How to Hang a Porch Swing

In this tutorial, I’m going to teach you how to hang a porch swing. Porch swings can add a lot of character to a front or back porch, but it’s very important to hang them properly. They should be straight, not leaning to one side or the other, and hung from something that can support the weight.

If you’re reading this, chances are you already have a swing. But if you don’t, you should check out our porch swing plans. They are super easy to build!

Tools and Materials:

• 3/4″ or 1″ Rope – Two pieces each over double the height of the porch ceiling (plus the depth of the swing for a swing bed)
• Drill with 1/4″ drill bit
• 3/8″ Eye Screws
• long screwdriver
• 2 five gallon buckets or something similar in height

Step 1: Determine How Many Eye Screws are Needed

Eye Screws are what you’ll use to hang the ropes from the joists. For larger swing beds, I recommend using four eye screws to support the added weight. But for a smaller swing like the crib mattress swing, two is all you need.

Step 2: Locate the Ceiling Joists

When hanging a porch swing, it is extremely important that it’s hung from the ceiling joists of the porch. The weight of the swing plus the people sitting on it requires something strong for support.

Locating the ceiling joists can be a challenge, especially if you have a material on your porch ceiling that makes it impossible to use a stud finder. Wood is one of these materials.

Every porch that I’ve hung a swing on has had tongue and groove wood ceilings, which has usually made this step the most challenging. But I’ve found that the easiest way to locate the ceiling joists with these types of ceilings is to look for nail holes in the t&g planks. This indicates where the planks are nailed to the joists.

Step 3: Determine the Placement

Once you figure out where on the porch you want your swing, you then need to determine exactly where the eye screws need to be placed on the ceiling. For a larger swing bed, you should use four screw eyes each placed directly above the corresponding holes on the swing.

Measure between the holes as show below and then mirror those measurements on your ceiling. On our own porch, we had to avoid the ceiling fans. So I placed the eye screws much closer to each other.

Since the crib mattress swing only required two eye screws, we placed them in the middle of the front and back holes.

You should also try to keep your swing at least 24 inches away from any walls to avoid hitting the walls.

Step 4: Attach the Eye Screws

Once you have your locations for the eye screws, drill pilot holes for each one.

Next, start screwing the eye screw in by hand. You’ll reach a point when it becomes too difficult to turn with your hands. Take a long screwdriver and put it through the eye and turn. This will give you extra leverage.

Step 5: Hang the Rope

Once you have both eye screws in place, fish the rope through each one so that each end is hanging close to even.

Step 6: Attach Rope to the Porch Swing

Find something to sit your swing on that will hold it a couple of feet above the floor. I like to use 5 gallon buckets. This puts it a little higher than it needs to be, but once you use the swing for a while, the ropes will stretch and your swing will be at the perfect height.

Next, fish one end of the rope through one of the holes on the swing, and tie a knot underneath.

Repeat this step for the other hole on the same side, and make sure the knots are snug against the bottom of the swing. Then do the same to the other side.

And that’s it, you’re all done!

Now you can place the cushion and pillows on the swing and enjoy!