Building a Porch Swing

If planned thoroughly, a porch swing can prove to be an elegant addition to your home thus helping you in home decorating. Before a building a porch swing, the number of people you want to fit in porch swing should be considered. A porch swing can be constructed in various designs and styles but, the one which suits your taste and furniture should be chosen.

Procedure 1:

• The materials required for building a porch swing are wood slats for the seat and backing, steel chain or heavy nylon rope, screws, eye hooks, bolts, hammer, nails, cushions, fabric, outdoor paint and weather treatment varnish.
• A porch swing can be made from different kinds of materials like cedar, maple, teak,oak, pine, etc. choose the material according to the style, and the kind of backing and seat you want.
• Depending on the comfort you desire, the seat depth should be between 36 to 48 inches. There should also a slight slant or curve which will enhance the look, along with adding comfort.
• Leave a 2 inch gap between the wooden slats to allow the flow of air. You can either purchase pretreated wood slats, or you can paint them with a color which will match the color of your outdoor porch.
• The width of the porch should be such that it will accommodate at least 3 people at a time. The size of the outdoor porch should also be considered while constructing the swing as you might just decide to add some outdoor furniture in the porch.
• Bolt the eye hooks in the outdoor roof and then hang the porch swing using a steel chain or sturdy nylon rope. With this method, you can make a porch swing which will be an amazing addition to your modular home.

Procedure 2:

• The materials required are five 4x4 feet posts, two sets of A frame brackets, four 2x4 feet posts, drill and paint.
• Cut four posts of size 4x4 and attach the frame brackets to them. Join the ends in such a fashion that they form a "V" shape.
• Bolt the posts of size 2x4 at the center of the "V" shaped post which will thus form an "A" shape that will hold your porch swing.
• Attach the A-shaped frame to one of the posts of size 4x4. The swing will hang from this bar.
• Swing bolts come along with A frame brackets. Determine the size of the swing and place these bolts in such a way, that the swing will be centered within the "A" frame you have constructed.
• For hanging the swing from the "A" frame, secure the porch swing chains to the bolts.
• Finally, you are ready to place the "A" frame porch swing in its desired location which can be a unique home decor. If you are planning to place it in the lawn, then in order to protect it from deterioration, you will have to paint it.

Procedure 3:

• The materials required for making this kind of porch are; two pieces of wood with a diameter of 2½ inch and a length of 20 inch and another two pieces having a length of 40 inches and diameter of 1¼ inches.
• To make the seat, a piece of canvas or stout cloth should be used which has a diameter of 16 inch and length of 50 inches.
• The short pieces of wood will be attached to make the end of the chair. Drill a 1 inch hole at each end with another two holes at a distance of 1½ inches from the ends. The next step is to cut the grooves which will make place to fasten the ropes.
• The long pieces of wood need to be used for making the other two sides. A tenon is cut on each of the ends in order to fit into the 1 inch holes drilled at the end.
• Attach ropes to the large screw eye or hook and hang the chair from the porch ceiling. With this, you complete the procedure of making a swing porch.

I am sure this article on building a porch swing will help you to build one for yourself in a quicker and easier way, and also prove to be a beautiful addition to your home furniture. Always remember to keep the swing well oiled and rust free to prevent rust stains and the squeaks produced through time.