How to make a garden swing with your own hands from a profile pipe

The profile pipe is a suitable material for making children's swings in the courtyard of a city house or summer cottage. The material is durable, fits well, and is not expensive. A swing from a profile pipe is assembled by hand in order to accurately adjust the dimensions, to be sure of the safety of the structure. The work can be easily performed by a person who is familiar with locksmithing and has the skills to weld metal.

Features of metal models

The metal frame of the swing is more durable than the support made of wood. The skeleton is made of four racks, often at the bottom they are connected with additional profiles. Such products can support two or three adults if you make an elongated seat. The total weight with which the swing can be loaded is from 240 to 275 kg.

The heavy metal frame successfully resists the wind. A pulling force acts on the swing during rolling, and the iron can withstand it. The advantage of metal is manifested in the durability of products. With regular painting, the surface of the parts remains intact, it is not affected by moisture, chemical components of the atmosphere.

The material is used for the support frame, the manufacture of the cross beam, sometimes suspensions, saddle fences are made.

Working with a professional pipe does not require complex tools and equipment. The exception is the bending of the profile into an arch of different diameters. A bending machine with three rollers is used, between which the pipe is rolled. Before the procedure, sand is poured into the body of the profile, the ends are closed with corks so that the arch does not crumple due to the void inside.

The raw material for the production is low-alloy and carbon steel, there are stainless steel options. During the production process, round bars are subjected to thermal or cold deformation to give the desired section. Then the products are checked for the strength of the welded seam and subjected to high temperatures to release them from mechanical internal stress.

Pros and cons of a swing from a profile pipe

A square or rectangle in the cross-section of the pipe allows you to quickly cut the material to size, to join the frame elements together. It is more difficult to make a hole on a round wall, joining a curved surface is difficult, and it is not easy to make it airtight.

Advantages of a profile pipe:

• ease of use;
• neat look thanks to precise joints;
• the ability to assemble on bolts, not just weld.

A swing from a professional pipe has the disadvantage that portable models need to be made small, since the rearrangement requires effort due to the large weight of the frame.

Where to install a metal swing

The swing is positioned so that in the swinging zone no objects stand in the path of the trajectory. It is better to choose an open place near the house. Garden facilities for children are positioned so that they can be clearly seen from the windows of the house or from the entrance.

It is not recommended to install a swing under high-voltage power lines (PTL). In the area close to the road there is a lot of exhaust from cars, dust raised by the wheels. They also do not have flowers on the lawn, becausethe legs will spoil the soil, press into the soft ground. As a result, the stability of the frame and the trajectory of movement will be violated.

The structures are placed under spreading trees with high branches to avoid the scorching sun. Small swing models from the profile are placed in the gazebo.

Types of swing from a profiled pipe

The structure is designed for childrens games and adult get-togethers. In the first case, freestanding products are mounted, they are located in the playground area. The seat is made with a protective bar to keep the child safe.

There are models in which there is an extended seat. This option is more suitable for older children and adults. For the rest of children and parents, a seat is made in the form of a sofa. This type does not imply swinging at a high altitude, here they rest with a family with children after a hard day.

There is a swing-bed, which are made in the form of an ottoman on chains. They are usually made with a roof, sometimes they are hung with mosquito nets. Here you can put your child to bed after lunch, and sleep will come faster due to the even rocking.

Portable swing

The design does not require a foundation, since it is rearranged as needed. The area of ​​the lower support is increased by welding a square base from the same shaped pipe. Small-sized children's swing is made from a thin-walled profile to reduce the weight of the structure.

Portable outdoor models have a seat for one child. Such structures are made folding, for example, the frame is separately rearranged, then the saddle with cables is hung. Often, suspensions are made with soft chain suspensions, sometimes hard steel cables are placed or made of pipes.

Stationary swing

Do-it-yourself fixed swings from pipes if you need overall structures for permanent use in one place.

In such options, all parts are made from a professional pipe:

• vertical supports, horizontal beam;
• saddle hangers;
• seat frame, a wooden pad is placed on it.

The swing posts are angled to increase the resistance to the load. For several people, double racks are placed for the same reason. They are welded along the entire length on both sides of the profile; not a continuous, but an intermittent seam is allowed.

Garden swing drawings

For the convenience of manufacturing, a scheme for assembling a swing from a profile pipe is performed on paper; for a project, a drawing with dimensions is performed independently or they take standard ones. With the help of a sketch, it is easy to calculate the length of the material in order to purchase from the store at a time.

In the design drawing they draw:

• height, width, length of the frame;
• nodes for fixing suspensions to the supporting beam, give a description;
• the method of attaching the cables to the seat, indicate the number of attachment points.

They give a plan for the location of a solid or columnar foundation, its depth, dimensions, bedding material.

Dimensions of a swing from a professional pipe

Sizes are specific to installation and operating conditions, but typical sizes are recommended.

Standard dimensions:

• usually they use racks no higher than 2.0 - 2.5 m, for family sofa type the bar is raised by 1.6 m;
• the width of a single swing is 1.3 - 1.4 m (per person, according to the norms of 50 cm);
• a distance of 0.35 - 0.45 m is left between the posts and the saddle.

You can make a complex constructive calculation: calculate the weight of the rolling people along with the mass of the swing elements. In this case, special coefficients are needed, the use of which will be difficult for the layman, therefore specialists are attracted.

Materials for assembly

The section of the profiled pipe must be at least 5 cm².

Prepare materials:

• metal corner for struts;
• ball rollers;
• seat board;
• river or quarry sand, medium fraction crushed stone, cement;
• roofing material;
• rust remover.

The swing is painted with oil or pentaphthalic compounds, varnished.

Choosing a professional pipe for a swing

Rolled steel differs from a round pipe in a non-standard cross-section. Manufacturing technology affects performance. For a swing, choose a material according to the size of the section, the length of the structural element, and the wall thickness.

Varieties are used:

• the oval profile is used for curved parts such as arches, armrests;
• rectangular, square are placed on racks, beams, spacers;
• a flat view is used for lightly loaded elements.

The walls of the rolling for the swing do not take less than 2.5 mm in thickness; for lightweight portable models, a size of 2.0 mm is allowed. Due to the square section, the material is difficult to damage by impact. The walls at right angles act as additional stiffeners.

Types of swing attachments

Hinged clamps are often used; for them, holes must be drilled in the profile. The modules are bolted.

Choose other ways:

• the metal roller is fixed to the cross member from the professional pipe with bolts, while the cable is pushed under the eyelet;
• a carabiner-shaped knot is knitted to the pipe using a threaded stud, which is placed in the hole and reinforced with a washer and nut;
• the spring connection is designed for light weight.

The movable connection is made using rods. Lightweight seats are hung on a rope, chains. For heavy ones, they take traction from a professional pipe with a section of 20 x 20 mm.

How to make a garden swing from a profile pipe

First, the parts are cut, four racks and a crossbar are prepared.

Further step-by-step instructions:

• make pits for a columnar foundation;
• the frame is assembled starting from the upper nodes of the joining of the supports with the beam, spacers are used;
• scale is knocked down from the welded seams, cleaned with a grinder;
• install the racks of the finished frame in the pits, pre-wrap the underground part with roofing material;
• concrete supports in the ground;
• mark the attachment points on the upper beam, drill holes, use lock nuts with a threaded joint;
• weld the seat frame, attach a board to it.

Further, loops are attached to four points by welding, the ends of the suspensions are connected to the lugs. Metal parts are degreased, treated with an anti-rust agent, and painted.

Tips from the masters

The chain is chosen with welded ends of the links so that they do not open when the swing is operating. The ends of the rings, which are used to connect the cable and the lugs, are welded after the end of the work. The back is made at a slope, bending to the shape of the body.

For a swing, it is better to mount a roof, for which polycarbonate and corrugated board are used on a metal frame.

Before making a swing, it is better to try out different designs in a park, a public garden, with friends, in order to confidently choose the type of structure in your own backyard.