A beautiful garden on a summer cottage creates a special atmosphere. Therefore, many people install gazebos and swings on the territory. Monotonous rocking calms the nervous system and trains the vestibular apparatus. Many people make swings from logs with their own hands. And after a fruitful day, they relax under the crowns of fruit trees.
Log swings can be one-, two-, three-seater, for children and for families
Pros and cons of homemade swing benches for the garden
There is nothing special or supernatural about the design. The swings differ only in the design of the seat. Instead of a chair or board, there is a comfortable bench with a backrest. To decide whether such a design is needed in the garden, you need to consider its positive and negative sides.
Pros:
- A swing with a bench-shaped seat is convenient for family recreation. If there is still a canopy overhead, then you can sit for hours admiring nature.
- The presence of a backrest prevents the spine and back muscles from getting too tired while riding.
- Externally, the swing bench for the cottage looks attractive. A beautifully assembled structure with your own hands will become an element of yard decoration.
Minuses:
- One of the disadvantages is the complexity of manufacturing. The bench is more difficult to make than simply attaching a piece of board to the ropes and the swing is ready to use.
- Benches are often assembled with your own hands from wood. The material has little resistance to moisture. Sometimes the bench frame is welded from a metal corner or profile. The design is heavy. In addition, the metal is susceptible to corrosion. However, these disadvantages are inherent in any type of swing, except for factory-made plastic analogues.
- The heavy weight of the bench, taking into account the people sitting, can only be supported by a reinforced frame. You cannot hang such a seat with ropes from a tree branch. It will break under load.
If you count on a comfortable stay, then all the shortcomings must be immediately discarded. A swing with a bench is considered the best design.
Wooden swing made of timber
Timber is an excellent material that combines attractive appearance and reliability. The design is original and rustic. Similar wooden garden swings in the photo:
What are the advantages of such designs? They are stable and durable. It will be difficult for both adults and children to damage the swing. And weather conditions do not have such an effect on the product. True, there are also disadvantages. This is sensitivity to insects, as well as the property of rotting over time. And it is more difficult to process timber than boards.
But still, the material is used to create a swing. We will look at detailed creation instructions. First you need to prepare the tree. The preparation is as follows:
- Sand the surface.
- Make notches and notches along all the beams.
- Cover them with the first layer of stain, leave them to dry, cover them with a second layer and wait until dry.
Now everything is ready to make a swing with your own hands from wood, as in the photo:
The first step is to prepare a flat area on which the swing will be installed. Use a construction meter and pegs to mark the boundaries of the product. To create, you can use the drawing that we prepared for this task.
For work we will need 4 beams, 2 m long, 10 cm in cross section. This will be the support of the wooden swing. They are connected in the same way as the previous ones, at an angle of 30°, forming an isosceles triangle. The length of the base is 1 m. The length of the base partition is the same 1 m. The length of the additional partition is 45 m, with a 2 cm protrusion from each side. The total width of the swing is 4.5 m, and the width of the bench is 1.5 m. It is suitable for several people.
Creation instructions:
- The first two steps are taken identically as with the previous version of the swing. It all starts with vertical racks. To do this you need to take 4 beams, 2 on each side. They need to be placed on the ground like an isosceles triangle. Then you need to take a compass and a pencil to mark one circle on two bars, the diameter of which will be 10 cm. It turns out that on each bar there will be a semicircle with a radius of 5 cm. You need to cut out this hole with a grinder and sand it. All that remains is to check the correctness of the cutting. To do this, a beam is inserted into the hole in a horizontal position. If necessary, the hole is corrected.
- The racks are installed in a vertical position, after which the horizontal beam is fixed with long bolts with washers and nuts. Manipulation is done on each side to create the body of the wooden swing.
- Horizontal partitions are created from wood. On vertical posts you need to make recesses for them using a chisel and hammer. It should look like in the photo.
- The first of the partitions will be A-shaped. First of all, a recess is created in it so that the diagonal support fits into it. Recesses are also made in the vertical pillars where the upper and lower partitions will be installed. After that, the diagonal beam must be adjusted to fit the hole in the A-shaped beam. Finally, you need to cut it at the end at an angle of 45°, and then secure it with a bolt.
- The upper spacer is located at a distance of 1.11 m from the base, and the lower one, at a height of 5 cm. The structure is installed in the normal position. Stepping back 1.5 m from the end, you need to drill a hole and insert two bolts. Everything is tightened with eye nuts.
All that remains is to hang the bench and the wooden swing is ready for use. It’s better not to make it yourself, but to take a ready-made one. It is installed in its place.
In this video you can see instructions on how to make something like this swing with your own hands.
Types of garden benches-swings
The main difference between the swings is the material of manufacture. Here you can also highlight the presence or absence of a canopy, the design of the racks, and the method of hanging the seat from the crossbar. However, this is all the technical side. Based on the material used, swings are divided into wooden and metal structures.
Important! Often in private yards there are combined swings, assembled with your own hands from metal and wood. Supports are usually made of steel. The wood is used for a bench.
Wooden swing benches
Wooden swings are considered a classic. The structure is assembled with your own hands from timber, logs, and boards. Wood lends itself well to processing and looks beautiful after painting with stain or varnish. The disadvantage is the fragility of the swing. Being outdoors all year round, the wood gradually disappears from exposure to natural phenomena. Protective impregnations and paints help to partially save the structure, but they only slow down the aging process.
It is optimal to assemble a wooden swing with your own hands from hard wood. Linden, oak, and larch are excellent. The wood of these species is more difficult to process, but the structure will last longer.
Metal swing benches
The advantage of a steel structure is increased strength. However, the metal is susceptible to corrosion. The swing will similarly have to be periodically painted and cleaned of rust. The frame is welded from a round or profile pipe. They try to use thin-walled materials to reduce the overall weight of the swing. However, the finished product is still heavy.
Craftsmen make a frame and a folding bench for a swing with their own hands using a bolted connection. The design is convenient in that, if necessary, it can be easily disassembled and moved in parts to another place or stored in a barn.
Operation and care
In order for swings made and used in a summer cottage to last for several years, they need proper care, as well as compliance with special operating conditions:
- It is advisable to place a swing made of logs under a canopy that shelters the structure from rain;
- In the cold season, it is best to hide collapsible products in a dry place if possible;
- It is recommended to treat the surface of the wood with an antiseptic before autumn or open it with a transparent wax stain. This procedure is carried out annually;
- Varnished swings must be renewed every 2 years. To do this, the old layer of varnish is removed using fine-grained sandpaper. After this, the wood is impregnated with an antiseptic, dried and varnished. The varnish must be applied in several thin layers;
- It is not recommended to place fire sources near wooden swings, as well as install frame structures and swing-scales near sources of constant moisture.
It is unacceptable to cover the structure with polyethylene. Since wood is a breathable material, by covering it tightly with a film, the moisture contained in it will not be able to escape. This will lead to a greenhouse effect and rapid rotting of the wood.
What is needed to make a country bench-swing
The list of required materials depends on the type of swing chosen: wooden or metal structure.
Lumber is needed for any swing. Even if the frame is steel, the boards are used to make flooring for the bench. It is more comfortable to sit on wood than on metal. When making a wooden frame, additionally for the racks you need a beam with a minimum cross-section of 100x100 mm or a similar log diameter. Boards for the seat are used with a thickness of 20-25 mm. Even pine will work here. It is better to assemble the frame yourself from hard wood.
Advice! To reduce manual processing of workpieces, it is optimal to buy edged lumber of the required size.
If you initially prepared a drawing of a bench for a swing from a profile or pipe, then it is optimal to purchase galvanized material. The protective layer reduces the likelihood of corrosion. The best option is stainless steel, but it is expensive.
The type of tool you will need depends on the material you choose. In the case of wood, take a standard carpenter's kit. This includes: plane, saw, grinder, measuring and marking tools. You will need a drill and a screwdriver.
To connect a metal swing, you need a welding machine, an angle grinder, and a hammer. For a collapsible structure you will need bolts and wrenches.
The finished swing must be painted. The choice of paint and varnish depends on the material of construction. The wood is impregnated with an antiseptic, opened with varnish, stain or drying oil. After degreasing, the metal is primed. Enamel is often used for painting.
Tools and materials
The main material for making swings of any kind is wood. At the same time, almost any type of tree can be used to create a swing. However, logs from coniferous trees, with the exception of spruce, are most suitable for these purposes. It does not have the necessary strength. The best material is larch, which only becomes stronger over time and under the influence of moderate amounts of moisture. An alternative to it can be pine.
To create a wooden swing with a frame you will need the following materials and tools:
- Logs;
- Fine-grained sandpaper;
- Drill with a set of drills;
- Chainsaw;
- Hacksaw or jigsaw;
- Metal ring screws, eye bolts;
- Carbines;
- Hammer;
- Plane;
- Roulette;
- Square;
- Pencil;
- Level;
- Welded chain or fabric rope with a metal core;
- Self-tapping screws;
- Screwdriver or screwdriver;
- Boards.
To create a swing from logs, you will need a chainsaw.
When making a balance beam, instead of carabiners and screws with a ring, you will need a metal rod.
The amount of materials directly depends on the size of the structure. However, any wooden building will additionally require an antiseptic and possibly varnish.
How to make a swing bench with your own hands
Simple and complex swings are created from wood or metal. The designs differ in size and design, but they are all divided into two groups. Bench swings are made at home with or without a canopy.
How to make a bench-swing for a summer house with a canopy
The roof on the swing is usually attached at the stage of manufacturing the support frame. If this has not been done before, the canopy is adapted to the finished structure. The roof frame is assembled from the same material that was used for the support posts.
For wooden swings, the base of the canopy is made of thin timber. The roof shape is often gable. It is easier to make a lean-to canopy with a slope on the back side of the swing. The frame is a frame with rafters. The structure is fixed to the side support posts of the swing. Light materials are used for roofing: polycarbonate, ondulin, soft roofing.
A tube frame is welded over the metal swing for the canopy. Here, the best roofing option is a stretched awning or thick fabric.
How to make a swing bench for a summer house without a canopy
Making the swing itself begins with assembling the bench. Drawings are at hand and cut to size.
When making a swing bench, the frame is first made. The blanks are connected in pairs, immediately setting a comfortable back angle. For reliability, it is better to fix the elements with bolts. You should get 4 pairs, which are fastened with horizontal bars. There are similarly 4 of these elements: 2 each on the back and seat. The finished frame of the bench resembles the skeleton of two shields connected to each other at an angle.
To give a wooden swing bench a complete look, the frame is sheathed with boards. The planks are fixed with self-tapping screws at an arbitrary short distance from each other. It is optimal to leave a gap of 1-3 cm. Water will flow through the cracks when the bench is flooded with rain. The wood will dry out faster, reducing the likelihood of fungus formation.
After covering, the bench is equipped with armrests. The design is an L-shaped element, the sides of which are attached to the side ends of the back and seat. For fixing, it is optimal to choose bolts. If necessary, the armrests can always be removed.
When the hanging swing bench is ready, the boards are sanded again. Hard-to-reach places are rubbed with sandpaper. The structure is impregnated with an antiseptic. After drying, the wood is painted. The color is chosen at your discretion.
Advice! To paint wood, it is optimal to choose a colored varnish or a set of stain and clear varnish.
When the paint has dried, it is time to hang the bench on the supports. A tree branch for such a swing is not the best option. It is optimal to assemble the support posts with your own hands:
- A U-shaped support is considered an economical option. It consists of two racks and a crossbar. The downside is poor stability. The posts are buried or concreted in the ground. For portable swings, jumpers are attached to the posts from below with your own hands. The finished stops resemble the letter “T” turned upside down.
- The simplest and most reliable is the L-shaped support, consisting of two posts. They can be concreted in the ground when installing a swing permanently, or simply mounted on the surface of the ground. In the second option, the ends of the racks are connected from below with a jumper.
- A similar design is the A-shaped support. The difference is that an additional jumper has been added to connect the paired posts. The element is placed at any height from ground level, most often 1 m.
- Another analogue is the X-shaped support post. Its design is identical to a support in the shape of the letter “L” or “A”, only at the top the posts are not limited to a sharp top, but intersect. A crossbar is placed on the resulting X-shaped top for hanging the bench.
After choosing a suitable support design and making it, all that remains is to hang the pre-assembled bench on it with your own hands. Ropes can be used, but it is not advisable, since under heavy weight they gradually stretch. There are two options left: chains or suspensions made of timber or metal pipes.
If the frame of the bench is steel, then the chains are secured with bolts. The fixation points are two points on the upper corners of the backrest and two points on the corners of the seat.
A small wooden bench is placed with the back of the seat on hinges made of chains. They are fixed with overhead clamps so that they do not move out. The chains are suspended from the crossbar using eye bolts.
For a metal swing, the chains are attached to the crossbar, suspended on loops welded by hand. Despite the rigidity of the fastening, the chains will allow the bench to swing freely.
The suspensions are rigidly attached to the bench. To ensure free swinging, two hinge units with bearings are placed on the crossbar. Suspensions are attached to them.
In the video there is additional information about making a swing:
Preparation of the drawing
Before starting work, it is important to make a drawing of the future building. To facilitate work at this stage, it is recommended to use any ready-made drawing suitable for the type of swing. If desired, the product parameters can be proportionally changed in any direction.
In the process of preparing the drawing and creating individual elements of the swing, the following factors should be taken into account:
- The shape of the frame has a direct impact on the stability of the structure. Therefore, it is recommended to create A-shaped or L-shaped frames. Using only one log on each side as a support is possible in the case when the diameter of the trunks exceeds 20 cm, and there will be a swing for one child on it. In this case, the trunks must be dug into the ground at least 40 cm. However, for greater reliability, the racks are additionally fixed with oblique supports;
- The height of the seat back is 40-60 cm;
- The depth of the seat is 40-50 cm. When creating a swing on which you can lie down, the depth of the seat can be significantly increased;
- The length of the cable or chains is calculated individually. In this case, a comfortable distance from the seat to the mounting beam is 90-120 cm.
When creating a wooden structure project, you should definitely take into account the physiological characteristics of family members. However, you should not make a large reserve in the size of the seats or supports.
Useful tips
A few tips will help you quickly make a swing and a beautiful design:
- An excellent bench will turn out if you use two pallets. They are connected at an angle and reinforced with armrests. One pallet can be used. It consists of two shields. They are similarly fastened at an angle, but first the pallet is disassembled into parts.
- Aesthetic design of a swing is necessary not only for beauty, but also for ease of riding. Decorative pillows and a mattress laid on the bench will provide comfort.
- It is optimal to install the swing on a flat area. There should be no obstacles nearby, otherwise they will not allow you to swing with full force.
- If a swing is installed for children, then choose a clearly visible place. This will make it easier to monitor ongoing events.
You need to try hard with the design of the swing. An entertainment facility will decorate the site and become a favorite attraction for children and a favorite vacation spot for adults.
Varieties
There are several types of garden swings. The designs differ in the material of manufacture, appearance and performance characteristics.
Made of wood
The most common option is a swing made of wood. The texture of the material harmoniously complements any landscape design style. Using wood to build a swing is beneficial due to its ease of processing, affordable cost, durability and decorative appearance.
Made of metal
A metal swing is considered a more reliable and durable option. To manufacture the structure, various elements are used, each of which has its own purpose.
Corners
The base of the swing seat is made of a steel angle. To make a base with a comfortable backrest, it is placed at an angle of 120 degrees relative to the seat. To create the correct bend of the corner, a triangular cutout is made on it.
Square profiles
The frame part of the swing is made using a rectangular metal profile using the welding method. The side elements are connected at the edges by horizontal jumpers. The connection area should be at the bending point of the structure.
I-beams
An I-beam is a metal profile, for the production of which carbon and low-alloy steel is used. The elements have a cross-section in the shape of the letter H and are characterized by increased strength.
Pipes
Metal swings made of profile pipes with a cross-section of 40 x 40 mm can withstand a weight of up to 200 kg. The optimal pipe thickness is from 2 mm, diameter - 7 cm. By increasing the diameter, you can increase the resistance of the product to loads.
Taurus
Taurus is a type of solid profile, for the production of which aluminum or its alloys are used. The cross section of the brand does not have an internal cavity, and its shape is made in the form of the letter T. The list of main characteristics of the aluminum brand includes:
- increased rigidity coefficient;
- durability and long service life;
- resistance to rust formation;
- high load-bearing capacity with low weight.
Rules for using outdoor swings
After the end of the summer (dacha) season, the hanging swings are removed and sent for storage. Due to their compactness and light weight, they do not take up much space. Larger ones, for example, a three-seater garden swing with a fence in the form of a gazebo, are most often only partially dismantled.
Experts recommend following the following operating rules:
- Check the fastenings regularly.
- To eliminate squeaking, use special oils.
- Do not install wooden garden swings in close proximity to sources of open fire.
- Renew the coating of wooden parts - benches, supports, railings, backs.
- Monitor the condition of the surface on which the structure is installed.
What kinds of swings are there in the garden: from simple to the most original options
Swing sphere
Such a swing is suspended from a tree or a solid base. They are usually made from wood, rattan, durable plastic or metal soaked in a special composition. The metal structure is heavy, so it is rarely used in the garden, because only a powerful metal support can support it. These swings look stylish and original.
Swing chair
There are a lot of options for making a chair-shaped swing. The basis can be a ready-made soft seat, or a wooden base with a soft cover, as in the photo. You can make such a rocking chair from an old chair without legs. To do this, attach reliable fastenings to the back and armrests to hang the seat from a support or a thick wooden branch.
Hanging beds and sofas
A novelty for modern summer residents are entire suspended recreational complexes. The rigid base of a bed or sofa is suspended from the ceiling of a gazebo, veranda or to a permanent base on the street. Such a structure is attached to chains or reliable ropes. This option is convenient for any vacation, meeting guests and even sleeping outside at night.
Simple children's swing made of wood
The most popular swing that can please not only children, but also adults is a wooden swing with ropes. A simple design, a minimum of materials and no more than an hour of time - these are the main reasons why this swing is found in almost every garden. All you need is a wide board, a few meters of strong rope and a strong branch on a tree. The rope needs to be cut in half (or thrown over a branch), the ends attached to the board with a secure knot, and the swing is ready!
Swing “Hand made” from scrap materials
Creative owners have come up with many options for homemade swings from a variety of materials. See photo. The items used are car and bicycle tires, metal and plastic basins, troughs, wicker baskets, garden barrels and other things that have already served their main purpose.
Forged swing
To make a forged swing yourself, you need to have special equipment for welding, bending, leveling and cutting metal. Artistic forging always looks rich in the garden. This option, although costly in terms of effort and finances, looks very decorative and lasts for many years.
Universal wooden swing bench
A favorite option for domestic gardeners has become a wooden swing with a hanging bench. The bench is attached with bars, chains or ropes to a stable A-shaped base. We will dwell on this convenient option in more detail.
To get started, we suggest you watch a short video:
And also look at the illustrations that we have carefully prepared for you:
