Are you thinking of getting a porch swing to bring your garden décor to another level and create a more pleasant environment for your afternoon coffees and chit chats? Great idea! Swing porches are not just stylish and comfortable but also pretty space-saving and functional when you compare them with traditional patio furniture.
But let me guess, you found the right model, the price is acceptable, but you're not sure how the heck to install it?
Yeah, that can be a headache. Fortunately, we happen to be pretty experienced in this, which is why we decided to write a useful guide on how to hang a porch swing most efficiently and share what we know with you all!
Lay back and enjoy it!
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Things to Consider Before You Get to Business
As with any other work, before we get to technical specifics, we have to create an overall picture of how the entire construction will look, where will you install it, etc.
So, let's assume you measured your porch and accordingly have chosen the best model for you, the next thing to consider will be exactly the place where you will hang it.
Now, the whole point of swings is the arc of sway they create as they move; therefore, you need a spot with enough clear space in front and behind the swing. The ideal situation here would be 3-4 feet of swinging arc behind and in front of the swing, but you can always make small adjustments in accordance with your working conditions.
The next thing in this process is absolutely crucial, so invest enough time into it! You need to confirm you have reliable structural support for your swing. Swings can get pretty heavy!
Let's say you buy a three-people model which approximately can hold around 500-700 pounds and the swing itself weighs around let's say 50 pounds, you would need structural support to hold up to 800 pounds.
So how do you do it?
If you have a vinyl ceiling, you need to take the part of the vinyl off and find the wooden structure beneath. The joists should be 2 x 8 or eventually 2 x 6 If you're hanging a smaller model, and when it comes to beams, they should be 4 x 4.
Now, if your structure is not this thick, you won't be able to hang the porch, so you need to add more structure to it. If you can access your ceiling from the attic, that's even better, as you can measure the structure more accurately.
Here is a useful video that displays how to hang a porch from a vinyl ceiling and how to add more structure If needed
When it comes to a concrete wall, the process is basically the same, you just need to find the appropriate concrete anchors and eye bolts to hold the weight of the entire construction, and then this video may guide you through the process.
The last before we get to the very construction is to choose how you will hang the swing.
You can have either two anchor points and choose the Y-shaped chain that splits into four lines to attach them to four corners of the swing or drill four holes. Now, you can use either chain or rope for suspension, just make sure the rope is marine-grade ¾ inches thick.
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Step by Step Guide on How to Hang a Porch Swing
As we have mentioned, there are two basic ways to hang your porch swing:
Both methods are equally efficient and will keep your porch swing in place, therefore which one you decide for is really the matter of personal preferences.
How to Hang a Porch Swing With a Rope?
Before you get to work, it is essential that you find all the needed equipment, and therefore here you can find listed the essential things you will need to finish this task successfully, let's see what they are:
What You Will Need
How to Hang a Porch Swing With a Hanging Kit?
You can find many different hanging kits on the market.
We selected the best one according to the customer's reviews on Amazon and excellent specifications, so you can use that one, or buy the chains and screws separately and make your hanging kit.
This is the one we found:
- Complete porch swing hanging chain kit. Zinc plated for outdoor durability. Chain is heavy duty 3/16" passing link chain.
- Consists of two deluxe ceiling hooks and two "Y" type assemblies. Choose from two sizes to accommodate either a 8 foot or 10 foot ceiling height.
- Each 8 foot size assembly consists two 27" chains and one 54" chain connected with a s-hook connector
- Each 10 foot size assembly consists two 27" chains and one 78" chain connected with a s-hook connector
- Includes two swing swivel lags (3/8" x 3-1/2") featuring a convenient snap hook. The neoprene washers on the ceiling hooks are to prevent noise and metal to metal contact. 700 lb weight capacity. Color: Silver
What You Will Need
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Final Thoughts
Well, there you go. We tried to make this porch swing installation as simple as possible, so we genuinely hope you will find our hints useful and finally get your very own porch swing hung!
What to do next?
We are just going to lay back on our own and listen to the little birds singing the spring song as we're swaying in the sun!