Clutch71
Member
Hey, everyone, I just finished building a swing and have been over analyzing what type of frame to build for it. This swing will be for adults and will be on the outskirts of a fire pit I finished earlier this summer. Just an FYI: typing in "adult swing" into google may or may not give you the results you are looking for. Anyhow, some background:
The swing itself is 6 feet wide with 2x4 frame construction and is pretty heavy. I am also pretty heavy at around 280 pounds, and the swing should hold 1.5 more people. The soil here is pretty much all clay. My yard slopes with the high side toward the north. Plan is to have the swing facing south. I tend to overbuild everything and here are my 2 options thus far:
OPTION 1: Two post swing with overhangs to match my pergola. Plan is to use two 12 foot tall 6x6 posts (cedar or PT, cedar would match the pergola better). Sink 3 to 4 feet in the ground and use 2 or 3 bags of Qwikcrete. Use a 4x6 connecting beam sandwiched between two 2x8 boards. Still playing with design, but am looking at notching the beam and have the outer 2x8's to sandwich it to the 6x6 and also act as an I beam. I may be over-engineering.
OPTION 2: A simple A-frame using four 4x4 legs with a 4x6 beam. Plenty of cross bracing (double 2 by boards at the top of the joint, somewhere around the midpoint and maybe even at the bottom. Due to the slope, I could bury part of the bottom connector). I've seen the metal brackets, but it seems like you could get the same sturdiness from a well designed joint where the legs pinch the beam and use galvanized hardware to tie it together.
The two post will probably look better. The A frame could be moved around.
Anyhow, thanks in advance for any suggestions. Will post up pics later.
The swing itself is 6 feet wide with 2x4 frame construction and is pretty heavy. I am also pretty heavy at around 280 pounds, and the swing should hold 1.5 more people. The soil here is pretty much all clay. My yard slopes with the high side toward the north. Plan is to have the swing facing south. I tend to overbuild everything and here are my 2 options thus far:
OPTION 1: Two post swing with overhangs to match my pergola. Plan is to use two 12 foot tall 6x6 posts (cedar or PT, cedar would match the pergola better). Sink 3 to 4 feet in the ground and use 2 or 3 bags of Qwikcrete. Use a 4x6 connecting beam sandwiched between two 2x8 boards. Still playing with design, but am looking at notching the beam and have the outer 2x8's to sandwich it to the 6x6 and also act as an I beam. I may be over-engineering.
OPTION 2: A simple A-frame using four 4x4 legs with a 4x6 beam. Plenty of cross bracing (double 2 by boards at the top of the joint, somewhere around the midpoint and maybe even at the bottom. Due to the slope, I could bury part of the bottom connector). I've seen the metal brackets, but it seems like you could get the same sturdiness from a well designed joint where the legs pinch the beam and use galvanized hardware to tie it together.
The two post will probably look better. The A frame could be moved around.
Anyhow, thanks in advance for any suggestions. Will post up pics later.
Around here I've seen them build from oil field pipe. And baseball back stops, goal posts, fences, you name it. They nearly hand you a joint of pipe when you move in.
