Build your own swing: DIY instructions in 5 steps

Trekassy US 08.March.2023 0 comments

There are often waiting times, especially with the swing, and after a child has had enough of swinging for the time being, the device is usually immediately occupied again before the swing has even come to a standstill. If you want to make your child very happy and have the necessary space on your property or in your garden, you can even build this popular piece of play equipment yourself. After all, depending on the distance, visiting the playground is not always possible. Read in the following sections how you can realize such a project. You will be surprised how much easier it is to implement than you would think.

Build your own swing: step by step

search location

The top priority when building a swing is the safety of the child. In this context, it is important to make some elementary considerations in advance and to include essential safety-relevant parameters in the planning. It starts with the right location. Here you have to make sure that no trees, bushes, fences, walls, clotheslines or other elements protrude into the swing radius of the swing.

As far as the underground is concerned, you should also pay attention to a very decisive factor. Even if a base made of wood or stone promises a stable stand for the swing, you always have to expect that your child might fall off. Under no circumstances should this happen with a hard floor. Serious injuries are inevitable here. Sand, gravel or bark mulch have proven to be much safer in this context. These absorb a possible fall much better and thus protect the child.

preparatory work

In the further course of the preparatory measures, it is also important to ensure that the swing is stable. If the playground equipment tips over or even collapses, it could have fatal consequences. From this point of view, first of all, stable materials should be used. Wood is still the raw material of choice for this. In the next step, you should fill or lay out the area provided for this purpose with the selected substrate material.

For the actual construction you need the following items:

4 round beams 3 meters long and 12 centimeters in diameter
2 round beams 1.5 meters long and also 12 centimeters in diameter
1 round beam 2.5 meters long and 15 centimeters in diameter
Suspension elements for the swing (e.g. hooks)
swing seat
ropes
10 threaded bolts 30 centimeters long and 12 millimeters in diameter
20 washers and nuts (M12)
grit and concrete
build rack

For the frame you should first dig 4 holes with a depth of approx. 50 centimeters, which form a square 2 meters apart. You then tip the chippings into these holes up to half the height. Remember that the chains for the seat should be at least 2 meters long. It is also advisable to set up the seat no more than half a meter above the ground so that your child can easily get on and off independently.

Further steps:

The 2 three meter long beams are placed on the ground and crossed at about 2.5 meters.
Connect the beams to the threaded bolts. (With washer and nut on both sides)
Connect the 1.5 meter beam vertically with both long beams, creating an optical "A". à The same with the other side.
Attach the suspension for the chains of the seat to the 15 cm thick beam that acts as the upper crossbar.
Set up the frame and fix it to the ground

Now it's time to position the finished frame correctly. To do this, it is necessary to fill the four holes in the floor, which have already been half-filled with chippings, with concrete up to the top edge. Now the frame is placed in the holes accordingly, aligned and held in position until the concrete hardens.

Attach swing seat

Now you are already on the home stretch. Finally, all that remains is to attach the swing seat.

Our tip: The 3in1 swing from Trekassy grows with your child. The baby swing seat can be converted into a chair swing with backrest and from the recommended 5th year of life into a board swing. A height-adjustable 3-point seat belt provides additional safety for babies.
Big children prefer nest swings, like these from Trekassy, because they are big enough for two people to swing or to lie on their backs alone.

If you don't have a ready-made seat available, you can quickly make your own. All you have to do is cut a board that is at least 5 millimeters thick to 30 x 25 centimeters and drill holes in all four corners into which the screws with steel rings are placed. These are now only connected to the ropes with stable hooks and your own swing is ready.

Alternative: tree swing

A so-called tree swing is also recommended as a popular DIY alternative. A branch that is at least 20 centimeters thick and is as parallel as possible to the ground is provided with 2 eyebolts that are at least 25 centimeters long and are secured with nuts above the branch. Snap hooks now connect the eyelet at the bottom of the bolts to the ropes for the swing. As far as the seat is concerned, the assembly is essentially the same as in the example above. Either way, you'll ultimately be rewarded for your work with the most valuable of currencies; namely the joyful sparkle in your children's eyes.

Tags :