There’s something about a swing that turns grown adults back into kids, and these 17 DIY swings prove you don’t need a playground budget to get that feeling. A DIY swing is any seat you hang yourself, from a single rope tree swing or a painted wood disk to a pallet daybed or a porch swing couch built from 2x4s, and most take a weekend with basic tools. Quick kid projects, like a skateboard swing, a wooden airplane and a ladybug tire swing, sit right next to the lazy ones, like a swinging bed made from an old trampoline. Whatever you build, the rope rating and the branch matter far more than the paint color (and yes, an adult should test it before the kids climb on). New to building? This simple porch swing is a great first project.
Table of Contents
- 1. DIY Outdoor Pallet Swing
- 2. Easy DIY Swing
- 3. Simple Porch Swing
- 4. Canvas Swing
- 5. DIY Outdoor Swinging Bed
- 6. DIY Pallet Swing Bed
- 7. Recycled Bucket Swing
- 8. Skateboard Swing
- 9. Bohemian Pallet Swing
- 10. Make Your Own Tree Swing
- 11. Front Porch Swing
- 12. Large Modern Porch Bench Swing
- 13. DIY Airplane Swing
- 14. Rope Swing
- 15. Outdoor Horse And Saddle Swing
- 16. Swinging Bed Made With a Recycled Trampoline
- 17. Ladybug Tire Swing
1. DIY Outdoor Pallet Swing
A DIY outdoor pallet swing costs about $30 and turns two shipping pallets into a hanging daybed. One pallet is cut in half to form the backrest, then both pieces are sanded well and given two coats of navy outdoor wood paint. Screws join the back to the seat, and nylon rope rated for heavy loads laces through drilled holes for extra support. Melt the cut rope ends with a lighter so they do not fray. Pick a very strong branch, since pallets are heavy.
Get the full tutorial at The Sorry Girls.
2. Easy DIY Swing
This easy DIY swing is just a round wood slab from the home improvement store, rope and spray paint. Sand the round lightly and drill a half inch hole in the center sized to your rope. No drill? Many stores let you use a display drill for free. Spray the whole disk white, tape off pie shaped sections and paint them in two shades of blue, then seal everything with several coats of poly. Thread the rope through and knot it underneath.
Get the full tutorial at Bower Power.
3. Simple Porch Swing
This simple porch swing reused boards from an old built in deck bench, so the only new purchases were one 2×4, rope and a few pieces of hardware. The free plan comes with a 3D drawing and a full cut list: a 2×6 frame with beveled cuts, short 4×4 corner posts, five 2×4 seat boards at 57 inches and 2×6 back boards and arms. It hangs on about 37 feet of 3/4 inch manila rope with eye screws, eye bolts and anchor shackles, then gets a deck stain.
Get the full tutorial at Simply Designing.
4. Canvas Swing
A canvas baby swing is a simple sewing project that saves money over shop versions, which can run more than $100. This one was made for a first birthday party, sewn so the right side of the striped fabric shows on both sides of the seat. Wooden dowels hold the seat open at the top and soft rope ties it to the frame. The source page is a party recap rather than a tutorial, and it links out to the sewing pattern that was followed.
Get the full tutorial at The Makerista.
5. DIY Outdoor Swinging Bed
A DIY outdoor swinging bed gives you a hammock you can actually stretch out and read on. This build replaced an old rotted deck with a wooden platform about the size of a twin mattress, hung inside a frame of four posts. The post holes went 30 inches deep and each post was set in concrete, then checked with a level as it cured. Part one covers demo and framing, and the full build took about two weeks with thick cushions and curtains to finish.
Get the full tutorial at Run To Radiance.
6. DIY Pallet Swing Bed
A DIY pallet swing bed is a budget friendly way to add a lounging spot to a covered porch or backyard. Reclaimed pallets form the platform and back, thick rope hangs it from the porch beams and a mattress, pillows and a throw turn it into a cozy reading nook. The key is balance: keep the ropes fastened evenly on every corner so it hangs level and swings smoothly. The page is a short reader submission with photos rather than a full plan.
Get the full tutorial at Pallet Ideas.
7. Recycled Bucket Swing
A recycled bucket swing turns a sturdy plastic bucket into a cozy seat for a toddler. Cut two leg holes low on the sides and trim the top into a curved back so the bucket wraps around a small child, then thread strong rope through holes near the rim and hang it from a branch or swing frame. The source is a short Portuguese photo post with no written steps, so check every cut edge and knot carefully before a little one climbs in.
Get the full tutorial at Bellart Atelier.
8. Skateboard Swing
A skateboard swing lets kids sit or stand, so it feels more like riding a board than a regular swing. The idea came from a playground maker’s prototype: an old skateboard deck hung from two ropes, with a wooden dowel handle strung higher up to hold onto. It is a great second life for a deck with worn wheels. The source page shares the idea and photos only, so you will need your own hardware and plans to build it safely.
Get the full tutorial at Built by Kids.
9. Bohemian Pallet Swing
A bohemian pallet swing brings a relaxed Mediterranean feel to a small garden. One pallet is hung flat from a sturdy branch with thick rope, its top painted cobalt blue to match a warm palette of blue, aubergine and copper. Pile it with patterned cushions to sit on, or leave it bare and use it as a hanging side table. Terracotta pots, bamboo, olive and lavender plants and an outdoor rug finish the look.
Get the full tutorial at Binti Home.
10. Make Your Own Tree Swing
Make your own tree swing from one 2×4 and one 1×2, plus at least 40 feet of rope rated for adult weight. Two 2.5 foot lengths of 2×4 are glued side by side with 8 inch pieces across the ends, then screwed and drilled for the rope at each corner. Double overhand knots hold the seat, quick links join it to the hanging ropes and a 1×2 bar higher up keeps the ropes apart. Sand and paint or seal the seat before hanging.
Get the full tutorial at A Beautiful Mess.
11. Front Porch Swing
Hanging a front porch swing safely starts above your head. This rattan swing can hold upwards of 800 pounds, so it has to hang from the ceiling joists, not the porch ceiling boards. When the joists were not where the swing needed to go, a 2×6 about four feet long was lagged into them with 6 inch lag screws. Two screw eye hooks go into the board, and the rope ties straight to the eyes. That lets you hang it anywhere along the board.
Get the full tutorial at Addison's Wonderland.
12. Large Modern Porch Bench Swing
This large modern porch swing couch is a free plan built from five 2x4s and eight 1×6 boards cut to 72 inches, and cedar fence pickets work too if you sand or plane them first. The seat frame is 69 inches long, wide enough to stretch out. Assemble the frame with longer exterior screws, two per joint, then add the arms, back supports and slats with shorter ones. The updated plan raises the back for comfort and to keep pillows in place.
Get the full tutorial at Ana White.
13. DIY Airplane Swing
A DIY airplane swing is a classic wooden kids’ swing that takes a few days and some planning. The body is two 1×8 boards curved at the nose using a 9 inch bowl as a template, with a 2×4 down the middle, 1×6 wings, seat and tail, a freehand propeller cut from a 1×3 and a dowel handlebar set in a 1 inch hole. Dry fit everything first, since the wing supports usually need trimming. Sand all edges smooth before staining or painting.
Get the full tutorial at Dunn Lumber.
14. Rope Swing
A simple rope swing needs only a round pine seat, a carabiner and about twenty feet of natural rope from the hardware store. Natural rope is the better pick because it will not stretch the way nylon does, and buying extra is smart. Drill a one inch hole through the center of the seat, stain it and research a safe knot for the branch end. The carabiner makes the swing easy to take down. Test it with adult weight first.
Get the full tutorial at Dukes and Duchesses.
15. Outdoor Horse And Saddle Swing
An outdoor horse and saddle swing gives a well worn leather saddle a new job. Instead of hanging the saddle alone, it sits on a wooden saddle rack with a hand drawn horse head cut out with a jigsaw, and three boards underneath add stability and hold the hanging hardware. Measure the saddle so the horse’s back leaves room to sit between the chains. Paint the horse in layers, distress it for a weathered look and seal it with several coats of outdoor lacquer.
Get the full tutorial at A Spotted Pony.
16. Swinging Bed Made With a Recycled Trampoline
A swinging bed made with a recycled trampoline reuses the frame ring and bounce mat of a broken trampoline. Pad the frame, cover the mat with a sheet and hang the circle from strong rope, indoors from a beam or outdoors from a sturdy tripod. To keep the frame flat you may need extra horizontal bracing, so test that before padding. Running the suspension ropes under the mat and up around the sides reduces sagging in the middle. Make sure ropes and beams can carry the load.
Get the full tutorial at Treehugger.
17. Ladybug Tire Swing
A ladybug tire swing is a cheerful twist on the classic tire swing. Start with an ordinary tire, spray paint it red, then add black spots and a smiling face with latex paint. Hardware and chain hang it flat from a tree house beam, so it spins as well as swings. Readers asked how the paint holds up outdoors, and the answer was plain spray paint for the red and latex for the black, so plan on touch ups.
Get the full tutorial at Grams.
