At Upstate Amish, we offer a selection of high quality porch swings perfect for relaxing and enjoying the outdoors. Our poly wood swings are highly sustainable, durable, and long lasting. Each is handmade by Amish expert woodworkers in Ohio.
If you have any questions about our porch swings, don't hesitate to reach out. Contact us via our website, call, or visit us in person at our store in Seneca, SC.
Below, we will give a simple guide on how to hang a porch swing. We will also highlight our favorite swings and explain why poly is the best material for them.
How to Hang a Swing on a Porch
The first step in how to hang a porch swing with rope or chain is to make sure you have the right space for it. Porch swings should only hang from a joist, a sturdy horizontal beam in the ceiling. Ensure that this area isn't carrying too much weight already. For example, it isn't a good idea to install a porch swing under a joist also supporting a grill on the deck above.
Before you drill pilot holes, ensure the ceiling joists have no signs of rotting or cracking. Hanger kits or other hanging hardware are suitable for installing a porch swing. These can include eye bolts or eye screws. Make sure the hanging hardware can support at least 500-600 pounds of weight.
The ceiling hooks to attach the chains should be a few inches wider than the length of the swing. After the correct hooks are in place, attach the swing to the porch ceiling and enjoy your new furniture.
How Much Clearance do you Need for a Porch Swing?
An important factor in hanging a swing for your porch is the amount of space necessary. If there isn't a proper amount of space, the swing can bump against the walls surrounding it. This can lead to dents and scrapes for both the furniture and the wall.
We recommend leaving three or four feet of open space behind and in front of the swing. This allows for a gentle swinging motion without damage. As for the sides, we recommend at least 14 inches of clearance on each side of the swing.
From the floor, the swing should sit about 17-19 inches or higher. This places the swing at the perfect height to sit down in. Be sure to not position the swing too close to the floor, as that could complicate things.
This amount of space will work well for most users. However, if children often use the swing, extra precautions are a good idea. Setting up a foam bumper or safety pad along the back and sides of the swing will help minimize damage.
Our Favorite Porch Swings
We offer four unique styles of poly wood porch swings. Aside from the Sawbuck style, each is available with a central settee with cupholders. This settee seamlessly folds out from the middle of our five foot swings.
Each of these styles also has matching chairs and benches or loveseats. Some are also available as a swivel glider at varying heights. Build a matching porch set with any of these high quality outdoor designs.
Sawbuck Cushioned Porch Swing
The Sawbuck is our most comfortable option with large cushioned seats. The high quality, durable fabric is perfect for outdoor furniture. The arms of this style feature an X design that matches other outdoor pieces. Create a cohesive collection with our Sawbuck swing, chairs, coffee table, and end tables.
Comfort Back Porch Swing
The Comfort Back offers neck and lumbar support unlike our other options. It also has a modern look because uniform, small boards blend from the seat to the back seamlessly.
Gateway Porch Swing
The Gateway style is more traditional. It features a large arch over the back of the chair with thin, vertical boards beneath it.
Adirondack Porch Swing
The classic Adirondack style also makes an excellent porch swing. It features deep seats and an arched back with boards in a fan pattern.
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Premium Poly Lumber for Porch Swings
Our porch swings are 100% poly wood and handmade by Amish experts. We source the material from Tangent Sustainable Lumber, and then our woodworkers craft it into stylish pieces. The eco friendly production process results in a highly dense and durable porch swing.
Sustainable
Poly lumber consists of recycled plastic like milk jugs and detergent bottles. This reduces plastic waste heading towards landfills. It also avoids the use of natural resources, unlike wood and metal furniture.
Poly wood is sustainable throughout its entire life. It makes outdoor furniture that lasts for decades. This means consumers buy and throw away less furniture over time, which also lessens landfill waste.
At the end of its lifetime, poly wood furniture is 100% recyclable. Simply find a nearby recycling facility that accepts HDPE. This quality makes poly lumber infinitely recyclable, which is excellent for the planet.
Durable
Aside from being incredibly sustainable, poly wood is highly durable and weather proof as well. This material is entirely water, snow, and frost proof. Its heavy weight also makes it able to withstand strong winds and even hurricanes.
Not only is poly immune to severe weather, but has UV inhibitors as well. These protect the material from sun damage like fading, cracking, and discoloration.
Structural support is important in a porch swing that needs to be able to hold a high weight limit. Poly wood never rots, corrodes, or decays. It maintains its function and appearance much longer than alternatives than can rot and rust.
Custom Color Options
Customize your high quality outdoor patio swing with our selection of unique poly wood colors. These range between our standard and premium options. The former is the least expensive, while choosing premium colors is a little more costly. Choose one of each for a price in the middle.
You can choose one color for the entire porch swing or select our two toned option. This allows you to choose different colors for the base and accents of the swing.
Our standard colors tend to be more natural and neutral with a couple exceptions. The neutral options are: White, Weatherwood, Light Gray, Cedar, Cherrywood, Tudor Brown, Dark Gray, and Black. The more eye catching standard colors are: Mint Green, Patriot Blue, and Turf Green.
Our premium options are certainly brighter and more vibrant for excellent accent colors. These include: Pink, Bright Red, Orange, Yellow, Lime Green, Aruba Blue, and Purple. Available at the same price are our wood grain colors. These are: Seashell, Birchwood, Driftwood Gray, Coastal Gray, Antique Mahogany, and Brazilian Walnut.
The wood grain colors are exclusive to Tangent Sustainable Lumber. Although they are entirely recycled plastic, these colors give the appearance of certain wood species.
Mix and match our variety of color options to create your ideal porch swing. Reach out with any questions or concerns on our color options.