When I was a kid, I would spend as much time outdoors as possible.
Whether running through the sprinkler, helping my dad mow the lawn, or just relaxing on the front porch, I loved the outdoors. My brother and I would even try to outdo one other by running around and catching as many fireflies as we could.
When the weather was beautiful, my family and I would sit on the porch sipping lemonade. But when I saw this incredible DIY project, I knew those nights relaxing on the porch could've been even better.
I discovered these awesome porch swing plans on A Beautiful Mess, where last time I found Joshua's awesome fire pit bench project. This time around, Joshua builds a beautiful swing for the front porch. Such a good idea!
This really cool porch swing made me wish I had one when I was a kid. It sounds like the perfect addition to the house, making gorgeous summer nights even more relaxing.
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Joshua used his sketching and mathematics skills to come up with a plan before he got started.
Joshua wrote, "It really only takes about a day to make, so if you start tomorrow morning you could be swinging by tomorrow evening!"
After cutting out the sides, Joshua attached 26 brackets in nice straight rows and made holes with a drill in order to tie rope to the swing later.
He then attached the wood slats by inserting them into the brackets and screwing them in.
Joshua wrote, "They fit pretty snugly, so I screwed a piece of scrap wood on one end of my work bench so I could hammer the other end of the swing."
Joshua's swing was already in great shape. He could've stopped and hung it right then, but he decided to take it one step further!
He sanded the bench and decided to paint it a fresh coat of white. He even used a box he had laying around to balance the swing on!
Finally, it was time to move to the porch. Joshua installed two heavy duty screw hooks in the ceiling of the porch.
Using his spare box for balance, he hung the swing from the hooks. "I used rope. Make sure the weight rating is substantial. The one I chose is rated for over 600 lbs."
For his final step, Joshua securely tied the rope to the ceiling hooks and the swing.
Joshua now has the perfect porch swing for beautiful summer evenings. As Joshua puts it, you can "swing your nights away."
High-quality porch swings sometimes retail for several hundred dollars. Instead, he was able to build it for a fraction of the price!
Joshua admits he was a little hesitant when he first tried the swing. "It felt great (and a bit scary) when I sat on the swing for the first time. After two of us sat on it, I knew it was good to go."
Please SHARE if you also think that DIY projects like this are a great idea.
