Build a Swing Set

wjmst · Jun 16, 2014

I am looking to build a basic swing set that will hold two swings and then later on one "porch" type swing when the two individual swings are no longer used.

I am thinking of using the following (all pressure treated):

2 - 4x4x8 posts cemented 2 feet into the ground.
2 - 2x6 (maybe 8) x12 for a header on top
some 2x6 for corner braces
I am not sure what size wood on top of the headers to use to attach the swings though. Maybe another 4x4 sandwiched between them?

Any thoughts or pictures of what you built for a basic swing set?

Thanks

ace10 · Jun 16, 2014

Are you talking about doing an A frame on each end, or just a single post?

TnWV · Jun 16, 2014

Here is the one I built for my daughter 3 years ago. The top 4X4 is 12' and works well with 3 swings. The 4X4 on top flexes a little with 2-3 kids swinging on it and I wish I had used a 4X6 or I couple 2X10's. I have recently squired a slide and plan to build a platform on one end for it and will upgrade the header at the same time. I built a-frame ends because I wasn't exactly sure where I wanted to put it, so it needed to be movable. So far it works great for my almost four year old and 8 month old.

EddieWalker · Jun 16, 2014

An 8ft long post set in the ground isn't going to give you enough height for a swing. Where you planning on setting it several feet in the ground?

An A frame on either side is going to be a lot stronger, but if it's just for casual use, I would drill a 12 foot long 6x6 into the ground three feet and set with concrete. How far apart are you wanting the posts? If it's 8 feet or less, I would just go with a 4x6 on top of the posts and bolted together with some Simpson metal brackets.

Eddie

wjmst · Jun 16, 2014

Thanks for the quick replies.

I would use just a single post on each end. Casual use for two children. The ground slopes where I am going to install the swing, so I figured 6' high would be enough, but may have to reevaluate the height. The width would be between 8 and 12 feet.

TnWV's picture is pretty much what I was looking for except not the A-Frame design. Just one post cemented into the ground on each side.

ace10 · Jun 16, 2014

You can do it with a single post on each end, but not at the dimensions you're suggesting.

Once you figure out your header clearance, I'd expect to sink a 6X6 PT *at least* four feet deep. The deeper, the better. If you're going up ten feet, I'd go down six. Even small kids will exert large loads on these posts. You mentioned a porch swing at some point (perhaps a load of 4-600 lbs ++), that will create some serious forces.

You didn't mention the span. But I'd go with 4X6 or 6X6 if we're talking about no more than 10-12 feet. Use the proper galvanized bracket. Then scab on some smaller dimension lumber to cradle the beam. This lessen the twisting forces being exerted on the brackets.

$0.02

debo1683 · Jun 16, 2014

I am in the middle of building a swing set/play house for my kids. It is a little more 'elaborate' than what you are describing, but if it were me doing what you described, I would sink 6x6's. I used 4x4's for the platform with the playhouse on ours, I had to do quite a bit of bracing to keep it from swaying. I used one a-frame for the swingset(the other end is attached to the playhouse), and a 4x6 for the header. The a frame is built with 12' 4x4's and was placed on very un-level ground. I used 2x4's bolted to help brace the a-frame. I havent put swings on yet, but I can hang from the header and bounce up and down with very little movement. I am 215 pounds ...

Here is a picture of ours...

zing · Jun 16, 2014

I built this one in 2005, and it is still in pretty well perfect shape. Only thing I had to do was replace the "monkey bar" and ladder dowels since they got weak and a couple broke after 6 or 7 years. The two beams across the top should be enough to hold a porch swing and will give you the two attachment points that many porch swings need. If it helps you for scale, the fence behind it is just barely over 6' high.

I used double 2x8's to serve the dual purpose of swing set support and also monkey bars. You can't see them in this picture, but the same dowels that make a little ladder on the side also go across the top between the two 2x's. This helps teach negotiation and conflict resolution skills to children, since the one crossing the monkey bars gets yelled at by the ones trying to swing. They also provide a good base of support for children who want to climb onto the roof of the playset house and freak out their mother.

The triangular bracing on the bottom does a good job of stabilizing it. I have had b-day partys with over a dozen kids and this place doubles as the "Dew Drop Inn" so it gets regular workouts. Not to mention what havoc older teenage cousins can cause. It was moving around a bit when I first built it, but I drove six PT 2x4's about 2-3 feet down with the sledge and just screwed the three footer planks into those. That solved that problem. You can just see the top of one of the 2x4's anchors in the corner in this picture right behind Miss Attitude.

piller · Jun 23, 2014

wjmst said:
Any thoughts or pictures of what you built for a basic swing set?

Thanks

I built a basic swing set for less than $20 in less than 2 hours and my kids loved the thing, they wore out the grass underneath it wherever we put it. The swingset was light enough for two people to easily move it and strong enough to support a 200+ lb adult. The swingset was stable in both directions, for a while we had a rope swing and seat suspended from the middle and you could go around in circles.

Materials: Four 10' long 2x4's (legs), two 8' long 2x4's (horizontal top pieces), two hinges, and some plywood pieces.

The frame consists of two sections which are joined together at the top with a pair of hinges.

Each section had two 10' 2x4's as legs and an 8' 2x4 as the top piece. The legs are splayed out from the top piece, so the connection to the top piece is not a right angle, it is closer to 120 degrees. The top end of the leg 2x4 did not connect right at the end of the top 2x4. The top end of the leg 2x4 was located perhaps 12" in from the end of the top 2x4. I laid out each section flat on the ground and then used plywood pieces to make the leg to top connections.

After making two identical sections I used a pair of hinges to connect the two sections together at the top.

You can then stand it up and pull the legs from one section away from the other like an A frame.

Our swingset once blew over in a storm, it was not damaged at all. The frame is light and the sheathing used for the leg to top connections caught the wind. We never felt the need to anchor it down but that could easily be done.

It was easy to move for mowing the spots where the legs were (no weed eating) or to move to a new spot to let the grass recover.