Choosing Between A Porch Glider vs Swing

July 29, 2017

You’re looking for a rocker or swing for your porch or patio and suddenly a salesman offers you a glider instead. You’ve never heard of it, you grew up sitting on grandma’s lap while she rocked you to sleep in her rocker or you just sat with mom and dad on your spacious porch swing while they read you your favorite book. So what exactly is a glider?

A glider is a type of rocking chair that moves the seat back and forth. To put it simply, a rocking chair moves in an up and down motion while a glider moves in a horizontal back and forth motion. Aside from the big difference in movement, the glider stays put on the floor while a bench or chair swing is hung off the ground for it to be able to move.

Now that you know the difference between a porch glider, a rocker, and a swing, the next question to ask yourself is how to know which is the right furniture for you. Take a look at some of the advantages of the bench glider to see if you should get one for your porch.

Advantages of a Porch Glider

#1 Gliders don’t consume space

Unlike a wooden or metal chair swing wherein you have to leave space behind and in front of it, a glider has fixed dimensions for its movement. It’s already predetermined how much space you need to accommodate it. Furthermore, you don’t need to find a place to hang it.

#2 It doesn’t leave marks

Unlike rocking chairs, when you sit on a porch glider, its base stays in place. Rocking chairs tend to move around the place a lot and the rocking motion tends to scrape floors. This is especially obvious in tiled or hardwood floors.

#3 It’s safer than rockers

Rockers tend to move fast and topple over causing accidents. While adults may have more sense to be careful, little children may have frequent accidents with rockers. A glider stays on its base and slides smoothly and efficiently making it safe for everyone. There is also no fear of little hands being caught by chair rockers.

#4 It comes in a variety of styles

While the rocker may have won the hearts of many stylish homeowners, the porch glider has evolved into a stylish and functional addition to any type of outdoor spaces. These days, there are cushioned porch gliders that make the experience more relaxing. There are also glider benches that can comfortably seat two to three people as well as porch gliders that come in pairs for the whole family. Some porch gliders also come with canopies for protection against the sun rays and some even have built-in tables or armrests with cup holes for refreshments.

Some porch gliders can be also be reclined while some have ottomans with built-in footstools for nursing mothers.

Glider, rocker or swing?

While there are many advantages to owning a bench glider, it might not appeal to everyone. Weighing out the pros and cons of each outdoor furniture might help you make a wise decision on what type of furniture that suits you best.

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