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.
A typical two person swing can be supported by a single 2 x 8 joist two 2 x 6 joists or three 2 x 4 joists.
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.
Measure off the porch at intervals of 6 feet.
Build the support beams out of 2 8 lumber.
Drill pilot holes through the beams and through the posts and lock them together tightly with 7 carriage bolts.
Position a mounting bracket at one of the marks on the bottom of the porch.
It is not your patio roof that will support your porch swing but the ceiling of your patio that must do the job.
Hop on sway for a bit and you re transported to a stress free zone.
A porch swing isn t just a piece of furniture it s a state of mind.
Secure each short chain to the rear of the seat.
Hanging swings are often added to an outdoor porch or a favorite corner of a quiet room to create a comfortable retreat.
The classic chain setup has two chains hanging from the ceiling that each split into two separate chains creating an upside down y shape which attach to the four corners of the swing.
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.
Clamp the support beams to the top of the posts and use a spirit level to check if they are horizontal.
With a helper or two hook the long chains onto the hangers in the ceiling or other support.
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.
Connect the short chain to the long chain on each side about 2 or 3 feet above the seat this is variable as desired using small s hooks or quick links.
If you re unsure of your ceiling s strength have an experienced carpenter check it out.
Only a joist can safely hold the weight of a swing with people on it.
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.
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.