Do-it-yourself garden swing made of metal: drawings, dimensions, how to make it for children

Garden swings at the dacha or in the garden add variety to the relaxation of home owners. This relatively simple design pleases not only children, but also adults, who happily spend their free time on them, swinging in the fresh air. There are many ready-made options on the market - both simple and original, but if you look at the drawings of a garden swing made of metal, you can make them yourself. The main thing here is to familiarize yourself with the basic subtleties of the process and adhere to the manufacturing technology.

Pros and cons of metal swings for the garden

The high popularity of country swings made of metal with your own hands is due to a lot of positive aspects that are observed during their assembly and operation:

Long service life. Unlike wooden products, metal structures can last much longer if they are properly cared for.
Sufficient level of stability. Since metal swings have serious weight, they can quite adequately withstand any impact without the risk of deformation changes. In addition, the likelihood of such an installation being stolen from the site is extremely low.
High decorative qualities. The finished structure can be made taking into account the existing landscape design, and even become the highlight of a personal plot or cottage. A product decorated with wooden inserts, textiles, and plastic looks especially impressive.
Resistance to wind loads, sunlight, temperature changes.
No special care required. If initially the metal swing was made taking into account all the norms and requirements, then in the future it will be enough to simply clean it from dust.
Possibility of self-assembly. To make a yard swing from metal with your own hands, you need a drawing, consumables and desire.

Despite a whole list of advantages, metal products also have their weak points that must be taken into account before their manufacture and installation:

The need to form a foundation. This is due to the high probability of metal garden swings sagging into the ground.
The size of heavy products makes it difficult to move them to another place if the desire arises.
To increase the level of comfort, additional elements such as pillows and seat pads are required. Also, decorative items will help reduce the feeling of discomfort in hot or cool weather.
The need for special treatment of metal garden swings against corrosion.
The need for a welding machine and the skills to use it, since the connection with its help is considered the most reliable.
There is a risk of injury from the metal swing frame.

Preparing drawings

After all the preparatory steps have been completed, it is necessary to put the idea on paper. To do this, you need to understand what kind of swing design we will make.

Having decided on the design and type of swing, mentally imagine them in reality, as if you were already swinging on them. Now is the time to draw them. After completing the sketch, we recommend searching for similar options on the Internet. After all, the drawings can be either unique or those on which work has already been completed. It’s better not to “reinvent the wheel”, but to take ready-made options - this way you will save time and effort.

Below are several options for drawings with which you can independently build a swing for children.

Types of homemade metal swings

The design of a metal swing can be very diverse; there are many interesting options. But in the classic version, the product has an A-shaped rack, they are connected by a crossbar installed on top. To increase the degree of rigidity, use a jumper (for tightening).

There are swing configurations where such an element as a jumper is not used; the supports are made in an L-shape. A primitive solution is a U-shaped metal swing. But here it will be necessary to deepen and concrete the supports for stability. There are beautiful metal swings that are very different from ordinary ones; the seats can be hung from tree branches, or on the veranda - separately from the frame.

Metal swings are also divided into the following groups:

Stationary type, where there is a need for concreting supports.
A mobile variety, they are fixed to the surface of the earth either with reinforcement or anchors.

Depending on the size of the hand-made metal swings, they can be family (large) or children's.

Attaching the seat to the frame

It's time to start attaching the seat to the frame of the garden swing. There are two possible options: chains and ropes. The most reliable material is chains. The corresponding thickness of the metal section is 4 mm or 5 mm.

First you need to attach the chains to the 4 edges of the seat. We will do this using bolts and eye nuts. We attach carabiners to the ends of the chain. Next we connect the eye nuts with the carabiners. We attach chains to the top crossbar using rings welded to the central crossbar.

For rings, you should not choose too thin a material, since they will bear the main load. The minimum metal thickness for rings is 8 mm

Another reliable, but more complex way to install chains is to use hidden bearings on an additional center beam. Then we will need more materials, plus the design will become more complex. Often this mount is used on industrial children's swings.

To simplify the fastening method, it is enough to use a carabiner for fastenings. You need to drill a through hole in the central crossbar and secure the carabiner in this hole.

The method of attaching a rope or cable to the central beam is no different from the method of attaching chains. But, to attach them to the seat, it is enough to thread the ends through the drilled holes on the 4 edges of the seat and tie strong knots there.

What you need for a homemade metal swing

To weld a metal swing with your own hands, you need to prepare:

roulette;
building level;
grinder (hacksaw);
welding machine (mask, gloves);
electric drill with a set of drills for metal and wood;
screwdriver;
self-tapping screws for mounting polycarbonate sheets;
vice;
pliers;
hammer;
set of wrenches.

Supplies you will need:

metal profile (angle/pipes of various sections);
lumber for assembling the bench (timbers, boards);
bolts with semi-countersunk heads, equipped with washers and nuts;
suspensions with bearings;
chains;
carbines;
eye bolts made of galvanized or stainless steel for bench installation;
anchors for attaching the swing to the foundation (bent reinforcing bars);
for making a canopy polycarbonate sheet;
primer against metal corrosion;
metal paint;
stain and varnish for processing;
brushes for work.

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.

Metal swing design

To build a reliable structure that fits organically into the landscape design, you need to figure out which material is most suitable for this work. And also view photos of a metal swing made by yourself.

What metal is the swing frame made of?

For welded products, it is effective to use angles, tees, and round pipes. But the best option is the profile type, because they:

convenient to use;
due to the walls, stiffening ribs are formed (strength characteristics increase);
high level of resistance to mechanical damage.

If we consider profile pipes from the disadvantages side, we can only highlight:

difficulty in bending (special equipment required);
the use of effective measures to protect against corrosive changes is required.

To make an adult or children's swing from metal with your own hands according to the diagram, you should decide on the profile; it can be of various shapes. The most commonly used pipes are:

oval for the manufacture of bent swing elements (seats, armrests, arches);
square/rectangular are necessary for racks and spacers (parts with serious load);
flat for additional structural elements.

Metal swings can be mounted using racks that are concreted in the ground (stationary type) or attached to a frame using anchor bolts or reinforcement driven into the ground (mobile version). Portable products are especially relevant for seasonal use; they are easier to place indoors for winter storage.

If we compare in terms of stability, then A-shaped swings, which have a jumper at the bottom, are better than U-shaped ones, although the latter do not cause difficulties during assembly. Here, for reliability, deep digging with concrete pouring will be required. If a mobile swing is made, then L-shaped supports are used to increase the level of stability.

You can hang a metal swing bench, assembled with your own hands, by using:

clamps with hooks;
anchor bolts with loops, which are installed in holes made in the top crossbar;
ball bearings (to avoid squeaking, you need to lubricate them periodically).

Important!
To reliably and permanently connect profile pipes to the crossbar, it is necessary to use bearings. The seat of a hand-made metal swing is suspended using rope, chains, cable, and profile pipes. Each of these methods has both advantages and disadvantages that should be considered when choosing a specific option. Rope is a simple type of suspension, but not durable, the chain and cable are prone to rust, and painting them at the joints does not help.

Drawings of a homemade metal swing for a summer house

A review of the most common drawings of a device for swinging outdoors will help you decide on the choice of one or another version of a metal structure.

Swings for children up to 6 years old

The low weight of children makes it possible to make simple structures, which, as a rule, are assembled from pipes with a diameter of 50 mm. A drawing is first drawn up with the dimensions of all components.

For children, a design in the shape of the letter “L” is suitable, with a height of 1.5-2 meters. It is better to make it portable; to do this, a square-shaped base is welded to the bottom of the supports.

Clamp a metal rod in a vice and bend it into a hook shape. The length of such a pin is one meter, of which 50 cm is driven into the ground. Four fastenings are enough to stabilize the product and prevent it from tipping over.

Photo: children's swing made of round profile pipe. If a bearing is installed at the hinge joint, smooth running is ensured.

How to make a metal swing with your own hands

To make a structure that will both decorate the local area and help you take a break from the hustle and bustle, you need to choose only high-quality consumables and follow a certain technology.

How to make a swing from a metal profile with your own hands

This material perfectly distributes the load on the frame. To make a swing with a height of 1.8 m, a pitch width of 1.4 m and a crossbar size of 1.6 m, you will need a 55 mm profile pipe. The parameters of the bench are: width 0.5 m, distance from the ground 0.5 m and depth 0.35 m. The metal structure includes the following materials:

profile pipe for assembling racks (16 m);
metal corner (2 m);
edged board for bench;
metal loops (ears) for hanging the bench;
bearings (2 pcs.).

In order for the frame to have sufficient stability, it is necessary to dig holes for the supports and prepare the ingredients for the working solution: sand, water, cement, a container for mixing it.

The algorithm for assembling a swing involves performing the following actions:

Using a welding machine, make A-shaped side posts, maintaining a distance between them of 1.4 m. It should be taken into account that 50-60 cm of the posts will be dug and concreted into the ground.
Install the crossbar, on which the “ears” have already been welded to the side supports in advance.
Mount the bench frame by welding from metal corners. Attach the profile pipe for hanging the seat.
Using rope chains, attach the hanging part of the swing to the crossbar.

How to make a metal swing with bearings with your own hands

You can make a swing using bearings using a similar scheme as in the previous version. Only fix the hanging part on bearings installed on the main pipe of the upper lintel of the structure frame.

Another fixation option is to use end fastenings (to the side supports), or to the upper frame tube using bearing units.

Advice! To ensure secure fastening, it is recommended to secure the bearings with a lock nut.

How to make a swing from metal with forging

A forged swing in a dacha certainly gives it solidity, creating an atmosphere of wealth and success for the owners. Due to its heaviness, it is quite stable and can easily withstand bad weather and strong gusts of wind. But at the same time, this is a complex object that hardly anyone can make with their own hands without some experience and equipment. It is better to order such a design from professionals.

How to make a large metal swing with your own hands

Before calculating the metal for a swing, you need to determine the capacity of this recreational facility. So, for a married couple and one child, it is enough to make a bench 1.6 m wide. And to comfortably accommodate three adults, the bench should have a width of 180-200 cm. When drawing up a sketch of a garden swing made of metal, you also need to focus on the features of the existing landscape or room , where the recreation facility will be installed.

To make durable, but at the same time not bulky swings, use:

profile pipe with a wall width of 40-70 mm, thickness 1-2 mm (these will be racks and crossbars);
rectangular pipe with a cross section of 15-20 mm (lintels, frame for a bench);
wooden blocks 30×30 (for the bench);
for hanging the structure, rope, chain (load 250-300 kg);
6 pieces of eye bolts equipped with nuts and engraving washers (for hanging the bench);
paint for metal surfaces;
varnish for processing wooden blocks.

Important! To prevent negative consequences - a collision of the bench with the supports, it is necessary to maintain a distance between them of 0.35 m for rope, and 0.25 m for chains.

First, you need to cut 4 pipes 2.5 m long for arranging the racks and 1 pipe 2.1 m long for the crossbar. Then cut the edges of these elements at an angle of 30 ° C and weld them in pairs in the form of isosceles triangles.

Then you need to weld a horizontal jumper, moving 2 m from the top. Its size should be 1.038 m. Using a welding machine, attach the crossbar to the upper parts of the racks, which need to be spaced a couple of meters apart. The ends should protrude 50 mm on both sides. Cut one and a half meter long wooden blocks for the bench. They need to be sanded and varnished, then the bars must be fixed to the frame of the bench using bolts with a pitch of 20-25 mm. Depending on the size of the bars, the distance between them can be adjusted.

By using eye bolts, hang the bench from the crossbar, which are mounted in pre-prepared holes. Dig 4 holes on the site, the depth of which is at least 45-50 cm. Lay a layer of crushed stone, 10 cm sand on the bottom, install supports and fill them with a concrete mixture of 1 part cement, 2 sand and 3 water.

You can try the swing for stability after 3-4 days. Once completed they are painted.

How to make a metal swing with a canopy

This type of garden swing can be assembled in the same way as in the previous case, only here a canopy must be provided to protect vacationers from the scorching rays of the sun and precipitation. It is a rectangular structure made of a metal frame, jumpers and a sheet of cellular polycarbonate. The roofing material must be installed at an angle, otherwise water and snow will linger on the swing. After manufacturing, the visor is also welded at an angle to the top of the swing.

Important! It is necessary to install polycarbonate using special fasteners with sealing washers. To prevent dust and insects from entering, the end caps are covered with a polymer profile.

How to make a metal swing for two with your own hands

There are several ways to make a device for swinging two children, where one involves making a U-shaped object, and the other involves making a structure with A-shaped posts reinforced in the middle part.

Instructions with detailed description:

By using a drill, make holes for fastening. From the inside, to enhance the effect, use thick metal plates.
Fix the crossbar to the racks using bolts with locknuts and Grover washers.
Install the seat on suspensions.
The posts are concreted.

The swing can be secured either with bolts or using a welding machine. To equip the facility, a square metal profile with a side of 60 mm and a length of 3 m is used. After installation, the height of the structure will be 2 m, and 50 cm will be in the ground.

Rules for safe holidays

When using the swing, the following safety precautions must be observed:

Do not exceed the permissible load on the mechanism. This can lead to distortion and breakage of the structure;
It is not recommended to swing too much on the swing, as it may tip over or fail;
It is not recommended to sit on the product too sharply. This will lead to a violation of the strength of its foundation. It is also prohibited to jump or rock the seat from side to side on such products.

In conclusion, it is worth noting that garden swings with bearings can cause a lot of delight not only among small users, but also among adults. With them you can remember your childhood, swinging high or just relaxing in the garden on warm summer evenings.

Useful tips

In order for a DIY metal swing on chains or other suspension to serve for a long time and reliably, you must adhere to the following recommendations:

use high-quality consumables;
do not skimp on fasteners;
do not ignore treatment with an anti-corrosion compound;
treat wooden blocks with a primer;
use a canopy to protect from the sun and precipitation;
For comfortable use, sew soft decorative elements in the form of pillows, seats, covers using waterproof material and foam rubber.

In addition, for greater originality and attractive appearance, it is recommended to decorate the racks with patterns. Plant perennials around the swing, install a decorative fence, and arrange a children's play area.

Having a lot of positive characteristics, which cannot be said about other materials for assembling home-made structures, metal products require periodic and proper care. This is due to the risk of rust appearing on them.

It is necessary to inspect the garden object from time to time, clean rusty areas, and, if necessary, tint them. But first you should treat problem areas with a rust converter to prevent oxides from forming a protective film. And only then can you start painting the surface.

To avoid unpleasant squeaking, you should use oil. This technique allows you to extend the service life of the swing. It is advisable to store the chains in a dry room for the winter.

Peculiarities

If there are children in the family, having a swing is an excellent option for spending free time. There are a huge number of garden swings on sale. But assembling a structure with your own hands is always interesting and exciting. There are several types of metal garden swings that you can make with your own hands:

for the whole family (a massive structure consisting of a large bench that can accommodate young and old);
for children (small swings that consist of one or two seats, only a child can ride on them).