Porch Swingin’ – Build your own Oversized Porch Swing
My husband and I have been in our home for almost 8 years.
The summer before we moved in (2010) our landlords allowed us to paint, clean, and start to furnish our home as it had been sitting vacant for awhile.
Ever since we have been here I have always wanted a porch swing. The kicker is, I’m super picky and we were super broke for awhile.
Once we weren’t ‘broke’ I never still spent money on myself – heck, we really didn’t spend money on much of anything as we were trying to dump as much debt as possible.
IF/when we did though we always wanted it to be EXACTLY what we wanted.
So, on Mother’s Day 2018 my husband had our oldest daughter, Abigail, bring me his phone and proceeded to tell me that my Mother’s Day gift was a porch swing (he had one pulled up on the Lowes website) BUT I was to pick out the one I wanted.
NO PROBLEM I THOUGHT!
You know, I had been seeing all these BIG porch swings (that actually fitted a mattresses) on Pinterest/facebook/etc and I knew I wanted one of those.
The tricky part – finding one in our price range.
We didn’t really have a set budget for it but the $200-300 range was an unspoken figure (the little porch swing he had pulled up that day was well over $100).
Problem. The one I wanted (and we both loved) was like $1,000 WITHOUT the mattress, shipping, etc.
Nope, nope, NOPE.
It was over, I was going to have to settle.
But see, the thing is, I don’t like to settle AND I’m handy.
I can build stuff – my grandpa was a carpenter for years and he taught me many things.
So I went to Pinterest and found a supply list for a basic porch swing to get me started (because I couldn’t find any for the porch swing like I was wanting to make – they don’t want to give up those blueprints/lists!).
On our way home from my daughters last field trip I called my husband and asked how upset he would be if I purchased the lumber/etc to build the porch swing.
His response, “Just get it and be done” (gosh, there is a reason I love this man so much 💓)
So, armed with a dying phone, a beginning list, a 5 year old, and my mother we headed into Menards.
I grabbed all the supplies listed (and then some because I always buy stuff at stores like this 😜) and went to check out. We loaded the lumber (all 8′ and 10′ long pieces 😂) into my Yukon XL and headed home.
A couple of days later I started to
bring this project to life.
I also ran out of 2×4’s (my mother to the rescue this time) so my mom picked up 2 more for me.
Then, I ran out of 2×4’s again so my husband went to get me 2 more pieces.
I had enough 2×6’s to cover everything needed, just those pesky 2×4’s.
Started on Friday morning with the kids and then went to work. Finished on Saturday morning (with the exception of needing my father-in-law to rip two boards).
Sunday, after church, dad went to plant beans and WE (Abigail, Rebekah, & I) painted the swing with a Charcoal chalk paint that I had on hand at the house. (I’m not sure if Rebekah painted herself, Abigail & I more than she painted the swing but it’s all about the memories 💭)
Twin sized mattress arrived the following Thursday (ordered from Amazon – the one below), picked up some sheets from Wal-Mart on Wednesday when Abigail went in for her 5 yr checkup, had my mom pick up some pillows from Ikea and VIOLA!
It’s done. Now we just need to hang it.
Remember that list I talked about that I went I’m to Menards with? Yeahhhhhh, I got the wrong kind of hardware to hang our porch swing. 👎
Abigails checkup day we also went to Lowe’s to get the hardware needed.
Picked it up.
Drilled holes and threaded hanging hardware on the porch swing.
I couldn’t get the ones in the joist to go so I had to wait for some additional manpower for that job.
Hanging hardware in the joist ✔
Chains placed on porch swing ✔
Porch swing hung ✔
Now we are getting to enjoy WONDERFUL memories on this great item that the girls and I built together. 💓
Only thing left is to clean the paint off of the concrete on the porch from making our memories with painting it.
Would you like my materials list? It’s listed below!
Have questions? LET ME KNOW! I’m more than happy to answer questions!
My supply list (to fit a twin size mattress – click the links to see what I used):
6 – 10 ft – 1×6’s
10 – 8 ft – 2×4’s