How to make a wooden children's swing for a summer residence with your own hands

The suburban area is intended not only for planting vegetables, fruit trees. This is a place for a pleasant pastime with children. For them, you can make a swing with your own hands from a tree. Before starting work, you need to consider the possible structures of the structure, choose the appropriate material and installation site, remember the step-by-step manufacturing instructions.

Features of creating a wooden swing for a summer residence

The most common materials for making swings are metal and wood. Each of them has certain pros and cons, but they can be combined.

Advantages and disadvantages of wood

The swing from a bar is popular due to a large number of advantages:

• environmental safety of the structure: wood does not cause allergies, does not contain toxic components;
• the aesthetics of the structure (it is combined with almost any garden design), its naturalness, naturalness;
• compatibility with other materials: metal elements are often used to decorate the structure, polycarbonate is suitable for the visor;
• ease of installation, repair, ease of processing;
• the strength of the swing, its durability;
• the possibility of constructing a wooden swing for a summer residence with your own hands.

It is a versatile material. It can be sanded, cut, various patterns can be burned on it. Wood lends itself to painting, varnishing, aging. Structures of various shapes and sizes are made from it.

However, this type of swing has certain disadvantages:

• unprotected material is prone to rotting, damage by insects;
• instability to sudden temperature changes: beams crack;
• increased risk of fire.

These disadvantages can be easily eliminated if the wood is treated with special protective compounds.

Pine, larch or oak are used for self-made outdoor swings. The first material does not crack, does not lend itself to damage by insects, tolerates moisture well due to the content of natural resins. Larch and oak also have such advantages. They also have high strength. However, their cost is much higher.

Varieties of wooden swings

Before you build a do-it-yourself garden wooden swing, you need to decide on their type and design.

Combined swing

The combined option provides for the connection of several types of materials, in particular metal and wood. For the manufacture of supports, a profile pipe is used. This design is characterized by increased strength and durability. The frame is assembled by welding or bolts. In addition, forged metal elements are used to decorate the structure.

Folding swing

The folding version allows you to use the swing not only for comfortable sitting, but also for lying down. Parts of the structure are fixed to each other with hinges.

Swing-beam

This type of construction is useful for a small child. For its manufacture, a support and a log (thick board) are used, the principle of operation of which is similar to a rocker scale. In order for the wooden element to rotate, you need a metal bar and washers. For safety, a handle is attached in front of the seat so that children can hold on.

Swing gazebo with a table

This is the most difficult design option. It is suitable for a large company. The structure includes a supporting structure and a roof, benches for sitting, a table. All elements are installed on a movable platform. They stay securely in place, even with strong rocking.

Choice of design

The swing consists of 3 main elements: support, seat and hangers. They are different by type and installation features.

Base

For the construction of the support, a log or a beam of small diameter is used. Connections are U-, X- and A-shaped. Side elements are made in trapezoidal or triangular shape.

Hangers

With the help of suspensions, the seat and backrest are attached to the base. To do this, choose ropes made of polypropylene, chains or ropes.

Seats

Depending on the structure of the structure, the seat is represented by a small board with holes for fixators, a hanging chair with a backrest. There are also options with a ball chair, "nest". For a garden, a design in the form of a bench with a back attached to a supporting beam is often used.

Materials and tools

Before you build a swing with your own hands from wood, you need to assemble a tool and consumables. To build a standard A-shaped version, you will need:

• 4 beams for mounting racks (their length is 3 m, and the cross section is 10 * 10 cm);
• element-crossbar (8 * 10 cm),
• board 4 * 10 cm for side jumpers (its length is 6 m);
• timber 5-5 cm for the manufacture of the seat frame;
• suspensions;
• steel rings, pieces of fittings or carabiners for securing the seat;
• self-tapping screws with pads;
• drill with drills of the appropriate diameter, screwdriver;
• clamps, jigsaw, plane;
• tape measure, marker, square.

To install the structure on the ground, a moisture-proof material, cement mortar and a shovel are required.

All wooden elements are treated with antiseptic impregnations and fire retardants. If necessary, use external varnish or paint for decoration.

Strength calculation for beams

In order for a garden swing from a wooden bar to last a long time, it is necessary to choose a cross-section of the crossbar, which will allow you to easily hold the entire structure together with people. The calculation takes into account the length and height of the beam, as well as its thickness. An online calculator is used for work. This requires not only the dimensions of the beam itself, but also the design load.

Seat selection

When choosing a place for installing a swing, take into account the following features:

• it is better to choose a flat area for mounting supports;
• if the structure is located near a barbecue or an open fire, it must be protected from sparks;
• the swing can be placed in the shade of trees if the playground is in direct sunlight;
• it should not interfere with other structures in the garden.

To protect the structure from wind and rain, it is installed on a covered veranda or terrace.

Step-by-step instruction

To correctly make a swing from a tree with a canopy with your own hands, drawings and dimensions of the structure are required. Based on these parameters, a diagram is created, which indicates all distances and values ​​in millimeters. The material is pre-prepared: if necessary, it is dried, treated with antiseptics, compounds that prevent the ignition of wood.

Frame fabrication

Most often, the frame is made A-shaped.Initially, the upper ends of the racks are processed: they are cut at the desired angle. The horizontal bar is fixed along the saw line. The racks are connected in the form of the letter A, L or X.

The location and fastening of the swing posts to the ground

The placement of the support rails depends on the presence of the bottom frame. When installing the swing on a rigid platform, if the fastening is strong, there is no need to concrete the racks. In this case, all racks are mounted at an angle. Sometimes in the design, the rear beams are installed perpendicular to the base, and the front ones are at a slope. To increase the degree of durability of the frame, a screed is made from a bar in the lower part, and then it is fastened with brackets to the ground.

If it is assumed that the supports are partially buried in the ground, they are treated with protective compounds. Additionally, the wood is wrapped with roofing material. The most reliable option is concreting the racks with cement mortar.

How to make a wooden swing seat

Bars with a section of 5 * 5 cm are cut into 60 cm elements. The width of the seat and the height of the back are usually the same. To make it comfortable to sit on the swing, it is necessary to trim the ends adjacent to each other at an angle. In this case, you can lean back on the back.

The bars are fixed to each other with bolts. Another method of installation is a “foot” connection. The attachment points are additionally glued. If the seat is 1.2 m long, the elements are mounted 40 cm apart.

Crossbar fastening methods

There are several options for attaching the horizontal bar:

• Fixation to the supports along the saw line.
• Installation of logs on the ends of the racks.
• Laying the element on the lower cross members connecting the beams. Ties help to strengthen the structure and distribute the load correctly.
• Installation of a horizontal element at the intersection of vertical posts connected in the shape of the letter X.

The crossbar is installed "on the edge". The connecting elements are passed through the racks. To strengthen the joints of the vertical bars, metal corners, staples, and overlays are used.

How to make a wooden swing seat

The resulting frame is sheathed with boards. A deformation gap of 2-5 mm is left between them. Armrests are screwed along the edges of the product. They rest against the load-bearing parts of the structure, which are characterized by a high degree of reliability.

Assembling the structure

The assembly of the swing is carried out directly on the site. If the frame stands firmly on the base, suspensions are attached to the seat. They are passed through the bars and held under the product. The ends are tied securely. Nails are driven into the side parts of the seat, bend them and fix the suspensions with rings or carabiners.

The upper ends of the rope or chain are attached to a horizontal support beam. The easiest way is to use an industrial retainer, which is a plate with holes. To work in this case, swing bolts are used.

DIY wooden swing decoration

Children's swings and structures for adults should not only be durable, but also beautiful. The following methods are used for finishing:

• decorative tinting of wood with varnish;
• paint coating;
• artistic carving;
• aging of wood;
• the use of fabrics, covers, soft pillows;
• decorating the side racks with a rack lattice;
• fixing the arched visor;
• decoration swing with flowering plants in pots.

The design can be decorated with LED strips of different shades. Wooden figures are an additional decorative element.

How to care for a wooden swing

Wood is a natural material that is susceptible to the negative effects of moisture and sunlight. It often dries up and cracks, or foci of rot appear on it. Ultraviolet light causes wood photoaging. Pest insects reduce structural strength. To avoid these problems, the swing should be regularly looked after:

• treat with antiseptics every few years;
• cover with paint that protects the surface from the influence of moisture;
• apply varnish intended for external use

If possible, for the winter period, it is better to hide the structure in a closed dry room.