Wooden porch swings can make a fantastic addition to your porch or pergola, providing you and your family with a beautiful backyard getaway.
However, buying a wooden porch swing isn’t entirely straightforward. There are a few things you’ll need to watch out for if you want a quality swing capable of serving your family for many years.
Choose the Right Wood
Choosing the right wood is paramount. If you don’t pay attention you’re likely to end up with pressure-treated pine, which won’t stand up to the test of time.
Pressure-treated pine tends to warp pretty quickly. It’s also treated with chemicals which could prove hazardous to your health.
There are even some woods that are even less appealing than pressure-treated pine. Whitewood, poplar, and oak all decay very quickly.
The swings you really want to avoid don’t even specify the type of wood that the manufacturer used. These are a bad bet because they’re almost always very cheap woods that may not even be appropriate for outdoor use.
Instead, look for ash, cypress, redwood, or cedar. Northern white cedar, in particular, carries clear advantages such as a natural resistance to both rot and insects. The smell is pretty lovely, too.
Pay Attention to Wood Thickness
Look for boards that are at least 3/4″ thick. Cedar boards are at their best when they are at least 1″ thick. Thicker boards make for more durable swings.
Look for Good Fasteners
You need fasteners which can withstand an outdoor environment. That means looking for stainless steels or dacrotized screws. Rust and decay will become real problems with any other kind of fastener.
Caring for Your Swing
In many ways your swing is a lot like your fence. It’s an outdoor product that’s made of wood, meaning it needs a little bit of extra care.
You can stain your swing the same way you stain your fence to help it withstand the elements. For a truly elegant look, make sure that the stain you use matches the one you used on your pergola or fence.
We install fences in Whitefish Bay, Shorewood, and the rest of the Milwaukee metro area. If you would like a new fence to go with your new porch swing call us today for a free estimate!
I did not realize how important it was to choose the right wood when installing a porch swing. Knowing that pressure-treated pine tends to warp quickly is helpful. Another thing to think about would be to seek professional help from specialists who use quality equipment to make sure the job gets done as efficiently as possible.