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Outdoor swings can be found in the courtyards of high-rise buildings, and on children's playgrounds and, of course, in the garden. Children never get tired of the fun, and adults sometimes don’t mind swinging, although they prefer models like a hanging chair or a hammock. Do-it-yourself chain swings are one of the most popular and easy-to-use options.
Pros and cons of garden swings on chains
The fundamental difference between swings on chains is the ability to adjust the seat height. There is nothing easier than shortening the chain by a few links to make the design more convenient. A DIY swing on chains is shown in the photo.
The chain as a suspension implies other advantages:
- the metal chain is durable;
- metal is not afraid of fire and moisture;
- the chain can withstand significant loads: with a link thickness of 15–20 mm, the swing can accommodate 5 adults;
- such a suspension does not change in any way over time: the links do not spread out or become deformed;
- The only maintenance that swings on chains require is lubricant for fastening.
This option also has disadvantages:
- when swinging on flexible suspensions, transverse vibrations are possible, because of this the swing can twist;
- the metal chain is cold to the touch, which is not always pleasant.
Types of outdoor swings on chains
A swing on a chain suspension is an option for an outdoor structure. At home, ropes or ropes are often used as suspension. But the materials used to make the seat and support posts with your own hands are the same.
The most commonly used types of outdoor swings are:
A wooden swing on chains is the best choice. The material is easy to process, always remains warm to the touch, and has the most attractive appearance. Its cost is quite affordable, and finding this material is not difficult. If you follow the rules of care - varnishing, staining, treating with antiseptics, the wood lasts a long time and retains its appearance unchanged. Models on wooden chains are lightweight, which simplifies installation.
Not only the usual wooden boards can be used as material for the seat, but also various products, for example, an old skateboard.
Metal is extremely durable and very strong. Requires very simple care and periodic painting to protect against corrosion. However, the manufacture and installation of a swing requires the ability to work with a welding machine, although sometimes you can get by with a bolted connection.If you know how to work with iron, you can turn an ordinary swing into a real masterpiece.
Metal is always cold to the touch. It is often necessary to supplement the seat with pillows. In addition, iron supports are dangerous.
Plastic is rarely used for garden swings. The material is very light, so the seat is usually hung not on a chain, but on ropes. This version is intended for small children.
Sometimes the most unexpected materials are used for swings on chains with your own hands. So, the base of the seat can be a car tire, a pair of metal circles tied with mesh, or a ready-made wicker hanging chair.
Chain swings for children's playgrounds are distinguished by design features:
- stationary - the support posts of the model are dug into the ground, and if the structure is heavy, it is even concreted; the product cannot be moved;
- mobile - lighter, support posts form a fairly stable structure, model
According to the number of users, swings on chains are divided into:
- single-seater – look like a board on chains or a hanging chair if intended for adults;
- double – characterized by a wider seat, another option: 2 seats attached to opposite ends of one board;
- three-seater - in the form of a wooden bench with a length of at least 1.3 m;
- multi-seater - essentially the same three-seater, but wider or folding, an example is a sofa swing.
Swings are also classified by age.
- Children's - lightweight, almost always single-seater products, mostly plastic or wooden.Typically, children's models are equipped with high backs and additional devices that prevent falls. However, in simple cases, the usual children's option is a board suspended from a tree branch.
- Teenage ones are a subspecies of children's ones, but with one feature: the maximum swing amplitude. These are not always safe models, but they are always popular.
- Adults can withstand much more weight and are often designed for multiple users. They try to make adult swings as comfortable as possible, since they are not intended for swinging as such, but for relaxation.
In most cases, swings on chains swing mechanically. Electronic modifications are usually intended for very small users and rather serve as a cradle or stroller.
What is needed to make a flexible swing on chains
Do-it-yourself garden swings are often made from wood. It requires much less effort and time. The materials and tools needed are the simplest:
- circular saw, jigsaw, hammer, plane, drill with drill bits 4, 5, 8, 10;
- to measure you need a square and a tape measure;
- fasten the product with screws and eyebolts - always galvanized;
- wood - boards and slats for finishing the swing, wooden beams for racks - 4 beams with a section of 90 * 45 and a length of 2 m, timber for crossbars, a cross-section of 140 * 45 m and a length of 2.1 m, as well as timber for crossbars measuring 140*45 mm and lengths of 96 and 23 m;
- chrome steel chains.
Depending on the chosen model, additional materials may be required. In addition, finishing products will be needed: varnish, primer, antiseptic for impregnating the wood, possibly paint.
Drawings of a swing on chains
Fundamentally, swings on chains differ from each other in the way the chains are attached to the supports. Thus, there are 2 main types of products:
- The option with an A-shaped support involves attaching chains to 1 support crossbar - a beam. But since the transverse support is supported by two A-shaped posts, this model is highly stable. This is a safer option even for those who like to play “sun” on a swing: the risk of tipping over is minimal.
- Swings with U-shaped posts are less stable. Most often, such models are designed for small children who cannot swing much.
A separate category is represented by swing-sofas on chain suspensions. In most cases, the chains are attached to 2 beams. As a result, the seat moves strictly in a horizontal plane and over a very small amplitude.
Which chain to choose for a garden swing
The chain can withstand a very high load, so for a DIY swing you need a product with links with a diameter of 15–20 mm. For a massive seat - a sofa you need chains with a thickness of 25 mm.
The chains are made of chrome-plated steel. This material is not afraid of water and does not corrode, which saves the dacha owner from the need to paint the pendants.
How to make a swing on chains
The design of a swing on chains is quite simple: a support post, a seat and hangers. Building it with your own hands does not require much work. A certain exception is the metal model, since here you will need a cooker to work.
Using wood, using the drawing and instructions, even a beginner can easily assemble the structure.
Swing on chains for adults
Adult models differ from children's models only in size.Both the dimensions of the seat itself and the height of the location are designed for a larger person. In addition, adult swings on chains are very rarely single-seater.
Construction begins with the assembly of racks. In most cases, wooden models are stationary, that is, the supports must be buried in the ground or concreted. The last operation takes time.
A beam with a cross-section of 145 * 45 mm is cut to length - for the three-seater version you need a crossbar measuring 210 cm. Step back 150 mm from the edges of the beam and mark a line with a pencil - these are the outer edges of the crossbar.
For an A-frame support, the timber must be cut at the correct angle. The safest way is to use a square with pins. The first is fixed at 316 mm from the angle - on the longer leg, the second - at 97 degrees on the small one. The square is transferred to the beam, the lower bevel is marked. Then, maintaining the position of the pins, move the tool 6 times along the length of the support and mark the upper bevel, the one that aligns with the beam. The cut will be made along the marked lines.
The finished leg is used as a template for other supports. They are applied end-to-end to the next beam and cuts are made in the same places.
Perform fitting: place the crossbar vertically and place your feet on it. The distance between the lower edges of the supports should reach 120 cm.
Spacers are made from timber with a cross-section of 145*45 mm. The lower one is installed at a height of 500 mm. The bar is applied to the legs, the cut points are marked on it, and on the legs - the place of alignment with the bar. The upper spacer is fixed at a distance of 150 mm from the lower one. Its dimensions and slope are determined in the same way. The finished parts are used as a template for the elements of the second rack.
Assemble the stand: the legs are fastened with screws, the spacers are fixed with nails. For installation, through holes are made in the cross beams in the upper part of the legs and the beam is screwed with screws. If necessary, reinforce the fastening with metal corners.
If the swing is not mobile, and more often than not it is, the support frame is mounted on the foundation. To do this, dig holes 40–50 cm deep on a selected flat area, install a structure and fill the holes with earth and crushed stone. If the structure is massive, the supports are concreted: in this case, the length of the supporting leg should be greater.
The bench frame on chains is assembled from 70*35 mm timber. For the seat, slats are cut 120 cm long, for the rear pillar and armrests - 90 cm, and support bars are cut 95 cm long. Finishing strips are also made.
A frame is assembled from the timber for the seat and support beams with your own hands. In this case, the back board is fixed to the ends of the sidewalls, and the top one is laid flat at the bottom of the frame. The backrest supports are installed vertically inside the frame and secured with bolts.
The bars for the armrests are installed at the front corners of the frame with their ends on the bottom board and are also secured with bolts. If necessary, the fasteners are duplicated with a metal corner.
A cross beam is fixed to the backrest supports. The armrests are installed flat on the front supports and secured. The armrests are attached to the rear supports of the backrest at their ends.
A swing seat with a backrest on chains is assembled like this. The slats for the seat and back - measuring 70 * 25 m - are fixed to the frame. A distance of 5 mm is maintained between them. The slats, with the exception of the very first one, protrude beyond the edge of the frame by 17–20 mm.Before installing the planks, you should prepare: cut the corners to length and sand them to reduce the likelihood of injury.
The finished product is sanded, polished, varnished or painted with your own hands. Now all that remains is to hang it from the supports.
Swing on chains for children
Children's models are smaller in size and sometimes are just a suspended seat. But homemade swings on chains can be made from the most unexpected objects.
- The wheels and fasteners are removed from the old skateboard, cleaned with an iron brush and sanded. Then the future seat is painted in a suitable color.
- 2 wooden blocks are cut to the width of the skateboard and secured as close to the edge of the product as possible.
- Drill holes through the seat and supports and install eye bolts. Chains are attached to them. Such a seat is suspended from a U-shaped or A-shaped post, fixed to the ceiling or to any other hormonal crossbar.
Instead of a skateboard, you can use a wide board, assemble a seat from planks, or hang a fragment of a car tire on chains.
Children's swing on chains with backrest
The difference between children's models is the large swing amplitude. Most of them are single-seater, as children swing at different intensities. Despite the low weight of the user, models for children are made of metal, since they take into account the high intensity of use.
The material for swings on chains are steel pipes with a cross section of 40*40 mm and 20*20 mm. It is easier to use profile ones, as they are easier to install:
- For the rack, two pipes 2 m long with a large cross-section are cut at an angle of 45 degrees.
- For transverse fragments, pipes with a cross-section of 20*20 mm are applied to the future rack at a distance of 7000 mm from the bottom edge, the bevels are marked and the excess is cut off with a grinder. The parts for the second rack are made in the same way.
- All elements are welded and you get 2 A-shaped stands for a swing with your own hands. There should be a distance of 1600 mm between the legs of the support.
- Install the supports, lay a transverse beam 2 m long, check the verticality, and weld the beam to the supports. 2 ears are attached to the horizontal crossbar for hanging the chain. If the crossbar is long, you can install a second swing. Assemble the seat frame with the backrest. 2 pipes 20*40 mm in 1 m lines are clamped together so that they temporarily form a single structure. Step back 100 mm from the edge and make a mark. Then repeat them every 120 mm. Cuts are made along these lines. The extreme ones are performed from the reverse side. The structure is then bent to form the desired shape.
- The frame pipes are separated, the seams are welded and cleaned. They are painted to prevent corrosion. Ears are attached to the top of the pipes for attaching the chain. The bottom ones are drilled to install eye bolts. A wooden swing seat on chains is assembled from boards. For fastening, holes are first made in the boards.
Metal swings with chains are more massive than wooden ones and are not prone to tipping over. However, it is recommended to concrete the supports to minimize the chance of injury.
Double swing on chains with backrest
The technology for constructing this option is no different from the assembly scheme of a conventional swing. The only difference is the length of the crossbar and the thickness of the timber for the support posts and beams.As the load increases, it is worth choosing a thicker beam.
Double swings are performed in 2 versions:
- simple double - 2 single seats with backrests are attached to the beam, this model is intended for children;
- combined - in this case, a bench seat for adults and a single swing for a child are secured, to make such a complex more stable, not 2, but 3 support posts are installed.
The materials for the construction are both wood and metal.
How to hang a swing on chains
Mounting a swing on a chain can be done in several ways:
- For swings on metal chains, it is best to use special cast iron brackets. They wrap around the iron pipe, securely fixing the swing. When hanging, the chains are passed through a carabiner. A big plus of this option is the possibility of dismantling. The product can be disassembled and reassembled in the courtyard of the house, for example, instead of a summer cottage.
- The most reliable model for DIY wooden products is a solid metal assembly. At its base there is a mounting plate with holes for screws. The nodes are fixed to the beam using dimensions or screws. The chain is suspended from a brass bushing with a ring; in order for the product to serve for several decades, it must be lubricated periodically.
- Easier fastening - has the same design, but is equipped with a plastic bushing. It reduces friction and makes the swing motion silent. However, such fasteners can withstand light weight and are used only for children's light swings.
- Swing unit - the movement of the chains is ensured by plain bearings. Not the best option, despite the ease of use, since the parts wear out quite quickly.The bearing assembly must be lubricated once a month to extend its service life and prevent corrosion.
To attach the swing on chains to the ceiling, use the same devices.
Useful tips
In order for a hanging outdoor swing for a summer house on chains to last a long time, you should choose the right model and follow the care recommendations:
- For garden swings, it is preferable to choose an option that can withstand a load of 150 kg. In this case, both children and adults can use the swing.
- The garden swing is placed on a flat area in the shade. Otherwise, you will have to build an awning to protect from the sun.
- Also, do not install the swing in a low-lying area. If the site is constantly damp, both wooden and metal structures will quickly become unusable.
- There should be 2 m of free space in front and behind the seat.
- If the swing is installed on a soft surface - a lawn, special pads are used to give stability to the model.
- 2-3 times a year the swing is inspected, the hinges and working units are lubricated. The mechanical parts of the product should be disassembled and lubricated.
- Covers and awnings, if any, are washed at least once a season.
- The wooden parts of the swing are treated with antiseptics. It is advisable to open the wood with antifungal varnish. Metal parts are primed and painted once a year.
- For the winter, it is advisable to disassemble the swing and store it in a dry place.
Conclusion
It is not difficult to make a swing on chains with your own hands.Children's models, multi-seat adult models, and even a sofa swing are made using almost the same design. Even a beginner can make wooden ones. To build metal ones, you need skill in working with a welding machine.
