) should be quite like shooting fish in a barrel to turn, with the motion should be polish and quiet; not rough or grinding. If it isn't, information technology must be lubed, as follows.

Lubricate the Chair Bearings when Fixing Squeaky Wooden Glider Chairs

In our experience, greasing hard-to-turn bearings is problematic because information technology's difficult to forcefulness enough new grease into the bearing housing, where the actual brawl bearings reside. A thick oil may be easier to go far there, but does not concluding as long as new grease would.

Completely Remove Bearings from Chair for Best Lubricating

About of the time, you demand not take the bearing entirely out, as there is oft enough of the brawl bearings inside visible, to hands get plenty lube in through the front end. However, to assure the longest-lasting, well-nigh effective operation, it's best to remove the bearing from the chair frame, and grease both the front and the back of it. On the chair pictured next, at that place are 2 hex-head black wood screws that agree information technology in. Take these out, so pry the bearing assembly out of the forest with a wide, direct screwdriver.

Picture of an exposed bearing shaft with base fastener bolt removed. Can be lubed by applying oil to area around shaft where grease is visible. — Exposed bearing shaft with base of operations fastener bolt removed.

Supersede Defective Bearings as Needed

If afterwards greasing, the begetting still turns roughly, information technology should be replaced. It may be worn out, and that the internal ball bearings are no longer smooth. In this case, all the lube in the earth volition non prepare it. The best overall strategy therefore, is only to supervene upon the rough bearing. These have become pretty standard in glider rocking chairs, with only a few different sizes and shapes of them in wide apply today. The remaining procedures utilise to all wooden rockers as well equally to gliders.

Tighten all Screws and Bolts

If however, the bearings are not noisy, and then try tightening all loose fasteners. The glider, besides as the other forms of wooden rockers, utilizes many screws, pins, nails, nuts, and bolts to concur the whole thing together. These are typically Philips heads, hex heads, or nuts that gradually loosen, causing joints to rub and squeak excessively.

Tap In Loose Nails

If joints are nailed together, you can endeavour lightly borer them tight with a mallet or hammer. However, exist conscientious not to pound too hard, particularly in older rockers, as y'all might split the wood.

Mucilage the Joints Piecemeal

If, after tapping the joints, they withal squeak, endeavour saturating them with a high-quality wood glue. You may have to drill pocket-sized holes in inconspicuous places at the joint, to get the hardening amanuensis into the critical areas that demand bonding. Maximize bonding to minimize rubbing within the joints.

Oil the Joints when Fixing Squeaky Wooden Glider Rockers

If stopping the rubbing is not practical, try oiling the articulation with 3-In-One. While rubbing volition still occur, at to the lowest degree when it'due south oiled, it volition non squeak while you rock on the chair, at least until the oil dries out.

Rebuild the Glider Rocker

Sometimes though, if you have many squeaky joints, you may accept to completely disassemble the rocker and re-glue everything from scratch. This isn't an easy task, as some of the joints will however be tightly bonded. As such, this method is probably best saved for when all the other techniques higher up have failed to cease the squeaks and other noises.

Again, borer gently with a soft mallet works well at loosening the old glue. Here, patience is a virtue. Why? Because it may take hours of gently tapping, tugging, twisting, and pulling, simply to pry one chair joint apart. You likewise need some good sized band clamps or vice clamps in one case y'all've glued the chair back together, to concur it that manner until the new glue hardens.

Be Careful when Re Gluing Joints

When re gluing the joints, the surfaces to exist bonded must exist complimentary of clay, sawdust, oil, and old glue. So, depending on the sort of articulation it is, the all-time cleaning technique must be called. Sanding the articulation works well to strip off old debris, but can take significant fourth dimension. A wire brush head attached to a ability drill also works very well, and quickly too. Just exist careful not to scratch the finished and visible spots on the chair with it.

Will add together more advice on silencing the bearing squeals as our work with gliders increases.

Fixing Squeaky Wooden Glider Rocking Chairs: Warnings

Greases and Lubes tin Stain

Be careful when applying graphite-based sprays and liquid lubes. These can stain your chair's finish. They may also drip onto the carpets and floors on which the glider sits. And so apply only enough lube to restore smooth working to the bearings.

References for Fixing Squeaky Wooden Glider

Glider Furniture on Wikipedia
Where to buy Bearing Assemblies for Gliding Rockers
Where to buy Gliding Rocking Chairs

Revision History

2020-05-18: Added tags.
2019-03-22: Improved key phrase targeting.
2019-01-02: Added subheadings.
2015-12-19: Added more advisable tags.
2015-x-05: Added appropriate tags.
2015-09-06: Added a Suggested Reading section and more tags.
2015-02-05: Added three more pics, and extended the content and References sections.
2014-eleven-10: Originally published.