Methods for making metal garden swings. Drawings and photos of a DIY garden swing made of metal: dimensions and instructions for creating a DIY sofa swing made of metal drawings

We will send the material to you by e-mail

How to assemble a children's garden swing

They try to do the weaving with a climbing rope. It has increased strength, so it will wear out for a long time. Let's start creating a swing.

We divide the hoop into eight identical sectors. We make markings with a marker. This is necessary in order to correctly place the future rope web.
Measure two diameters of the hoop and cut the required length of rope with a small margin.
Let's start weaving the web. Remember that the rope should not be taut. The child should then fit comfortably into the seat and not fall out of it.
All ropes, starting from the center, are intertwined crosswise. In the resulting central unit, multi-layer stitching is performed with nylon thread.
In the same way, loops and knots are sewn, which are attached directly to the metal circle.
The workpiece is wrapped with synthetic padding and sheathed with thick, moisture-resistant fabric. For convenience, a specially sewn pillow is placed on the woven web.
Sew strong loops to the four edges of the circle. We attach carabiners to them and hook the swing on a strong rope to a crossbar or tree branch.

It is allowed not to sheathe the structure with fabric. You can simply wrap the hoop with a thick multi-colored rope.

PHOTO: the-furnish.otzovy.ru

Note! One hoop in a ready-made swing can support up to 50 kg. If you need to hold more weight, you will have to take several hoops and twist them together using a rope.

Do-it-yourself outdoor children's swing for a summer house: production features

If there are two or three children in the house, then you will have to create a multi-seat or at least a double design. Such swings are made quickly using the metal profile you are familiar with.

The available materials are: metal, fasteners and welding. It is also necessary to use the project that can be seen in the photo. Otherwise, there is a risk of making mistakes.

PHOTO: youtube.com

How to make a swing at the dacha with your own hands for two children

Let's start solving the question of how to make a children's swing with your own hands.

Illustration	Description of action
	We cut the material to the required dimensions and weld the parts together. You should end up with two identical bases.
	Next, you need to weld them together so that the finished frame takes the shape of a triangle.
	We take a metal tube and connect it to a wooden block. Making a hole with a drill for a carbine
	We hang four chains on the carabiners, which will serve as holding elements.
	We cook the seat according to the planned pattern. Don’t forget to create rings through which the chains will be threaded
	All that remains is to paint and dry the structure. Option for children's entertainment is ready

Try to make swing seats from. It is treated with moisture-repellent agents and painted. This will ensure that the material does not delaminate over time.

DIY country swing for the whole family: popular options

To make a swing with your own hands in the country, metal is most often used.

Interesting do-it-yourself swing made from a profile pipe

To create a swing for a summer house with your own hands from metal, you need to provide the following components:

quadrangular frame (it should become a load-bearing frame in the finished swing);
A-shaped sidewall. It is made by welding several crossbars;
one long tube. It will become the basis for attaching the swinging bench.

PHOTO: sadovyrai.ru

How to make a swing with your own hands from metal

The process of installing a swing for a garden with your own hands consists of the following steps.

Using a grinder, we cut the material into separate fragments. To do this, you need to have a preliminary diagram according to which you can make blanks in accordance with the dimensions.
We sand the boards using a special machine or manually using emery.
We connect all the necessary parts together using special fasteners, bolts or welding seams.
We dig 4 holes in the ground, install a metal swing for the cottage and fill it with concrete. Next we paint the structure.

PHOTO: krainamaystriv.com

As a result, you get an individual forged swing for the garden. For such a product it is necessary to have a preliminary diagram indicating all dimensions.

Sofa swing for a summer residence

Country sofa swings are in great demand. If it is not possible to buy them, then they try to make them themselves. Metal options are highly durable. And if it is also properly processed, it will not be afraid of moisture.

Tools and materials for manufacturing

For production you will need metal profiles, a welding machine and seating material. Typically, wood is used for such purposes. In addition, you will also need material for the roof. Those who plan to use it should know that it is quite hot under it in sunny weather, and it is not practical during hail (the material begins to crack). It is ideal to take a tension awning.

How to make a garden swing with your own hands from metal: instructions with photos

Let's start following the instructions for assembling the garden swing.

Illustration	Description of action
	We weld the frame. You can take your own sizes. It all depends on how much material you have. As a result, you should get a base like the one in the photo.
	We weld the frame for the swing to which the sofa will be attached. Next, we bend the arcs from the metal profile. They will play the role of armrests
	We hang the finished part on carabiners. Next we prepare the tree
	The finished version should look like this. The swing folds out into a sofa. The upper part of the frame is attached to the frame using strong chains. All metal parts must be primed and then painted

To make the bed soft, it can be covered with a special fabric or periodically laid on top of a mattress and pillows for relaxation.

Dear readers, if you do not understand enough about the question of how to make a garden swing with your own hands, do not hesitate to ask questions and share your opinion. Our team will definitely contact you as soon as possible.

Save time: selected articles delivered to your inbox every week

A swing is a swinging device; everyone feels great on it - from small children to grandparents.

Children's swings must be equipped in playgrounds and courtyards. Many summer residents equip garden rockers for relaxation, which are mounted on a tree. Find out what they are and how they can be made in this article.

How to equip a swing on a tree?

The simplest type of garden swing is their mounting on a tree branch. If there is a sufficiently mature tree in the garden at the dacha, the branch of which can be used to attach a rope, the issue of their arrangement is solved simply:

How to make a garden swing with your own hands?

Various types of garden swings are installed at the dacha or in a country house; they become part of the landscape designers’ solution. Having your own plot, the question always arises: buy or make DIY swing? Without them, outdoor recreation becomes incomplete, and for children it is a lot of pleasure and delight.

They come in different types; there are many photos of swings on the Internet with different ideas and from different materials. We propose to consider equipping the site with log swing devices; they will suit any exterior of a country house. Garden swings, photos of which can be selected from the pages of various booklets, are for sale, but their cost is no less than 20,000 rubles. It will always be more economical for the family if you make them yourself, and children and adults will swing on them safely.

Preparation for construction

The first thing that is recommended by experts is choose a convenient place for the rolling device. This could be a suitable area in the garden, or the space in front of the house. We organize space for its installation and storage of material. It’s good when you have your own material, or move on to its selection, we will need:

After preparing the material, we do selection of fastening elements for a garden swing.

Do-it-yourself mount and tools for installation

You cannot do the work with your bare hands and ensure the reliability of the connections in the rolling device (gurney) if you do not prepare in advance. For our garden trolley scheme you need:

We will need bolts: 12*150 - four pieces, 12*250 - six pieces, 12*200 - four pieces, 12*400 - four pieces.
Anchors, two pieces, length 180 millimeters.
Two carabiners, chain fastening.
Washers for bolts 50 pieces.
Chains: length 1.4 meters - 2 pieces, length 0.9 meters - 2 pieces.

To carry out work Tool you will need:

Electric drill and drill bit with a diameter of 12 millimeters.
Carpenter's tools: hacksaw, chisel, axe.
A hacksaw for working on metal or a grinder.
Wrenches.
Hammer.

We install a garden swing with our own hands

Making a garden swing device on your site with your own hands is not difficult when the preparatory stage is completed in good faith. Wooden models offered for installation require a flat surface. It is advisable to do the work with a partner to make it more convenient. We begin to assemble the elements of the garden rocking chair from the prepared material:

Making a bench

Comfort and convenience will depend on how this assembly of garden swinging devices is made. We need to pick one like this seat angle To make it convenient for all family members, it is necessary to conduct a survey, especially among children. What is the bench angle? If you do it at a right angle, then the ratio of the back to the seat will not provide comfort and relaxation.

If you just increase the angle by just 10 degrees to 100 degrees, you will immediately feel that you can lean on the back of the bench. You need to take prepared bars of 60x60 millimeters, and laying them on, spread them to the required angle, it may not be entirely accurate, you will get an obtuse angle of 95-100 degrees. Using a pencil, we make marks on the bars, get our size, and places to select with a chisel. Sampling is necessary for better connection and a beautiful appearance of the bench.

Necessary carry out work in the following sequence:

We take a chisel, a hacksaw and do the following: use a hacksaw to cut down the pencil marks, use the chisel to select the wood inside the cuts. We try the bars on to each other and work with a chisel.
When we have achieved an ideal connection, we drill a hole in the center for a bolted connection, in two bars at once, then it is advisable to cover the holes with PVA and connect everything with a bolt. We cut off the excess length of the bolt with a grinder.
We attach the armrests to the made bases (logs: length 100 centimeters, diameter 80 millimeters). Using a hole made with a drill, we connect them with bolts, after putting on the chains.
The resulting triangular structures must be connected with boards 1.8 x 0.14 x 0.04 meters. There can be no difficulties here. Using self-tapping screws, the boards are attached to the bases of the future bench. After the work done, we will see the finished element of the garden swing, a bench.

Making a roof

We prepare the beams for the rafters, take the prepared timber 60x60 with a length of 900 millimeters and 60x60 with a length of 500 millimeters, assemble 3 triangles with the parameters: 560x560x960. A swing rope made of a log 2.8 meters long and 140 millimeters thick must be placed inside these triangles.

Assembling a wooden garden swing for a summer house

As a result, we got ready for assembly several nodes, this is a base in the shape of the letter “A”, a bench with wound chains, and a roof prepared for installation. We assemble in the following order:

Can be used on the roof instead of boards other roofing material.

Garden swings, variety of solutions

In addition to the type of garden swing presented for installation, there are many more solutions. The arrangement of rocking chairs in a country house has already become normal; they are installed on open terraces and in gazebos. And according to the law of the market, when there is supply, demand appears, the industry is now producing a large number of swings of different types. It should be noted that their pricing policies vary as much as the materials from which they are made.

Below you can briefly show, knowing the basic construction techniques, how you can make garden swings made of other materials:

One of the simple solutions is to build a swing using a pallet. To organize a swing you just need a reliable rope and a strong tree branch.
Swing using a snowboard as a seat.
Using rolled metal.
Made from rounded logs. Such swings are made according to the option presented above.
Using machine tires for the seat.

Let's look at fastening methods

The reliability of the swing is determined by the fastening of the rope and the use of special fasteners. Many summer residents use climbing equipment to make their own garden swing devices: cord, carabiners, hooks. Special fastenings are used to ensure that the rope does not move along the ridge log.

There are several types of fastening the seat to the beam via a rope (chain):

Through-hole fastening using a carabiner.
Anchors are used to secure most types of swings.
Attaching the swing to 4 rope outlets (chains) is carried out in two ways: by bringing two ropes together at one point, through the fastening system (4 carabiners).
The original fastening for country swings is hooks.
Through holes for a single rope system.

What type of garden swing to choose?

When choosing the type of swing for self-construction, you need to pay attention to the parameters: the material that will be used, what colors are used (dark ones are less easily soiled). In the swing system, mattresses, pillows, and softness can be used for comfort. It is necessary to build a swing with a reserve of weight.

What types of rolling systems offers industry, and consider them as analogues for self-production:

Free-standing garden swing. This type can be placed in any chosen place in the country house; they do not require additional support or suspension. They can be made from different materials: wood, metal.
Forged swing, in a country house. To make them, you need an assistant who knows how to weld and knows how to work with metal. They have an advantage over other types in durability and power. Such swings are an addition to the landscape design of the house.
A sofa swing is one of the most favorite types of swings in the country, the children's version allows not just one but several people to sit on the bench, a comfortable, safe backrest. They are easy to put away for the winter and fold into blocks. The material used to make them can be different: metal, wood.
A swing with a mosquito net and a reclining backrest is especially good for children's rides in the country. You can come up with other accessories for the swing to create comfort.

Hanging swing

Although there are different options for garden swings for self-construction, hanging swings will always be among them. Gone are the days when they were decorated with board and rope. Modern technologies make it possible to make “flying swings” comfortable, light and durable, which will look great in an elite home. To make a seat, you can use: soft fabric, make them wide and long.

You can use a hammock or chair to arrange a hanging swing instead of a seat. The main thing in the construction of children's gurneys is safety and reliability.

Conclusion

In addition to being a symbol of prosperity on the territory of a country house, a garden swing, first of all, is joy for children. When making a swing in the garden yourself, you need to remember that they must be reliable, comfortable, and attractive.

Comfort will be created by a properly selected swing seat. This element is especially important; it is what will create a comfortable mood for the person riding. Rolling out “lightly” on a swing allows for relaxing relaxation. It is the comfort and convenience of swings that make them a favorite among children and adults.

A quiet place that calms you down after hard work, relieves stress and lifts your spirits - an aesthetically designed metal garden swing will cope with all these tasks. And they will become long-term companions both for leisurely leisure time for adults and for noisy children's fun.

Such a landscape element is capable of performing multidirectional tasks. This is a small corner to recuperate, a way to keep children occupied while entertaining them, a seat for reading both alone and as a couple, and just a platform for communicating with family members and friends. The conversation will become more poetic and soulful when it takes place under the sway of a piece of garden art. And we will cover in detail how to make a swing from metal with your own hands.

Metal swings can be divided into several categories. They must be considered taking into account different criteria:

Number of seats

Single swing
Multi-seater swing

One adult or child or several people - it depends on the number of hosts and guests. You choose the design of the swing yourself, knowing your needs and the number of people who will use it. You can build both single and multi-seat options, placing them in different places.

A swing for one is a great option, suitable for a small family. Especially if the site has secluded areas with shady trees. Here you can sit comfortably, surrounded by books and pillows. A children's corner is usually set up close to the house, in front of its windows.

For a larger group, a do-it-yourself multi-seat swing for a summer house, located on the veranda, near an open-air fireplace or barbecue area, is suitable. The most common option is designs for two, maximum three adults.

Garden swings are great fun, leisure and casual play. There is always a lot of joy and children's laughter around them...

Body position

It can be horizontal or vertical. Most of the options for a summer cottage are designed specifically for sitting. But you can, by showing ingenuity and imagination, make something like a swing-sofa. Then you will certainly have the perfect place where you can stretch out to your full height, slowly swaying and enjoying the peace.

Seat shape

The metal construction allows you not to limit your imagination at this point. Seats can be in the form of a chair, sofa, couch, circle, oval, cocoon, flat board. And the photos demonstrate this diversity. Keep in mind that some shapes (chair, circle) are designed for only one person. The rest are adapted to accommodate several people at the same time.

What can they be made of?

The main materials are pipes, rods, strips, circles made of steel, aluminum or other alloys. The service life of the metal will be extended if it is galvanized or coated with a stainless steel compound.

You will also need chains to hang the garden swing from the frame or top support. For greater aesthetics, they can be covered with plant fiber, for example, from coconut.

Creation and installation process

Planning

Any swing is installed for people, so first decide who will use it and for what purpose. Children's options should be located away from walls, fences, surrounding trees and other vertical obstacles. If the child swings violently, he may involuntarily hit himself. The same restrictions apply to hard or cutting objects.

It is better to install the structure at the dacha yourself where you can view the garden and flower beds. Or other landscape elements that are pleasing to the eye. And it is best to do this in a shady corner of the site. A distant garden clearing in the depths is more suitable for contemplation and reading.

Having understood the main task and outlined a place in the landscape, the idea must be translated on paper. Your sketch may be unique, but you must take into account the basic principles of creation. Some do-it-yourself drawings of a garden swing made of metal are given below. These designs are universal, tested in practice and function successfully.

Drawing of an A- and U-shaped swing

Drawing of a swing with a canopy

Tools

When creating a garden swing from metal on your own, the following will be indispensable assistants in the installation process:

Roulette and level.
Grinder with metal discs.
Hacksaw, pliers, saw, vice and hammer.
Electric drill for processing metal and wooden surfaces.
Welding machine and protective equipment when working with it.
Wrenches, screwdriver.
Shovel, garden drill.
Painting supplies (brushes, anti-corrosion primer, metal paint, and, if necessary, stain and varnish for wooden seats).

Now we list the materials that will need to be collected before making a swing in the country, except for the pipes themselves:

Creation

This stage can be divided into three parts - assembly, installation and painting. They will take place quickly and easily if the location is chosen correctly and the preliminary drawings and dimensions are successfully calculated. Having made the necessary measurements, cut pieces of the required length from the prepared pipes for the frame and seat.

If the seat is to be made of wood, saw it off and sand it well. The average length of a seat for one will be 50 cm. Accordingly, if several people are sitting, this figure can reach 1.5 m. It is better to attach a frame of rods or strips to any seat, using them to attach the back of the desired structure. It is welded with a backward deviation of 10-15º.

Let's go back to the support. How to make a garden swing on your own? The classic shapes for it are A- or U-shaped. For the first option, a rectangular support is first made, giving strength to the frame, using pipes or rods. You can use them to weld hooks that act as fasteners and push them 1 meter into the ground. These 4 rods are fixed at the corners of the rectangle and concreted.

A-frame swing

Important! First, crushed stone is poured into the recesses, compacted tightly, and only then filled with a mixture of cement and sand, or concrete. The video provided at the end of the article clearly shows this process.

A U-shaped country swing consists of two vertical posts and one crossbar between them. It can be welded or secured with bolts and locknuts. The supporting parts, already connected to each other, are also dug into the ground and filled with concrete. They will be given additional stability by two corners with rods going down 1 meter, where they will also be concreted or filled with cement.

U-shaped swing

When the support is installed and the solution has dried, proceed to hanging the seat. Most often, a galvanized metal chain, steel rods or thick rope are used. Having drilled holes in the corners, attach carabiners to them from below, attach the suspension, and attach it to the eye bolts at the top. In the same way, you can install hanging garden swings made of metal yourself on a veranda where there is no frame.

Rectangular tubes will help make the base for the visor. They are welded together and then welded to the top cross member at an angle. Then the polycarbonate sheets are secured with self-tapping screws.

The pipes of the future swing for the dacha, previously and thoroughly cleaned with a brush, are degreased with a solvent and treated with glyphthalic primer. The surface is coated with paint of the desired color (oil-based, water-resistant). And even better - alkyd enamel or rubber paint. The latter is applied with a primer or even without it; it can be used to paint metal and wooden surfaces.

We have provided a drawing of a metal swing and the main points of its creation. The variations may be slightly different in detail, but the sequence and instrumentation will be the same.

A good-quality wooden swing in a summer cottage that matches the overall style of the landscape is a joy for children and for…

Safety

Before welding the swing, keep in mind that the greater the load on it or its severity, the more fastenings there should be. It is most reliable to install several supports (two, four), evenly distributing the weight.

Making your own garden swing by hanging it from a tree can be unsafe. Not every site has such tall trunks with powerful branches that can withstand the amplitude of frequent swings. And even if there are, the size does not guarantee the strength of the support.

The surface under the structure should be free of stones, sharp curbs, hard-surfaced paths, and especially breakable objects. Soft lawn or sand are quite suitable, and in case of an accidental fall they will soften the blow without leaving serious damage. You can additionally cover the seat with soft material or fabric, including this in the drawing of the swing.

Swing care

With all the advantages of such swings for the garden, they have an important drawback - over time they rust. It is especially difficult to get rid of rust in bend areas. A special reagent, a rust converter, capable of converting metal oxides into a film will help prevent this process. It is very durable, holds stable, and will allow you to forget about corrosion in the near future. After treating the surface with a chemical reagent, after drying, apply paint on top.

Lubricate the parts at the joints with oil; this product will not only help against squeaking, but will also extend the service life. Especially if they are directly exposed to precipitation.

The garden plots of many families already delight their owners with this simple but important element of a country holiday. A variety of metal swings, made by yourself, will be another manifestation of your care for your loved ones, their comfort and pleasure.

Swings are not just for fun. For adults, they calm nerves, improve mood and put thoughts in order; especially if you sway and contemplate the clouds in the sky. Children and teenagers on swings train their vestibular apparatus, develop coordination of movements, and, as they say, feel physics with their whole body. Schoolchildren who know how to swing well on swings, as a rule, do better academically and immediately grasp such difficult concepts as, for example, the moment of inertia of a body.

Making a garden swing with your own hands is not a difficult task. Who in childhood did not swing on a plank suspended from a tree branch on ropes? Or didn’t he flop into a river or pond while swinging on a bungee? And having at your disposal a certain amount of material, a simple tool and not entirely crooked hands, you can build a relaxation corner in any situation, which in its effect is not inferior to a rock garden arranged according to all the rules, see fig.

Dacha grace

Outdoor and yard swings are placed wherever there is space. At the dacha, too, in general, there is not an abundance of it, but for yourself it’s worth figuring out how to collect dacha pleasures into one eden: space is saved, and, if you really want to relax, then there are beds that make your hands callused, your eyes didn't cause calluses. Here, as usual, everyone is their own boss. However, there is a very good universal option: hang a garden swing in a pergola, see fig. If it is, of course, strong enough for this. Dig up and arrange a decorative pond nearby - and you’re ready to create a piece of paradise with your own hands on less than 1 acre.

About metal swings

They most often make their own swings from wood: it is more familiar, more comfortable and easier to work with. But if, say, the whole world were to equip a children's playground, then a stronger and fireproof structure would be needed, so that the urchins would not have to be pulled back every now and then, and it would be difficult to damage the swing by hooliganism, which, alas, will not be tolerated in any way. In such a case - in Fig. Below is a drawing of a classic, so to speak, yard swing made of metal: pipes, corners, strips, rolled wire, with a canopy. In the future, we will pay more attention to wooden swings, except for those cases when metal is needed for strength: for a sports corner for a teenager, etc.

Note: There are also cases when metal as a structural material for a swing is chosen according to other criteria. For example, at pos. 1 pic. on the right is a forged swing. Their production requires high skill, and to order it is very expensive, but the prestige is obvious. But at pos. 2 in the same place - a metal swing made from channel scraps. For those who know how to handle a welding machine and an angle grinder, their construction is a half-day job, and the bright coloring masks the utilitarian nature of the material.

The best for children

People don’t start swinging on the hanging swing right away. For kids who have just learned how to properly rearrange their bottom two, it’s just right to ride on a pendulum swing. Which, by the way, also develops motor skills and strengthens the musculoskeletal system. Parents who have built a children's pendulum swing for their offspring are soon convinced: abrasions on the knees and elbows, broken noses, roaring and resentment from both have noticeably decreased. Although, of course, it’s still not without it. But the swing will help children develop reasonable caution and common sense, avoiding serious injury.

It is known how a pendulum swing works. Shown in Fig. This option is interesting because it requires as many as 11 nails for metal fasteners:

Parts marked (!) are made of hard, fine-grained deciduous wood - oak, beech, hornbeam, walnut. The ends of the pendulum axis do not need to be ground to a perfectly round shape: it is enough to plan them more or less evenly so that they fit into the sockets with a slight interference, and shake the board several times to get it to work in. If the fibers in the axle and support posts are oriented mutually perpendicular (which can be easily observed by cutting them from one board), then the swing will last for many years, and the rubbing surfaces will soon become mirror-smooth and durable, as if they were turned from steel on a machine.

The pendulum swing can be made portable so that, say, you can take it to the veranda for the winter. 2 ways to do this are shown there, pos. a and b. According to method a, the ends of the racks are concreted in an unusable tire; Method b is obvious and simpler, but both riders may fall to the side along with the swing. By the way, you can get a lot of other benefits from old swing tires; We will return to them later.

Swings for older children are made hanging, like for adults (see below), with some features:

The supporting beam of the swing is made of timber with an extension to which a ladder leads, see fig. right.
It’s even better, if there’s enough space, to put an additional lower support on the side, so that in addition you get a horizontal bar, see fig. below. In this case, it is preferable to make the entire sports corner, except for the horizontal bar crossbar, from a profile pipe, then the entire structure will be stronger, cheaper and technologically simpler.
Suspension of a rocking chair for children who already know how to swing is best suited to the rope scheme 2-2 (see below). Then you can, without the risk of pinching or even breaking your finger with the chain, swing, it will take your breath away. And the right materials and design of the suspension will not allow you to “spin the sun” and dive down from its highest point, or turn into a projectile fired from a sling, unable to group for landing, like acrobats.

Note: When choosing or designing a swing, do not neglect safety precautions! When swinging at full swing, the speed of the rocker at critical points of the trajectory exceeds 50 km/h! Accordingly, the result of falling or falling from a swing will be equivalent to an accident at the same speed.

There are also swings for newborns and infants. There are many benefits from them, but they are medical equipment. It is strongly not recommended to make such a swing yourself, but choose store-bought ones and use them only as prescribed by your pediatrician.

For babies from about six months old, whose eyes are already looking intelligently (this means that their vision has developed and they see clearly), a children's swing for little ones will be useful, see fig. right. They cost a lot, but it’s very easy to make similar ones yourself from pipes, PVC or propylene, and cutting plywood, see video:

Video: baby swings for babies

Just don’t forget to cover the ends of the pipes with polystyrene foam: at that age, a finger can fit into a small hole, and you want to stick it there. They swing a child in such a swing, holding the suspension with their hands; In an apartment, the same plastic pipe will serve as a cross member; the weight is light.

Note: the swing is most often the basis of a children's corner. What else is needed for it, and how to put it all together, requires a separate description in parts. For example, you can watch the following video:

Video: children's playground with swings in the “Hacienda” program

To adults and everyone, everyone, everyone

Now it’s appropriate to ask: how is a swing designed for the whole family? So that both adults feel comfortable swinging, and children also enjoy it? It is quite possible to find a compromise: the seat should have a double backrest, but not be very massive. The seat is strong enough for a large child to stand on it. We use a chain suspension, because the rope will stretch under such a load. Its design should ensure fairly easy swinging without outside help, limiting the angle and speed of swinging, and long swinging after it.

It is advisable to make a family swing from wood for the reasons stated above: they are more comfortable, and production does not require complex tools or special equipment. It is also highly advisable to make do with 1-2 standard sizes of lumber, and what is cheaper - a regular edged board. For durability, the blanks are impregnated with biocides (antiseptics) and water repellents (water repellents).

Since the swing is not a residential building and will dry out very quickly in the air, there is no point in spending money on expensive branded products. Used motor oil (waste) is suitable as a biocide, and a water-polymer emulsion or, instead, PVA or water-based tile glue, diluted 3-5 times, is suitable as a water repellent. The pieces cut to size are first impregnated with processing, and after 3-7 days with emulsion.

Drawings of a family swing of this “classic” type are shown in Fig; The length of the legs is given based on their penetration into the ground by 0.5 m:

Their peculiarity is that they are built entirely from boards, without the use of more expensive scaffolding, as can be seen from the material sheet, pos. 2. To pos. Figure 3 shows the method of adjusting the supports before assembly: a crossbar board is used as a slipway. The legs, cut to size and at an angle (see below), are applied to the slipway and spread to the required width (at the same time, the accuracy of the cutting is checked). Then the blank of the lower spacer is applied, set parallel to the slipway at the distance of its ends from it, and marked for cutting in place. The upper ones are made from scraps of the lower spacers.

Note: in Fig. on the right is a method for marking leg blanks based on an angle between them of 30 degrees. Markers on a steel bench square are made from several turns of soft wire with bent ends.

Swings of our own design

You may have a question: how to make a swing completely yourself? Schemes and drawings are good, but if there is already material (let’s say, left over from construction) that is clearly enough for a swing, but does not fit into this design? And I don’t want a standard product, I want something of my own. Finally, in Fig. at the beginning it is clear that the most luxurious original swings are made from dead wood and waste from garden pruning. How to make a beautiful, comfortable, durable and safe swing from all this? Well, let's get started. Order:

Dimensions;
Foundation and method of attachment to the ground;
Support frame;
Suspension methods and designs;
Suspension units;
Rocking chair, also known as a seat;
Methods for hanging a rocking chair.

Finally, we will consider a few more non-trivial designs and special, but built on the basis of ordinary, special-purpose swings.

Dimensions and proportions

The dimensions of the swing are calculated, firstly, based on the width of the park bench seat for 1 person - 60 cm; the minimum value is 40 cm. The height of the seat above the ground is taken a little more than the standard chair height of 40 cm, so that, on the one hand, you can swing without touching the ground with your feet and at the same time, stretching your legs, you can slow down; on the other hand, to make it more comfortable to sit down/stand up. Usually they take 50-55 cm, but in general they adjust it to suit themselves by adjusting the height of the suspension, see below.

Note: for paired swings with longitudinal swing, the height of the suspension of the board (boat) is taken to be 0.7 of its length. For boarding and disembarking, a platform is then needed, and for the rocking chair, a smoothly acting brake (in case someone gets sick on it, or he/she gets scared and panics), activated by the operator from the ground. Therefore, paired swings with longitudinal swing are almost never used in everyday life.

A suspended swing consists of a supporting frame (2 support posts + crossbar), a suspension system and a rocking chair, also known as a seat. The distance from the edges of the seat to the side supports is taken at least 150 mm for a chain suspension of type 2sh-4 or 4-4 (see below), for any other chain suspension from 250 mm, for ordinary rope suspensions from 350 mm, and for any suspension with 1 attachment point at the top - at least 0.7 of the total height of the suspension system. These requirements are based on the fact that with any swing, lateral rocking is inevitable, and the rocking chair touching the support is unpleasant and, if the rocking is strong, dangerous. That is, if, for example, we have a 40 cm seat suspended on ropes, then the width of the span between the supports should be at least 35+40+35=110 cm.

The distance from the seat to the crossbar should be no less than the height of the person on the swing, so that, firstly, you can swing while standing, and secondly, so that when you suddenly get up you don’t hit your head. It is taken within the range of 190-220 cm, depending on the available material.

The angle between the legs of the side supports is 30-40 degrees; most often - 30. Then, if you take workpieces half the standard length of 6 m, i.e. 3 m, then taking into account the depth of the legs and the thickness of the workpiece, it will be possible to stand at full height on the seat. In addition, the area occupied by the swing is reduced.

Note: the thickness of the material of the load-bearing parts is taken based on a 3-fold overload during swinging. For a high-quality wooden beam this will be from 150 mm in height, and for steel pipes - from 40 mm in diameter or square side.

Ground anchorage

The legs of a wooden swing are either dug into the ground 1 m or more, or concreted to a depth of 0.5 m. Then, taking into account a 10 cm gravel cushion, holes for the feet need to be dug with 2 shovels, i.e. 60 cm. In both cases, the ends of the legs, before installation in the pits with a margin of 15-20 cm in length, are either impregnated with bitumen mastic (40% bitumen and 60% white spirit or solvent), or poured with bitumen heated almost to a boil, and, barely cooled down, sprinkle with sand; This method better protects against rotting.

To pour bitumen, bricks are placed under the foot so that the end can also be poured. They pour it in a thin stream, for which it is convenient to heat the bitumen in an unusable tin with a pulled-out spout. Having poured one side, the leg is immediately turned over and the other side is poured, trying to get it onto the end as well. Sand is sprinkled in the same order.

With a metal swing, the situation is more complicated: a thin pipe compared to a log or timber can, over time, either turn out of the ground or break on the concrete itself, because This is where the loads are concentrated during swinging. Therefore, metal outdoor swings for public use must be made with support frames in the form of a solid triangle and concreted into a trench, then the metal beam embedded in it will take on a significant part of the effort and relieve the load on the legs.

The legs of the swing without additional supporting elements, like those shown above from the channel, are concreted to a depth of at least 1.2 m, regardless of the freezing depth in the area, then the channel will be able to transfer part of the loads to the concrete. An ordinary metal swing is best tied at the bottom with an additional supporting frame and attached to the ground with anchors at least 1 m long, see fig. This, by the way, will allow, if necessary, to return the land to economic use without any problems.

Frame

Country swings are most often made on a frame of 2 A-shaped supports connected by a transverse beam. Sometimes, if the swing is equipped with a rigid awning, the frame is made on 4 posts with a canopy, see below. In hot sunny places where an awning is needed all summer, this provides some material savings.

Recently, a frame on λ-shaped supports has become increasingly popular, on the left in the figure:

During construction, it saves a whole beam of wood, which is significant given current prices for lumber. But this is a swing only for adults: when swinging at full swing, the supporting beams may not hold up - the wooden ones will break, the metal ones will bend. By the way, you can’t make a λ-frame from ordinary structural steel; it will bend right away. We need very expensive special steel.

Frames with a traverse (in the center in the figure) are known to everyone: a swing on a branch is what it is. Specially traverse frames are made for acrobatic swings with 1 point of suspension of the rocking chair; on them, having mastered the swinging technique properly, you can write intricate pirouettes. In this case, the wood used on the frame is double thickness, and the concreted ends of the legs must have firmly attached crossbars.

A type of traverse frame is a metal mobile one. They are made of high-quality steel, loads, moments, center of gravity, etc. mechanical intricacies are accurately calculated. Popular (and very expensive) swing-chaise lounges are made in a similar way, on the right in Fig.

Wooden frames

Log

The most effective and, in many cases, inexpensive swings are made from logs. It is not necessary to take debarked and rounded ones: as already mentioned, pruning waste and dead wood will go. The frame from the latter, if the trunks are still strong and powerful, does not need additional reinforcement, pos. 1 in Fig. Swing frames are made of commercial logs, especially if they are mobile, i.e. not dug in or concreted, needs to be reinforced with struts, pos. 2 and 3. In the latter case, the same amount of material is needed, but the frame covers the sky less. The question arises, why aren’t the frames recessed? In order not to spoil the lawn or paved area, in Fig. visible.

If the swing is dug in or concreted, then the most economical and durable frame is like that of a Chinese swing, pos. 4. Although such swings have long been known in Russia; They were often made in birch forests, tying together the tops of trees in pairs. The “Russian-Chinese” swing can also be made non-recessed by providing an additional frame at the bottom. A drawing of such a design is given below. rice: legs - logs or square beams, crossbar - timber 180x80, bottom frame - from boards 150x40.

timber

An ordinary, non-profiled wooden beam gives the possibility of constructing a swing greater than a log. It is easier and cheaper to make a swing with a permanent canopy for hot countries, pos. 1 in Fig. A conventional frame on A-shaped supports made of timber (item 2) will also be simpler and stronger: under the weight of the rocker, the legs compress the crossbar (item 3) and the more the swing is loaded, the stronger the frame holds. In the frame of the “Russian-Chinese” swing made of timber, at the top you need, as for logs, only 1 fastening unit, pos. 4, and installing a canopy over a swing made of timber on A-shaped supports is also not difficult, pos. 5.

Moreover, a crossbar made of timber can be used in the same way as for the legs, i.e. reduced cross-section (100x100 mm), if you reinforce it at the ends with overlays from the board, and the hanging points of the rocking chair are placed close to them, pos. 6. Then the bending moments of the crossbar will, as it were, flow into the compressive legs, and the tree holds the compression load well.

To enhance this effect, the crossbar is sometimes placed below the tops of the supports, pos. 7, but the gain in strength turns out to be illusory, but the extra fasteners are noticeable and cost money. Using this principle, it is better to cut off the tops of the supports and additionally secure the crossbar on top with overlays, pos. 8. Then it will be possible, if the crossbar is 150x150, and the legs are 200x200, to make the crossbar extensions up to 1.5 m, and hang a children's swing on ropes to them, attach a ladder with a slide, etc. The result will be a family swing and sports corner with a material consumption of only slightly more than for one swing.

And another question: is it possible to replace the timber with a board, say, 150x40? It is possible, as shown in pos. 9, only it is no longer possible to make extensions and the height of the supports will have to be limited to approximately 1.8 m. The swing will be just as strong, but much cheaper than timber swings. Well, it will take more work - marking, cutting, stitching.

Note: The “classic family” swing described above is even more economical, but its legs must be concreted, otherwise the plank frame will be fragile. And those shown in pos. 5, 6 and 9 are mobile, they can simply be placed on the ground or floor.

How to install the frame?

The swing crossbar must be horizontal, otherwise the rocking chair will wobble unpleasantly on any suspension. Setting it up with a bubble level is difficult and troublesome, a hose level is not much easier, and a laser level that builds planes, of course, is not just kept on the farm.

You can set the crossbar of the swing using one of the oldest leveling devices - the Egyptian plumb line, see fig. It fell out of use in ancient times due to low accuracy, but it is enough for a swing. You can use a bucket of sand as the bottom load, and the top load, in addition to the usual plumb line, can be any piece of iron - a bolt, a nut.

Hangers and Pendants

The suspension of the rocking chair determines the convenience, comfort and safety of the swing. This rather complex node should:

Prevent swinging as little as possible within safe limits.
Gently absorb the energy of the rocking chair if the swing speed/angle is outside the permissible limits.
Ensure rocking without jerking and with as little sideways wobble as possible.
An acrobatic suspension should provide the same in 2 planes.

Rocking chair suspension schemes are indicated by formulas of the form n-m-k, where n is the number of suspension points at the top, m is the number of intermediate suspension points, and k is the number of them on the rocking chair. Somewhat similar to the wheel formulas of steam locomotives, but this is pure coincidence: for a steam locomotive, m cannot be equal to 0, because denotes the number of moving axes, and for a swing - easily.

Some types of rocking chair suspensions are shown in Fig:

Suspension type 1-2 with a soft flexible rocking chair (not shown in the figure) is called a flying trapezoid. Suspensions of types 1-m-k are used in swings on traverses. Garden and country swings are most often hung using methods 2-4 (the simplest), 2-2-4 (prevents it from swinging excessively) and 2sh-4 (also you won’t swing too much and there’s no wobbling).

Of particular note is the 4-4 suspension. It’s actually not a swing: how do you swing on something like that? However, it is sometimes used for original garden benches (on the left in the figure):

Some find a little erratic rocking to be soothing. But most often, swing arbors are hung using the 4-4 method, right there. A matter of taste, some people like it. The eastern rulers of the past, and even the present, they say, simply delight in such people in the company of their concubines.

Chain, rope or rods?

Hanging a swing on a rope is the easiest and, if you know how to tie some sea knots (see below), does not require expensive additional fasteners. But the rope, as you know, stretches, and the spiral weave does not limit the swinging in any way. Therefore, firstly, it is better to hang the simplest children's summer swing on ropes, pos. 1 in Fig. below. Secondly, take a cross lay rope, see fig. right. It has a lot of internal friction, which is why riggers don’t like it (the efficiency of lifting mechanisms drops), but for a swing this is exactly what is needed so that a foolish child does not do a somersault. The diameter of the nylon cross rope for swings is from 24 mm.

Chain suspension, pos. 2, expensive, but in terms of its totality of characteristics it is optimal in all respects: the chain is strong, its wear is immediately visible, it almost does not slow down small swings, and it dampens excessive swings due to friction in the links. However, due to the latter circumstance, the smallest ones in swings on chains for adults can seriously pinch their fingers; For children's swings, small-gauge chains are used.

The rocking chair on rigid rods (positions 3 and 4) is usually suspended on bearings. It swings very smoothly, without the slightest wobble, and, as they say, even a mosquito will swing on it. But such swings without additional safety measures are dangerous: crashing your head into a stone fence or curb at a speed of under 60 km/h is no longer an accident, it’s a tragedy. Therefore, on-site swings with rigid rods for children should, firstly, be equipped with a rocking chair with a fence, as in a swing for children, pos. 3. Secondly, it’s still impossible to let a child on them without adult supervision.

In a public yard swing on bearings there must be a swing limiter - you never know who can get in there and how can they swing? The rocking chair hits against a simple stopper made of a pipe (see figure), which is unpleasant. In good branded models of swings with rigid rods, the bearing suspensions are made with a built-in hydraulic brake, which operates on the principle of a viscous coupling in cars with AWD drive, but such suspension units are expensive.

Sometimes rocking is also limited by connecting the rigid rods of the rocking chair to the frame with lengths of chains, pos. 5. But, generally speaking, this is not the best solution: due to the different mechanical characteristics of the suspension links, even a small and completely safe swing on such a swing occurs with noticeable jerks.

Note: There is also a whole class of luxury swing suspensions based on systems of balanced levers, springs, and hydraulic shock absorbers. It’s clear that it’s expensive and you can’t do it yourself.

Suspension units

The critical points for hanging the swing are the attachment points. They bear very large alternating loads and are subject to abrasion. A small burr on the rubbing surface of the fastening will give very noticeable jerks when rocking. Therefore, the choice of design of fastening units must be approached with all responsibility.

The cheapest, but also the worst option is S-shaped hooks, pos. 1 in Fig. Huge loads are concentrated in their crossbars, the probability of sudden destruction is high, therefore such fastening is only permissible for swing benches suspended no higher than 0.5 m and the design of which allows them to sway barely.

The most reliable fastening is on clamps with carabiners, pos. 2. The main load falls on the top of the crossbar beam, which is absolutely safe. It is only necessary that the carabiners have safety teeth and an anti-friction insert: sliding of the suspension rod in the eye of the carabiner is already an emergency mode in case of excessive swinging.

Reliable clamps still spoil the appearance of the swing, so fastenings are most often made with eye bolts, pos. 3. Indispensable conditions for their maximum reliability - the bolt must pass through the bolt, under the nut, regardless of the material of the crossbar, a steel washer of at least 60 mm in diameter and 4 mm in thickness must be placed, and the nut must be firmly locked. When swinging, spring washers of all types do not prevent the gradual spontaneous unscrewing of a single nut!

The reliability of the eye bolt is absolute - the neck of the eye (ring) is subject to great stress. The slightly more expensive U-hooks and shackles, pos. 4. A blind hole is drilled in the crossbar under the hook bar and it is inserted there tightly. Without being able to straighten out even a little, the hook will withstand an incredible load, because... The destruction of a metal begins with micro-disruptions of the bonds between its crystallites.

The eyebolt, U-hook and, to a slightly lesser extent, the rigging shackle significantly weaken the deadbolt, because the concentrated force applied from above tends to break it just where the beam is weakened by the hole, and the fastening pin, as it swings, “breaks” it. The washer weakens this effect, but does not eliminate it completely. As a result, where it would be possible to get by with a 100x100 mm solid beam, you have to install 150x50 mm, and in anticipation of swinging at full swing, even 200x200 mm.

Conspicuous, but ideal in all respects, are the through fastenings with an overlay and an upper suspension, pos. 5 and 6. The shear forces from them freely spread to the sides along the beam and tend not to tear, but, on the contrary, to compress the hole, as if it does not exist; the beam now becomes equivalent to a solid one. In addition, although such a suspension looks like a 4-4, it is kinematically equivalent to a chain 2-2-4, but it dampens excessive swing even better and more smoothly. If the suspension with overlays is rope, then between the carabiner and the fire (loop) of the cable you need to place a solid ring, pos. 6.

Also, rings connect the branches of the 2-2-4 chain suspension. The upper branch is welded to the ring or soldered with hard solder, and the lower ones slide along it freely, pos. 7. Only then will the 2-2-4 chain suspension acquire the required kinematics.

Rope hangers are good because they allow you to easily adjust the height of the rocking chair, but, made “chain-by-chain”, they require a fairly large number of expensive fastening, locking and adjusting parts and assemblies, positions. 6,8 and 9. However, all of them, with one exception that is easily accessible for self-production, can be replaced with marine units for the appropriate purpose. The reliability of maritime knots has been tested over thousands of years of maritime practice, and their complexity exists only in the popular imagination.

You don’t need to know 200-400 knots, like a boatswain of a sailing fleet, or at least 20-40, like a current yachtsman, to build a swing; 7-9 is enough for everything, see fig:

A – anchor knot, or fishing bayonet, for attaching a cable to a carabiner with an anti-friction gasket or an intermediate ring. Up to 5 hoops (turns) can be inserted into the eye. A simple mark is applied to the running (free) end of the cable and it is used to connect the running end to the tensioned one, shown in the red frame. The fastening holds until the cable rots or the eye rusts. The anchor knot is non-tightening, it is not difficult to untie it: just remove or cut the mark that tightens the ends.

B – bed knot, also non-tightening. Suitable for the top suspension of temporary, say, for weekends, children's swings.

B – bayonet with rim, the same as B, but for adults.

G – locking knot, or figure eight. For lower mounting of children's swings through holes in the board.

D, F - sealing the end of the cable with a turnip and a simple disk button. The same as G, but for adults, and the cable tails do not dangle. Although, in general, it is better to fasten a rocking chair on ropes by the bottom without any knots at all, as described below.

Z – net knot, for tying 2 ropes crosswise anywhere without cutting.

And - this is how a loose loop is knitted on a solid rope. You can hang an umbrella, a siphon with soda, attach a shelf or something else.

Note: There are also simple knots for tying 2 ropes, identical or different, for example. weaving knot. However, it is strongly not recommended to assemble a swing rope suspension from pieces.

It remains to solve the issue of adjusting the rocking chair on the ropes. To do this, you need 2 pieces of durable hard board from 30 mm (oak, beech, elm, walnut), from which running, or hanging, rope stoppers are made - deadeyes, see fig. right. Such gizmos were used to regulate the tension of the rigging of ancient sailing ships, and nothing happened - the oceans were crossed, America and India were discovered. Deadeyes are used in conjunction with the rocking chair suspension method described below.

Rocking chair and its fastening

A rocking chair for adults is, in general, a garden bench without legs. They choose it according to their taste and on the back with the fifth point. From below, an adult rocking chair is reinforced with a pair of cross bars, and eye bolts or U-hooks are inserted through their ends, as in pos. 4 drawings of a “classic family” swing at the beginning. Fastening to any points on the top, as in pos. 1 Fig., extremely unreliable. When rocking, the centrifugal force should compress the rocking chair and press it against the supports, and not stretch and tear it away from them.

Children love to swing on the flying trapeze, pose. 2 in Fig. below. You can make one yourself from tarpaulin, strengthening the ends with wooden strips, inserted into pockets sewn at the bottom and equipped with eyelets. But you can’t install eyelets for curtains, they are weak. If you don’t have sailing eyelets at your disposal, you can sew their substitutes from a steel ring and harsh, properly waxed or resinous thread, pos. 3.

Children's rocking chair made of boards with two-point suspension, pos. 3, it is not recommended to do it by any means, there is a high probability of overturning. If you are going to make a rocking chair on 2 points, then from logs, as in pos. 4, and hang the rocker from the board at 4 points, passing the cable through the holes, pos. 5.

However, the best rope suspension for both children and adults is a loop in the grooves, pos. 6. For adults, the lower support bars of the rocking chair are made wider, with a projection of 100-200 mm. They do not interfere; on the contrary, with a slight rocking, you can put a book on them, put a can of beer, etc. What if there is a lateral swing, they will serve as good bump stops and shock absorbers. The suspension in the grooves is absolutely reliable and can be easily assembled and disassembled. Adjusting the height of intermediate points with deadeyes allows you to change within a fairly wide range not only the height of the rocking chair, but also the kinematics of the suspension.

Tire swing

Perhaps the most favorite swing for children is the one made from tires. The reasons for this are not only psychological or ergonomic; a rocker made from a tire is an excellent shock absorber in emergency situations, and an excellent swing material for an adult craftsman-dad. An unusable tire can simply be hung on a branch, pos. 1 in Fig., by cutting it, a flying trapezoid is obtained without much difficulty: the presence of steel cord in the mass of durable rubber allows you to do without eyelets. A solid tire will go on a rocking-nest for collective gatherings of small children, pos. 3. When two or three people swing each in their own way, the trajectory of the rocking-nest on the suspension 1-3 or 1-4 makes even a person who knows mathematics and physics well scratch his head thoughtfully.

Finally, from tires cut and folded in different ways, single rocking chairs are obtained not only for children, but also for adults, pos. 4-6. The popularity of swings made from tires is so great that some sports and toy companies and companies specializing in goods for children produce, especially for swings... square tires, pos. 7! All that remains is to exclaim after the author of “Tartarin of Tarascon”: “Has anyone ever heard of something like this?”

Curiosities, but to the point

Since we are talking about funny swings, let’s touch on some more of them, but they are quite suitable for their intended use. For example, hammock swings, on the left in the figure, although the hammock itself is already a recumbent swing. There is probably something about swaying with additional degrees of freedom that owners like. In any case, there will be no harm.

Children will probably like the device in the center, but it is impossible to name it without sinning against Russian grammar. A swing, not a swing. And the author posted a photo of the one on the right with a note: the easiest way to recycle an old car. The comment was in English, so it is quite possible - in many Western countries, delivering a car to a landfill or selling it for scrap costs a lot of trouble. And here the great inertia of the heavy rocking chair allows you to swing for a very long time, the canopy is created by itself, and the soft sofa will not reduce the comfort.

Not those, but the swing

Finally, about swings, direct descendants of children's pendulum swings, but quite adult ones. And not for entertainment, they help cope with arthritis, osteochondrosis, radiculitis without expensive treatment. Reviews from doctors are positive.

Today, a large number of people have country houses or dachas - places where they can calmly take a break from the hustle and bustle of everyday life and relax. Today we will tell you how to make a garden swing from metal with your own hands for your summer cottage.

This material is divided into 3 parts.

In the first part: the use of metal to build swings, and why country house builders prefer it. We will talk about the advantages and disadvantages of such structures, calculate the mass of planned attractions, and also talk about the types of fastening for stationary and suspended swings.
In the second part: we will tell you how to make an outdoor metal swing for a summer house in the form of a bench or sofa with your own hands, and we will also give recommendations for installing single structures. You will also learn how to properly make a swing seat from a profile pipe with your own hands, as well as a frame.
In the third part: a little about decorating and caring for an iron swing, as well as features of the choice in the store.

Advantages and disadvantages of profile pipe

If you look in detail at the advantages of a profile pipe, you will get the following list.

The shape of the pipe is optimized for fast production, which means it is very simple and easy to work with.
A very economical material, especially when compared with reinforcement structures.
The stiffening ribs that are located on the structure greatly increase the upper limit of permissible loads.
The material perfectly resists mechanical damage - it is difficult to deform by impact.

However, along with the advantages, swings made from profile pipes also have their disadvantages:

Most of the operations that can be done with a pipe do not require complex equipment. Except for one thing - bending. It is very difficult to bend, and all because of those same stiffening ribs. For this you will need a special machine.
Carbon steel rusts easily and is susceptible to the destructive effects of moisture. This disadvantage can be eliminated using the galvanizing procedure, but it also greatly increases the price of the final structure.

Calculation of a profile pipe to determine the mass of a swing

When calculating the size of a metal swing, you should calculate its mass. This will help you decide in the future whether a foundation is needed and what loads the swing will withstand.

When using a square profile pipe measuring 20x20 with a thickness of 1 mm, the weight of one meter of pipe will be ~600 g (it all depends on the grade of steel).
A 30x30 pipe with a thickness of 1 mm has a weight of 900 g.
A 40x40 profile pipe with a wall thickness of 2 mm per 1 meter of length will weigh ~ 2300 g.

Using the data provided, it is easy to calculate the approximate weight of both the pipes and the frame of the future garden swing made from a profile pipe. We can do this as follows.

For example, the design uses 8.5 meters of pipe measuring 30x30x1mm and 3 meters of pipe measuring 50x50x2mm. Let's calculate the structural mass:

8.5*900=7650 g (total pipe weight 30x30x1mm);
Since a 40x40x2mm pipe weighs 2300 g, a 50x50x2 pipe weighs, respectively, 2300 + 2300 * 0.25 = 2875 g.
3*2875=8625 g (total weight of the pipe 50x50x2mm).

Purpose of a profile pipe for a swing

In order to answer this question correctly, it is necessary to explain what types of pipes are used for what parts of the swing.

Round (oval) pipes. Suitable for curved structures (eg seats, armrests, arches).
Square and rectangular pipes. They have good strength and are suitable for parts that are placed on the surface (vertical posts, spacers).
Flat pipes – suitable for auxiliary elements (horizontal struts).

Types of swing mounting and classification

Before choosing a scheme according to which we will assemble a metal swing with our own hands, we need to decide on the methods of attaching them to the supporting structure.

There are two main types of mounting for hanging swings:

on eye nuts;
to nodes.

In the first case you do the following:

Make through holes in the horizontal beam using a drill (~5 mm);
Insert long bolts with washers, tighten the eye nuts;
Attach carabiners and chains or ropes to them.

In the second case, the sequence is:

Throw the ropes over the crossbar;
Making a sea knot;
Attach the other ends of the rope to the seat.

Hanging metal swing

Homemade metal swings for a summer house are often quite small in size. These are usually small seats for one person, mostly for children. They do not require a permanent base; all you need to hang them in your yard is a tree with thick enough branches or a supporting structure.

Hanging swings are most often hung on a chain or strong ropes - depending on desire and style. At the same time, you can secure them without damaging the branch itself: wrap a chain or rope with a sliding knot, which will provide a fairly strong grip. The main thing here is to correctly calculate the thickness of the suspension itself.

An example of chain mounting.

Drill a large through hole along the width of the seat, 7-9 mm thick (along the red line in the picture);
Pull the chain through the drilled hole;
Screw in steel bolts along the edges of the seat to secure the chain.

Stationary metal swing

Do-it-yourself stationary garden swing from a profile pipe is a more complex option, but no less popular. Great if you need to install seats for two or three people.

For a stationary swing, in addition to the seat itself, it is necessary to make a frame from a profile pipe. This is the load-bearing element of the entire structure; the heaviest loads will fall on it, so it must be done with all the attention. Attachment to a stationary frame has several varieties.

Where to install a metal swing on the site

Before welding a swing or buying them in a store, you need to choose a place on the site, we recommend adhering to the following rules:

The swing should be located in an open area near the house. The ideal option is 10-20 meters so that you can watch your children play;
There should be no communications above the iron swing (water, power lines and other wires);
There should be no roads nearby (it is best to put a fence around it).

Having decided on the location, you need to prepare a design drawing of your design. We recommend indicating all dimensions in advance - this way you will save a lot of time and resources on modifications and alterations.

Swing in the form of a bench or sofa with a metal frame

This type of swing is common among manufacturers - today on the market you will find a large number of ready-made models of this type. They are distinguished by practicality and relative cheapness. Such a swing is suitable for gathering together in the evening after a hard day or on weekends with children and loved ones.

Before you buy materials and start making your own iron swing, familiarize yourself with the design features:

this type of metal swing for a summer house can be either portable or stationary;
a foundation for a portable structure is not required - the support is a square at the base. If you decide to make a stationary swing, we recommend keeping in mind a columnar foundation;
Such structures are often accompanied by a canopy - this can be either a polycarbonate roof or a stretched awning.

Materials and tools

To make a swing from a profile pipe with your own hands, you will need a whole list of tools and materials:

Round profile pipe for the frame with a diameter of 20 mm, 14170 mm (take a meter or two more with a margin);
4 steel corners;
2 steel arcs, each 250 mm long and with a diameter of 15 mm;
2 wooden panels;
cable, chain or any other suspension that can withstand a load of up to 250-300 kilograms;
welding machine;
pliers;
hammer;
vice;
grinder or hacksaw;
building level;
roulette;
special anti-corrosion paint for metal;
eye screws 5x80mm, 4 pieces.
rigging shackle M5, 6 pieces;
bolt M6x30, 4 pieces;
nut M6, 4 pieces;
spring washer M6, 4 pieces.

Step by step instructions

	Cutting parts from profile pipes for iron outdoor swings. For the side posts you will need 2500 mm pieces, 4 pieces. The crossbar will require a piece of pipe 2100 mm long.
	We cut the edge of the pipe at 30 degrees at the end, and then use a welding machine to weld them into an isosceles triangle.
	We measure 2000 mm from the top of the posts and weld a horizontal crossbar 1035 mm long to strengthen the frame. See the drawing of a metal garden swing that we made for you with our own hands.
	We weld the horizontal crossbar at the ends of the vertical posts. Afterwards the seat will be attached to it. The distance between the A-posts is 2000 mm, the crossbar protrudes 50 mm on each side.
	Let's create a swing bench from a profile pipe with our own hands. We take several bars 30x30x6000 mm and shorten them. You should get 24 pieces of 1500 mm pieces. We clean them using sandpaper or a machine. Or you can take a 100x100 beam and adjust it to the required dimensions. It is not necessary to cut 30x30, you can use 20x50 and 30x70, etc.
	We apply a paint coating to the surface to prevent wood rotting.
	We make a frame from a pipe 15 mm in diameter. We weld the sections together and attach the bars with bolts. The distance between them is 20-25mm. We weld eye nuts along the edges to secure the chain (two on one side, two on the other). You can also experiment with the distance between the bars (it all depends on their size). For more details, see the drawing of a swing made from a profile pipe.
	We attach the seat to the vertical posts of the metal swing frame. We drill through holes in the crossbar for bolts with eye nuts. We thread them through and twist them. We connect the carabiners with all the eye nuts and attach the chain.
	We dig 4 holes 450mm deep. To do this, we use a hand-held iron drill.
	Mixing concrete. Add cement, sand and water to the container in proportions 1:2:3. It is best to use cement labeled M400.
	We fill the bottom with a 100mm sand cushion, then install the racks in the holes. We throw in several large stones to stabilize the structure, and then fill everything with concrete. We wait for 3-4 days until everything dries. The design is ready

Single swing made of metal

You can make a single swing from pipes with your own hands, either stationary or portable - it all depends on who will use it and how much free space you have on the site.

Stationary swings have the greatest stability of all the listed options: children will not be able to turn them over even during the most active play. However, because of this, they have a disadvantage - low mobility: they cannot be removed during bad weather. Portable ones, of course, are not so stable, but they are also much more convenient than stationary ones.

Main stages of installation

	To weld the frame of a swing from a profile, you need to take a pipe and cut it into two equal parts, each 3100 mm. Cut the edges of the vertical posts at an angle of 45 degrees. After this, you need to form the letter P - weld the third to the ends of these two segments. Its edges should also be cut at an angle of 45 degrees.
	The second step is to form a metal swing structure with your own hands on bearings. You need two sections 5 centimeters long from a pipe with a diameter of 90 millimeters. The bearings are inserted into them and then scalded to secure them. On the other hand, for additional fixation, a small piece of metal is welded to cover the pipe. A piece of pipe with a diameter of 27 millimeters will be inserted into the bearings.
	Two plates are welded to a 27 mm pipe - this will be fasteners for carabiners. The bearing structure itself is fixed to the crossbar using two pieces of metal. They are welded to the sides of the pipe into which they are inserted into the bearings. It is important that before assembling this part, apply grease to the bearing and periodically moisten it with water. If this is not done, the material will heat up from welding, the steel will begin to expand and the structure will be damaged.
	After assembling the frame is completed, you need to dig two holes under it, insert the ends of the pipe there and carefully concrete everything. After the concrete has dried, you need to weld stabilizing slopes from the remains of the pipes.
	The frame under the seat of a garden metal swing is welded from a prepared profile pipe. We use a welding machine. We attach eye nuts to the edges (marked with green dots).
	We attach the carabiners to the eye nuts and connect everything with a steel chain.

How to make metal swing seats

Such double swings made from a profile pipe can often be found on playgrounds. First, a few words about the advantages and disadvantages.

Large metal outdoor swing

Advantages:

Strength is the most important advantage of such a swing. Stiffening ribs greatly increase the bending resistance of the structure;
profitability - profile pipes are easy to manufacture, which helps to significantly reduce the cost of all materials;
durability.

Flaws:

careful care - if you do not galvanize profile pipes and do not coat them with protective compounds, then after a while rust will appear;
the difficulty of bending pipes - this may require additional equipment.

We have already repeatedly told you how to weld a frame for a metal swing with your own hands at the dacha, prepare the foundation and hang the seats, so now we will tell you which seat is suitable for such a design and its dimensions.

The following parts are required: 3x1600m; 3x880mm; 2x200mm; 5x500mm. More details in the drawing.

A long section of 1600 mm is installed, 3 short sections of 500 mm each are welded to it - the letter W is obtained. Another long section is welded from the free ends. The back is formed in exactly the same way. Everything is secured with corners along the edges of each part of the structure and welded together at an angle of 90 degrees. Two pieces of board are attached to the structure using bolts.

To make the backrest more comfortable for sitting, you need to set it at an angle of 115 degrees. To do this, you need to make an appropriate section at the ends of the 880 mm sections for the backrest.

How to make a frame for a garden swing - video

To independently create the frame of a garden swing from corrugated pipe, we recommend that you follow the algorithm of actions, as in the video below.

Decorating and caring for a metal swing

In order for the pipe swings you made with your own hands to last as long as possible, we recommend decorating them first and then tinting them with special metal paint every six months or a year.

Here's what else you can coat metal with:

rust solvent;
enamel paint for metal;
primer for surface treatment;
paint with the addition of metal powder (yellow).

After the construction is completed, you can decorate the structure:

Sew seat covers. A thick fabric that is not afraid of contact with moisture is suitable for them.
Paint the side posts with patterns or designs. To do this, you will need a stencil with patterns or figures, metal paint and a brush (or sponge). Place the stencil on the walls. Take a sponge and wet it with paint. Blot the stencil and remove it. Repeat the procedure several times.
Decorate the playground next to the homemade iron outdoor swing. Plant flowers, build a small decorative fence, place sculptures.

How to choose a metal swing

When purchasing a metal swing for a summer house in a store, you should pay attention to:

size and dimensions. As a rule, swings have a width of 2-2.5, which is universal and allows you to easily install it on any type of area. If you need unique dimensions, it is best to make it to order.
Material of manufacture. Decide in advance what kind of material you want to see. The classic version is made of metal and wood, but there are also modern materials, such as high-strength plastic and steel rods.
Price. This is an important factor, since on the market you can find absolutely any model for different budgets.

We suggest considering several models of single and double metal swings that are now popular on the market:

Price	Manufacturer	Main advantages and features
RUR 8,990	China	1.9x1.13x1.8m	up to 300 kg	● double swing; ● soft seat; ● fabric canopy.
RUB 3,710	Russia	1.37×1.42×1.8m	up to 90 kg	● single swing; ● the bases of the product are installed in concrete; ● wooden seat with chain fastening.
RUB 6,890	Russia	3x1.2m	up to 100 kg	● double swing; ● wooden seat; ● fastening – steel chain; ● without foundation
RUR 12,990	Russia	2.9x1.55x2m	up to 250kg in total	● double swing; ● seat material – plastic; ● suitable for children 3-10 years old; ● material of manufacture – steel

In conclusion, I would like to say that regardless of whether you want to assemble a metal swing yourself or purchase a finished product, you must first look at their quality and ease of use, and choose only the best. We hope that now you know how to do this. Good luck!