Help with Swingset

[AndyM]

bmac,

Some of the best swings are the cheapest and easiest.

Eddie

That third swing you posted there Eddie is pretty nice.
I guess I'm still a big fan of sturdy double-walled plastic, in colors that won't fade, peel, or chip.

 

[bmac]

Andy,

Most folks put up a little plastic or metal swingsets for their kids. Some will build something like I did, or maybe more elaborate with towers, slides, ladders, etc. Not Eddie. He built a swing with a WHOLE HOUSE attached.

 

[AndyM]

Not Eddie. He built a swing with a WHOLE HOUSE attached.

I guess they do everything bigger in Texas, don't they?

 

[EddieWalker]

Not Eddie. He built a swing with a WHOLE HOUSE attached.

bmac,

Thanks for the laugh!!!

Eddie

 

[bmac]

OK, as promised, here are the pictures of the final swingset project. Well, not totally finished as I need to put a a border around it and fill it with mulch.

The first is from behind the swing set, looking toward the back of the house (which I'm sure you folks would have figured out on your own).

 

[bmac]

The next 2 are from each end. The specs (again) are : the main swing beam is PT 4x6, 16 feet long. The A-frames are PT 4x5, 12 ft. long. The A-frames are 12 ft apart, leaving a 4 ft cantilever off one end to support the little disc swing thingy. I didn't measure the final heigth of the swing beam, but its dang high.

 

[bmac]

The final picture is taken facing the swingset as if looking from the house. What I like about this view is that is shows how unobtrusive the swingset is. Blends right in with the trees.

I do have plans to modify this design a little. While it is rock-solid in a front-to-back direction (my wife and I swinging at the same time did not cause the legs to lift up at all, even before I set the ground anchors), there is some play side-to-side if you push / pull on the A-frames. Those metal angle brackets just can't handle the 12' legs of the A-frame. So, I'll do some additional bracing someday to help stabilize it. As it is now, it's perfectly functional and safe. I just want less side-to-side sway.

Thanks to all who offered their ideas / assistance with this project.

 

[EddieWalker]

Hi bmac,

I'm glad you brought up the side to side sway. I was thinking about it when I saw your first pictures and was trying to figure out how to bring it up myself.

One of the unfortunate truths about wood is that if it moves when you first build it, it will move even more over time.

I copied your picture and highlighted the chain positions. Because of them and there movement, you are limited to one place that I can see to brace it. The cantelevered section looks to have enough space for a very secure brace that will lock it all together.

You could use lumber and put in at an agle. Something like a pair of 2x6's will probably work, but if it was me, I'd get half a sheet of exterior grade, half inch plywood. Not OSB, or anything else. Cut it in half diagnally and bolt it to the posts and beam. Use both pieces and install them in mirror image of each other. You might be ok with six bolts per piece of plywood, but four would be allot better. For fun, I'd probably use a tube of exterior grade liquid nails.

A solid triangle will lock the entire structure into place permanently.

Eddie

 

[bmac]

Eddie,

Thanks for the engineering advice. I've done some very CRUDE drawings of what I had planned to do. Feel free to critique them.

First, on the cantilever end, I was going to take a 4x4 with ends cut at the same angle as the legs of the A-frame and lag bolt between the legs towad the top of the A-frame. From this I would lag bolt another 4x4 that would run to the underside of the beam.

 

[bmac]

On the opposite end, I was thinking of putting another 4x4 between the legs of the A-frame. However, here, I would run another log 4x4 down toward the ground at an angle. I would make this 3rd leg long enough to bury in concrete.

The 2nd pic is a straight-on view of the same idea.