Just ask suzanne henninger who owns a weekend cottage in seaside florida where the front porch features a swing painted a cool blue.
How to support porch roof to support chair swing.
It is not your patio roof that will support your porch swing but the ceiling of your patio that must do the job.
Make sure that the support beam or joists in your ceiling will support the weight of the porch swing and its occupants.
Measure off the porch at intervals of 6 feet.
Build the support beams out of 2 8 lumber.
Hanging swings are often added to an outdoor porch or a favorite corner of a quiet room to create a comfortable retreat.
Before you purchase a swing you ll need to make sure you can safely hang it on your porch.
If you re unsure of your ceiling s strength have an experienced carpenter check it out.
If your patio does not have a ceiling then you must double or triple up rafters at the point where you intend to hang your swing.
This is the length in between each post.
If the swing is to be structurally stable you must bolt the support fasteners into the ceiling rafters and not just screw them into drywall or a wood ceiling.
Drill pilot holes through the beams and through the posts and lock them together tightly with 7 carriage bolts.
Only a joist can safely hold the weight of a swing with people on it.
Position a mounting bracket at one of the marks on the bottom of the porch.
Make sure the posts are plumb and check if the corners are square.
Stand a post up in the bracket and hold a level on its side.
Porch swings should be mounted into ceiling rafters for safety and stability.
With a helper or two hook the long chains onto the hangers in the ceiling or other support.
A porch swing isn t just a piece of furniture it s a state of mind.
This work will usually require a carpenter who is familiar with what is required as either end of the beam will also have to be supported.
Hop on sway for a bit and you re transported to a stress free zone.
Clamp the support beams to the top of the posts and use a spirit level to check if they are horizontal.
You can also attach four individual chains to each corner which might make your swing support stronger but requires drilling four holes in the ceiling.
Secure each short chain to the rear of the seat.