Weekend Project: Build a Swing

by Ann Hayward 04/05/2020

Image by Lars_Nissen_Photoart from Pixabay

A porch swing lends wistful ambiance to your home.  Below are a few options on how to construct your own porch swing from 3 wood pallets, which local stores may be able to give you free of charge.  Upcycling materials keeps useful scraps out of landfills and saves money.  In addition, your weekend project will be all the more treasured because you can design it yourself and tailor it to the style of your home.  Take a look at these ideas:

4-Foot Bench Swing

You’ll need to harvest wood from around 3 pallets.  For the frame of the swing you’ll need pieces trimmed to sizes similar to the following:

3 4-ft lengths of 2x4

4 18-in lengths of 2x4

4 19 3/4-in lengths of 2x4

2 11 1/4-in lengths of 2x4

2 22 1/2-in lengths of 2x4  

1 45-in length of 2x2

Beyond these, harvest as many slats around 2 ft long and 4 ft long from the pallets as you can to fill in and support the frame.  

Using 2 of the 4-ft 2x4’s as the long sides of the swing’s seat, stand them up on their sides and connect them using 2 of the 1.5-ft 2x4’s, also on their sides, completing the rectangle.  Add the other 2 1.5-ft 2x4’s for support, laid flat and equidistant from the sides and each other.

Position the 45-in 2x2 down the center and attach it to the inside of the 2x4’s. 

Build the back rest with the third 4-ft 2x4 forming the top edge and the 4 19 3/4-in 2x4’s laid flat and attached to it at the same distances as the 1.5-ft seat supports.  Secure the open ends of the 19 3/4-in 2x4’s to the edge of the seat.

Attach each 11 1/4-in 2x4 to a 22 1/2-in 2x4 at a right angle to form the armrests, then attach ends to the seat corners and midpoints of the back rest edges.

Fill in the frame with evenly-spaced slats across the back rest and the seat.  Use 4 long screws with eyeholes at the end and attach in the vertical edge of the back rest near the top and on the seat edge near the corner on each side.  

Use primer before painting, then finish with a weather-resistant coating.  

Simple Half-Pallet Swing

For a simpler method, cut a pallet in half long-ways.  Set the back rest portion on top of the edge of the seat portion and attach.  Using harvested slats from a second pallet, you can lay down another layer of wood for a sturdier seat as well as a more finished look.  Use another 4 harvested slats to build armrests, connecting them at right angles and affixing them onto the sides of the seat and back rest.  

Daybed Porch Swing

If you’re looking for a cross between a porch swing and a hammock, use one entire pallet for the seat/base of your swing and a section of a second pallet or harvested slats from one to add a back rest.  This makes a luxurious daybed swing you can decorate with accent pillows.

Home Improvement
Upcycled
Decor
About the Author
Author

Ann Hayward

Born in Philadelphia and raised in the suburbs, Ann Hayward got her Pennsylvania real estate license at age 18 even before going to college. This second-generation real estate professional followed in the footsteps of her father and two uncles, inheriting their passion for the business. Licensed in DC, Maryland and Virginia, Ann is accomplished in her career, with numerous designations including SFR, SRES, PSA, WHC, and multiunit Housing Development Finance Professional (HDFP) from the National Development Council. She specializes in Prince Georges and Montgomery Counties, Northern Virginia and Washington, DC, all jurisdictions where Ann has lived and knows very well. In addition to her professional expertise, she owns and manages personal investment property, understands and has been involved in the renovation/remodeling process, and has great resources which she shares with clients. When you hire Ann to represent you, she will make your buying or selling experience an enjoyable, rewarding one. Her compassion, sensitivity to her clients’ needs, eye for detail, and ability to see the big picture when guiding you through a purchase or sale are unique assets that will ensure your success. A diverse and relevant background also gives Ann a distinct edge. For 30 years, she worked in fast-paced, high-pressure television and theatrical production, attaining the highest achievement – DGA membership as a Director, and as an award-winning staff and freelance writer. Her keen audio visual skills and design sense benefit sellers in marketing their properties, and are invaluable in helping buyers see the potential of space. A true renaissance woman, Ann was also an income tax professional and office manager for H&R Block, so she thoroughly understands the tax and financial implications of acquiring and selling real estate. Her superior organizational skills are further evidenced as owner of a downsizing/professional organizing business, Managed For You, which allows her to connect with everyone from millennials to boomers and seniors, whether for small space planning or assisting with major decluttering and transitioning. Ann holds an AB in American History from Simmons College, Boston, plus attended Robert Wagner Graduate School of Public Administration where she was a candidate for Doctorate. She additionally studied Film Direction at the American Film Institute in LA, and was a Stanford University post-graduate Professional Journalism Fellow. Personally, Ann is an avid if not very good golfer, and the co-founder of a nonprofit 501c3 organization offering educational guidance, tutoring and counseling for youngsters from elementary school through college admission. She sits on the board of trustees of a nonprofit educational film production corporation as well. (202) 494-6252 [email protected]