C.J. Braden • 2 Minute Read
Pre-Hurricane Ian, I had an idea to add a swing to our front porch. It is a long and skinny coastal home porch on Sanibel Island, Florida, so a simple swing seemed like the best option over bulky outdoor chairs.
Our finished porch swings
I originally had an idea to turn a canoe or some sort of old boat into a swing and was looking for the perfect one the weekend before Ian hit in September 2022. Good thing I didn’t find one, as Ian would have probably blown it away.
Our Sanibel porch, post hurricane cleaning
Check out our Haint Blue Porch Ceiling project on our Pinterest account: @carolynjbraden
Now that we are back on Sanibel after our long, necessary evacuation period with family in Indiana, we have so many things to take care of, so my boat swing creation has had to be placed on the back burner, for now. Instead of a boat swing, I thought a basic wood swing may be a nice solution for a porch swing.
The wood swings we chose
Our front porch overlooks our large yard that is aligned with palms and flowering trees that bring lots of butterflies and birds around. After we cleaned our yard for about a month and had some professional help to shape up our previously beautiful landscaping, I envisioned sitting on the porch in a quiet moment, allowing myself to swing a bit and observe all the creatures and plant life around.
The clothesline hooks we used to hang the swings
Swings would allow me to reconnect to the new beauty we are bringing back to Sanibel in a fun, child-like way, which is something even adults need in their lives! Especially after a traumatic life event, like Hurricane Ian was. We are fortunate to even have a porch still attached to a house, as many on Sanibel were not as fortunate.
Our house, still in progress post Hurricane Ian
You’ll see in one of our photos that our roof is wrapped still (we are still waiting on insurance to pay for a much needed new roof) and so much more, but at least our porch is looking better with all the clean-up we did, as the siding that remained on our home was covered in so much debris and we pressure washed it for hours! I knew after all the cleanup, the swings would add a cute, playful touch to our home, and I was right.
Lining up the wood swing project
I contacted the sweet folks at Nature’s Envoy after doing some research on their wooden tree swings and they sent me a swing to test. I loved them so much, I ordered two more and paid for them myself. Their quality is extremely excellent and definitely well-priced considering what I would have paid for supplies to make my own.
Installing the clothesline hook for the wood swings
They are made of a quality beech wood that is double-coated with a non-toxic nitrocellulose primer and vegetable oil top coat to withstand the outdoors. Sealed wood is extremely important when you want to prevent splinters!
Hanging the wood porch swings
The swings are called wooden tree swings, but they can be hung on a porch as I did, in a tree, or even inside a house (in maybe a kid’s room, perhaps). In my research, I learned that Nature’s Envoy had the swings tested and certified for ASTM F1148-21 (Standard Consumer Safety Performance for Home Playground Equipment) and is free of lead and phthalates.
Adjusting the wood porch swings
They have polyester ropes are smooth and soft to touch so tiny fingers won't get pinched, yet are not slippery and provide a better grip. I knew a polyester rope would also last longer in our salty environment too, as I learned with our coastal mailbox makeover project.
My husband enjoying his wood swing installation
The swing has a slightly curved seat with open slats that provide a snug and comfortable fit so small bums won't slide out. PLEASE NOTE: the swing is recommended for children ages 3+ and holds up to 220 lbs. While it is great for children, many adults that fit the weight specs would fit comfortably in the swing. My husband and I both fit in it well and feel comfortable.
Measuring the wood porch swings
If you are planning to get some wood swings like these for your home, here’s how we did it:
Supplies we used:
· Three Nature’s Envoy Wood Tree Swings
· Six 4 3/16” Clothesline hooks (we got ours at a local hardware shop)
· Drill
Because we were hanging our swings outside, we purchased two 4 3/16” clothesline hooks for each swing. They come with carabiner clips so you could loop the ropes around a branch and use the clips, but we wanted hooks as we knew we could not swing high on them (as the porch spacing won’t allow for it) and we wanted to be able to take them down easily in the event of more windy weather, like Hurricane Ian.
Completed wood porch swing project
If you are using these with children who will swing higher than many adults, you could use an eye hook and the included carabiner clips if you plan to hang them inside a bedroom or on a porch.
To start the installation, my husband found secure beams on our porch and measured out a space for three swings. He then used a drill to create a hole for the hooks. Once the hole was drilled, he started screwing the clothesline hook into the hole by hand, and finished by using a screwdriver to help him screw it in as tightly as possible.
Enjoying a porch swing moment together
He then looped the swing ropes onto the hooks and used the swing’s adjusters to make each swing a certain height off the floor. He used a measuring tape to ensure each swing was even. The adjusters are super easy to use, so they could be readjusted as many times as needed for different heights of children or adults.
Enjoying my porch swings
Overall, they were a super quick and easy solution for my porch swing concept. My time is limited with having to make so many home repairs, so I would recommend these for anyone that is short on time or doesn’t have the DIY skillset to create their own swings.
Everyone needs a peaceful swing moment
I love the look they gave my porch. It adds that beach-vacation vibe that we keep trying to bring back to our home and Sanibel Island, in general. They’d be cute with some macramé tassels attached, which I may create and add in the future. Even my dog, Johnny Cash, now stops in front of the swings after his walk and requests (in his doggy way) to be swung. I pick him up and share a sweet swinging moment with him and it is awesome.
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C.J. (Carolyn) Braden is a regular contributor and editor for Carolyn’s Blooming Creations. She has been featured in numerous media publications such as InStyle Magazine, on HGTV, on Bustle.com, and more. She is the author of the books Georgia McMasters in Amethyst Lake Cemetery, How To Be Yourself: 3 Ways To Help You Being You, and the illustrator for the children’s book Bridging Connections. She is a former classroom teacher that now dedicates her life to educating others on how to live their most healthy, creative and happy life. Learn more about her visiting our About Us page.