Wooden garden swings are a great way to enjoy the outdoors with family and friends. They’re easy to build, and they can be customized to match your tastes and your garden space. They’re also inexpensive to make, so they’re a cost-effective option for the do-it-yourselfer.
Several types of garden swings exist, but the most popular ones are suspended swings. These can be built with a wide range of materials, including metal, plastic and wood. These swings are also extremely popular with children, as they’re lightweight and incredibly fun to use.
You can make wooden garden swings with a few simple tools and materials, including a circular saw, a wood stain or paint, and some basic construction techniques. There are a few different plans available to help you get started, and many of them can be made in just a few hours.
Step 1: Start with the A-Frames
In this step, you’ll be building the A-frame components that will hold the top bar for the swings to rest on. The A-frames should be cut at the correct size using a circular saw and then sanded to smooth edges. You should also install 4×4 braces as described in the plans to strengthen the structure and increase its rigidity.
The A-frames should be evenly spaced from the middle of the top bar with gaps of about 50 cm between them. Once the A-frames are complete, secure them to each other with eye bolts and nuts, and fit extra locknuts to each side of the nuts to prevent the swing from twisting.
Step 2: Connect the Upper Bar and Crossbar
The upper bar needs to be connected to the crossbar, and the crossbar needs to be inserted into a hole in the bottom bar. The upper bar should be secured to the lower bar with a 38 mm screw into a pre-made hole. This will create an element that can be hung from the bottom bar with ropes, and will give the entire structure more strength.
Step 3: Attach the Back Support Boards
Next, you’ll need to attach the back support boards to the top bar and the arm rest supports. The upper and lower back supports should be attached to each other at the center, leaving a half-inch gap between them. Then, you’ll attach the vertical arm rests to the support boards by applying wood glue to the inside of a rectangle slot in the underside. You should then place a brick on top of the arm rest to prevent the wood glue from dripping on the arms.
Step 5: Add the Seat Slats
Once the back support boards are attached to the top bar and the arm rest supports, you’ll need to attach the seat slats to them. The first slat should be flush with the front of the arm rests, and the back slat should be flush with the back supports. Then, you’ll need to attach the remaining four slats to them.