White is a common finish for outdoor rocking chairs.
The Victorian era (1837 to 1901) marked the transition from handmade to machine-made rocking chairs. Whereas craftsmen needed days to create hand-carved patterns on the backs of chairs, steam-driven presses produced instant results. The path to resin rocking chairs follows a similar progression. The history of rocking chairs intersects with the history of plastics, creating the technical innovations and design tools behind the manufacture of resin rocking chairs. Does this Spark an idea?
History
Historians generally concur that in North America the rocking chair dates to the early 18th century. A popular belief holds that Benjamin Franklin invented the rocking chair, but this is unsubstantiated. Meanwhile, advances in the plastics industry laid the groundwork for the creation of materials used to manufacture resin rocking chairs. It was the invention of the first thermo setting resin, Bakelite, that opened the door to worldwide industrial production of items of different shapes. Bakelite was the creation of Leo Hendrick Baekeland, a young Belgian professor of chemistry in the United States. In 1910, he founded the General Bakelite Co. to produce the new synthetic resin. High-density polyethylene dates to 1951, when research chemists Robert Banks and Paul Hogan discovered it. The earliest chairs industrially manufactured from plastic were the work of American designers Charles and Ray Eames.
Benefits
Environmentally friendly outdoor resin rocking chairs, manufactured from recycled plastic lumber or polywood, have the advantage of lasting for the proverbial lifetime, through rain, snow, ice and saltwater. The basic polywood comprises more than 90 percent recycled materials, such as milk cartons and detergent bottles. These rocking chairs make hardy, all-weather outdoor furniture and are insect-, mildew- and mold-proof, with no rotting, splintering, warping or cracking. The manufacturing process replicates the appearance and texture of wood. An additional benefit is that these chairs are basically maintenance-free, requiring only soap and water to keep clean. These rocking chairs are also available in a selection of styles, including Adirondack, Chippendale and mission.
Considerations
The Windsor rocking chair, made of wood, originated around the 1700s, followed by wicker rocking chairs, made of wood with a rounded hoop back in the shape of a birdcage. Wicker rocking chairs remain available for outdoor seating, but with more choices in materials, such as synthetic resin wicker rocking chairs with aluminum frames that do not rust. Made to last, these chairs withstand the extremes of outdoor weather and require minimum maintenance. Alternative materials such as bamboo do not have the lasting power of aluminum and resin and are better suited for indoor chairs.
Trends
Fresh concepts, designs and markets contribute to the ongoing history of resin rocking chairs. As an example, these chairs are available in designs and sizes created specifically for children. For instance, children's all-weather Adirondack rockers made from recycled milk jugs or high-density polyethylene materials come in a range of fade-resistant colors. For indoor use, some children's rocking chairs feature hardwood frames, polyester fabric and resin rockers. Fun graphic themes include princesses and fairies.
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