We are now swingers (plus two giveaway winners)

How is that title for shamelessly luring you into reading this post? The truth is we are now swingers … porch swingers, that is.

I’m embarrassed to admit how long this lovely porch swing has been sitting on the side of our wraparound porch, waiting to be hung. My sister and brother-in-law gave it to us as a Christmas present a few years back.

It really didn’t take that long to install. It was just a matter of figuring out exactly where we wanted it. And I had to purchase a chain set to complete the project. Do you have any projects that probably wouldn’t take long to finish, yet you’ve been putting them off? Why do we do that? 😉

Anyway, here are a few porch swing hanging tips that were helpful to me in figuring out how to install our swing. Perhaps they’ll be helpful to you if you need to embark on a similar project.

1. Start by deciding on the position of the porch swing. If there is a wall or rail behind the swing, be sure to allow enough clearance to avoid striking it when the swing is in motion. The consensus among pros is to allow at least 2.5 feet (3 feet is even better).

 Information from Prowell Woodworks

As far as height off the floor, the folks at This Old House recommend using 17 inches as a starting point, then adjusting from there.

2. After deciding on the position of the swing, install the chains. Hanging chains can be stainless or galvanized steel. If you prefer the look of rope, make sure it is marine-grade braided nylon or polyester, and be sure to inspect it regularly for signs of wear.

We picked up a porch swing chain set from Lowe’s, which took all the guesswork out of figuring out which pieces we needed to buy. The chain set included pretty much everything, even the hooks that screw into the ceiling joists.

If you want to purchase your pieces separately, or create something a little more custom, this site has some helpful information on what you might need.

Note: You’ll want to make sure your swing is being mounted to framing of sufficient structural integrity. A single 2×6 joist is probably not enough. Ours was a 2×10.

3. Hang your swing and enjoy! To view a quick video tutorial on the swing-hanging process, click here.

On a different note, I am proud to announce the winners of the $50 Duluth Trading Co. gift cards! But before I do, I just want to offer a great big “Thank you!” to all of you who submitted comments about the great guys in your life.

I wish I could give each and every one of you a gift card. I was absolutely blown away (and a little choked up) by all the beautiful memories and advice you shared. In fact, I’m planning on publishing an inspirational Father’s Day post later this week that will include some of my favorite comments. You won’t want to miss it!

The winners of the gift cards are:

1. Barbara (who has battled cancer four times) writes, “When I was 13, I was diagnosed with cancer and lost my hair. My Dad, who is almost bald, told me that God only made a few perfect heads, on the rest he put hair. It made me feel a little better and Dad and I got a lot closer during this time.”

2. Megan writes, “My dad always made me feel so special watching him see all of his daughters singing praise songs on stage together. He would tell me he has the three prettiest girls in the world and it’s the best blessing he could have to know his girls love the Lord and are serving him. I think about how much I would want that as a parent and I’m so proud to be his daughter. As for a special saying that “stuck” in my brain it would have to be, ‘That’ll learn ya, dearn ya!'”