Tropins Blog

The Perfect Porch Swing There is a magical quality to porch
swings. In his summertime classic Dandelion Wine, Ray Bradbury
describes the “ritual of the front-porch swing.”

“In the garage they found, dusted, and carried forth the howdah,
as it were, for the quiet summer-night festivals, the swing
chair which Grandpa chained to the porch-ceiling eyelets…they
sat, smiling at each other, nodding, as they swung silently back
and forth, back and forth.”

Perhaps it is the soothing rhythm or the reassuring creak of the
porch swing that attracts us. Perhaps it is the companionable
silence or quiet conversation. Or maybe swings simply remind us
of more genteel times.

Materials and Construction Although porch swings can be
purchased in a wide range of materials, the most common are
wicker and wood. You can also make your own porch swing from one
of the myriad of woodworking patterns available at garden
centers, hardware stores, or on the Internet. You can even
improvise with a rope chair or a wicker chair with the legs cut
off and a support base added.

Whether you are buying or making, here are things to look for:
•Seat depths vary from 18 to 36 inches (50-100 cm). There is no
one “correct” depth — it’s a matter of personal comfort. •Chair
slats should have some curve or slant to them to make a more
comfortable seat, and there should be enough space between slats
to allow air to circulate. •Swings can hold one to three people
depending on the length of the seat. Of course, the bigger the
swing, the heavier the load and the sturdier the supports need
to be. •Swings with additional length-wise supports under the
chair slats will be sturdier and will swing more evenly. •All
joints should be bolted or screwed together, not nailed. •Pine,
maple or oak swings will not weather as well as cedar or teak,
but can be painted with an exterior paint to extend their life.
They also suit a sheltered porch area. •Wooden bench backs come
in a variety of styles. Back slats can run horizontally,
vertically with a topper or even vertically at differing heights
to form a “round” back. Some styles will suit certain homes
better than others. •Seat cushions, covered in durable outdoor
fabrics, can adapt a swing to just about any architectural or
decorating style, and also make the swing more comfortable for
whiling away those summer evening. Installation •Allow a 4 foot
(1.2 m) arc for the swing to move freely. •Use galvanized or
stainless steel chain or marine-grade braided nylon or polyester
rope, and eye-bolts or S-hooks with 4-6 inch (10 cm-15) shafts.
Using S-hooks allows easier removal of the swing for winter
storage but is not as secure as using eye-bolts. •ALWAYS hang
the swing from a roof joist, not the roofing material itself. If
the joists on your porch roof are not exposed, cut away a
section of roofing to find them. Otherwise, don’t hang the swing
from the ceiling — use a frame instead. •Drill a pilot hole
slightly smaller than the shaft of the eye-ring or S-ring. This
will ensure a snug fit to the shaft of the ring. Tighten the
ring securely, using pliers or a screw-driver for the last turn.
•Measure the required chain. As an example, seven foot (2.1 m)
chains hung from a beam 8 feet (2.4 m) above the floor will lift
a swing about 18 inches (45 cm) off the ground. If you have a
measurement, your hardware dealer can cut the exact length of
chain you need and you won’t have to cut it with a hacksaw. •Use
four chains to hang your swing — two chains from each hook, one
to the front of the swing and one to the back. It’s easier to
hang swings with holes in the arms, but swings with chains
attached to the seat or to the bottom supports give a more
comfortable ride without as much twisting and wearing of the
chains or the ropes. •Check your swing each spring and replace
any rusted chain or bolts. Also maintain the finish of the wood
because weathered wood eventually will loosen fasteners and
produce splinters. No porch? Don’t despair if you don’t have a
covered porch. •Some swings come suspended in their own frames
or can be installed on decks on a wooden A-frame. •Put one in
your garden, hanging from an arbor. Train vines up the sides and
soon you’ll have a leafy hide-away nook. •Hang a board with rope
from a sturdy, level tree branch •If you need something that
takes up less space, consider a glider — a bench that gently
moves forward and back on a mechanized base. There are even kits
available that will turn a wooden garden bench into a glider. So
don’t just sit there this summer — swing away and make some
memories!