Asked on Mar 21, 2020

How do I convert a rocking chair into a regular chair?

Joyce
by Joyce

I have an upholstered rocking chair from the 70s and I am having a hard time letting it go since I rocked my babies in it. ( Yep, very sentimental, and so is my 41/yo son!) Since I am looking for a new chair for my living room, I thought, ah ha, why not have this old chair reupholstered, and made into a regular non-rocking chair. Any ideas on how to convert it? Thank you!

  14 answers
  • Gk Gk on Mar 21, 2020

    Hello Joyce! You can remove the rocking mechanism from the chair. Add some wood supports in the corners where you would want the legs. Go to a store like Home Depot and purchase chair legs that you like, at the height you want, and buy the metal leg adapters as well. You then attach the metal adapters to your wood supports and the legs will simply screw in. It is important to buy the metal parts so don't think you don't have to buy those parts! It is not advisable to just screw the legs into wood supports. Like you, I also have a chair that I rocked all my babies in! I can't give it up either! Now I rock my grandbabies in that chair!

    • Joyce Joyce on Mar 21, 2020

      Thank you, Gk! I knew it could be done and figured somebody out there in Hometalk world has done this before.

  • Dee Dee on Mar 21, 2020

    Hi: Ikea used to sell conversion kits. Check online and see if they still do. Amazon does sell conversion kits. And as GK said if you go to Home Depot, or Lowes you can buy feet and legs of your choice.

    • Joyce Joyce on Mar 21, 2020

      Thank you, Dee! I’ll check that out. I didn’t realize there are conversion kits out there.

  • Jacquese Culp Jacquese Culp on Mar 21, 2020

    This idea is GREAT. I am thrilled to see it. It jogged my memory to change my grandmother's wooden rocker to a straight backed chair. Only reason we want to change is is because of lack of floor space in a small apartment. Any ideas?

  • Nan W. Nan W. on Mar 21, 2020

    If you are planning to have someone reupholster it... a professional could probably solve this problem easily.

    • Joyce Joyce on Mar 21, 2020

      Thank! The first person I spoke with wouldn’t do it. I plan to talk with others next week.

  • FrugalFamilyTimes.com FrugalFamilyTimes.com on Mar 21, 2020

    It shouldn’t be too hard! You can likely remove the rocking mechanism with a screwdriver and then add new legs from the home improvement store.

  • Are you planning to reupholster it yourself? That is a HUGE job! Much more complicated than changing the feet. A pro could take care of it.

    • See 2 previous
    • 17335038 17335038 on Mar 26, 2020

      Joyce, you are right in thinking that the cost of having the chair reupholstered (which will include foam replacement in the seat as well) will most likely exceed the price of purchasing a new chair.


      Providing the frame and structure of the chair is still sturdy, that may not be too much to pay for many more years that it will provide you with practical service and cozy hours.

  • Redcatcec Redcatcec on Mar 21, 2020

    The rocker legs fit into sockets under the chair, underneath look for screws and or nails, they need to come out. Try wiggling the legs to see if they will come out of the sockets. If they appear stuck, cover the legs with a protective scrap of piece of plastic, something that won't dent the wood and tap with a hammer. Do this all around each chair leg. If they still won't budge, you can buy a prduct you inject into the glue to dissolve it.



  • Kmdreamer Kmdreamer on Mar 23, 2020

    Turn the chair over take the bottom off and add legs or screw the bottom in so it doesn’t move

  • Beth Beth on Mar 26, 2020

    Could you jam up the rocking mechanism somehow, so it doesn't shift around? Maybe wrap something around it so it doesn't work?

  • Agnes Chrzanowska Agnes Chrzanowska on Mar 31, 2020

    it is not going to be easy I can tell you that ... check that pin

  • J Brown J Brown on Nov 24, 2020

    I actually did the reverse making a straight chair into a swivel rocker. The swivel rocker mechanism should unscrew somewhat easily. You should then be able to add legs. Problem with many upholsters many can only recover exactly what they start with. You need to find one with some repair capabilities and maybe even updating the chair's style.


    Years ago I had an attached 4 cushion sofa reupholstered by a man who had worked in the NC furniture factories. He asked me to bring a photo of what I wanted. I wanted a tufted back, no problem. My sofa was unrecognizable in the most perfect way and 30 years later I still have it after another two recovers.

  • Holly Lengner - Lost Mom Holly Lengner - Lost Mom on Apr 18, 2021

    I love that you still have this chair!

  • MeenolGroov MeenolGroov on Jul 25, 2022

    Actually, supply and demand rule the world. I remember my dad told me about it for the first time. Tbh, I didn’t understand it, maybe because I was 7. But now I can really see how it all works. But, you know what, the thing that made me happy despite the covid fact that these guys https://sparklewash.com/woodlands/ didn’t charge extra money. I always call them to make a pressure washing of my house and the truck, and they actually charged the same amount they used to before the covid. That’s what I call respect.