A bench can make a good tree swing.
A porch swing is essentially a bench without legs. You can convert a bench into a porch swing and hang the swing on a large tree limb, if the limb is strong enough to hold the weight of two adults. Large maple trees or oak trees work best. However, the limb you use should be at least 6 inches in diameter and free of defects. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
1. Drill a hole through the top front of the armrests and through the top back of the armrests of a bench with a hand drill and a drill bit large enough for you to slide your eye bolts through. In total, two holes are needed on each armrest.
2. Place eye bolts through the holes and secure them to the armrests with washers and nuts. Use a socket set to secure the nuts to the eye bolts.
3. Cut the legs off the bench. If the bench is wooden, use a wood saw to cut the legs off flush with the bottom of the bench. If the bench has a cast-iron frame, use a reciprocating saw to cut the legs off flush at the bottom of the bench.
4. Sand the rough edges off the cuts on the bench with a file. If the bench is wooden, apply a coat of polyurethane over the wood with a paintbrush to protect it.
5. Connect porch swing chains to the eyebolts on the porch swing. The chains look like a Y with two shorter chains connected to a longer chain. Connect the two shorter chains to the eye bolts on one armrest. Connect the second Y chain to the second armrest. Place the porch swing off to the side for now.
6. Measure the distance between the porch swing's armrests with a tape measure.
7. Secure a ladder under the tree limb where you want to secure the swing and transfer the measurement you took in the previous step to the limb.
8. Drill two holes through the top of the tree limb with a hand drill and a drill bit large enough for you to pass your eye bolts through. Use your transferred measurements as a guide.
9. Slide the eye bolts up through the bottom of the tree limb and secure them using the washers, nut and socket set.
10. Connect the Y chains to the eye bolts in the tree limb. If necessary, place a bubble level on the seat of the bench after you secure the first chain to the eye bolt on the tree. Most limbs are not level so you will secure different links in the chain to the eye bolts to create a level seat on the swing.
Tags: porch swing, tree limb, bolts through, armrest Place, armrests with, bench bench