Porch swings come very close to being the cure for the stress that is characterizing the lives of more and more people. Whereas in the past, porch swings were almost synonymous with country homes, nowadays you can find them almost anywhere; there are porch swings on suburban streets and in city homes. You can find a porch swing in Montana, New York, California and everywhere in between. Indeed, with the incredibly variety of porch swings around, there is no doubt you will find the perfect one to fit your available space and existing décor.
The most common porch swings are made of wicker or wood; you can get a pine porch swing, one of teak, maple, cedar, Brazilian cherry, cypress or an oak porch swing. Porch swings come in Adirondack seat back styles, rustic log designs, with painted finishes and decorative carved designs. Seat cushions are also available in a variety of types and are excellent ways to add both comfort and style to your porch swing; seat cushions intended for outdoor use are made with durable materials, such as acrylic fabrics, so you don’t have to worry about them fading or getting damaged. You should make sure your cushions are of this durable material even if your porch swing is covered.
If you choose to purchase a wood porch swing, you should stain or seal it before installation so that you can preserve the wood for as long a time as possible. Some wooden porch swings are made from pressure treated lumber; one of the most frequent complaints of these wooden porch swings, though, is that the wood turns green after prolonged exposure to the elements.
You can choose to purchase a pre-assembled outdoor porch swing or you can choose to build one yourself; when going for the latter option, you can opt for building a porch swing from scratch, using free porch swing plans, or from kits that you can purchase at your local home improvement or garden center or on the Internet, following other porch swing plans. Purchasing a wood working porch swing plan is becoming more popular as people want to both cut costs and take pride in their own work; even if you choose to download free porch swing plans, don’t hesitate to take a trip to your local home improvement center if the Internet offers you no suggestions for your wood working porch swing plan. Whatever option you choose, porch swings can increase the value of your house; indeed, there are certain real estate statistics that claim that houses with porch swings sell more quickly and at higher prices.
Natural wicker porch swings are recommended for covered areas; whatever wicker porch swing you choose can be touched up with a can of spray paint of any color you desire. Synthetic wicker porch swings (known as resin porch swings), vinyl porch swings, or all weather wicker porch swings can be placed pretty much anywhere without worrying if they are covered due to their weather-friendly nature. Vinyl wicker is extremely durable and requires minimal maintenance, and its light weight, rust resistant and powder coated finish make it an excellent choice for an outdoor porch swing.
If you are placing your porch swing in a covered area, make sure to install it by hanging it from the roof joists; if you don’t have a covered area from which to hang your porch swing, don’t despair. You can hang your porch swing from a sturdy tree or buy a frame from which to hang your porch swing in your garden. In fact, there are various accessories that can help you hang your swing from all different places; you can find bolts that screw into non-flat surfaces, like a tree branch. You can also find swing springs that are added between the porch swing hangers and the swing chains and that add bounce to the swing.
If suspended porch swings aren’t for you for whatever reason (no space or you just don’t want to do any hanging) but you’re determined to have the porch swing experience, you can opt for a glider; this is a simple bench that sways and is small enough to fit in compact spaces. Whether porch swings or gliders fit better in your space, either one will provide you with hours of relaxation bliss.
Porch swings are safe if a few rules are respected. First, you must be sure to install them in a place that has enough strength to support the weight of the swing, plus the weight of anyone sitting on the swing. Also, you must be absolutely certain that children are never allowed to stand on porch swings; not respecting this rule can lead to serious injury.
