The King of Backyard Swings
(Page 2 of 3)
May/June 1988
By the Mother Earth News editors
Check the leg detail, and notch each of the four posts to the angle shown, then drill cross-holes to match those on the beam. Lay the front set of legs on the ground, and use the 6" and 8" carriage bolts to position the beam. Use a couple of the ladder 2 X 4s as temporary nailed braces to hold the rear legs up as you guide them over the bolt ends and tighten the nuts.
To raise the structure, cross-brace the legs and beam with the two 12' slide 2 X 4s, and tie the swing rope to the approximate center of the beam. Then position the whole thing at the edge of the box, and have two people lift and "walk" the leg pairs up, while a third pulls the rope from the opposite side. Square the legs up against the box corners, and fasten them to each course with the ½" X 14" carriage bolts.
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After removing the temporary braces, cut a 10' 2 X 6 to make two 5' pieces, and attach them to the insides of the legs, with their lower edges 65" above the surface of the box. Use 6" carriage bolts, and check to make sure the boards are level. Cut the four floor joists to match the distance between the boards, then nail them in place from the ends (for extra strength, use metal framing hangers, available from a lumber supplier). Cut and nail down the 2 X 4 decking planks (they should be spaced about 3/16” apart, and shouldn't extend beyond the framing), then measure and nail the top railing in place so its upper edge is 30" above the floor.
The balusters can be either bought ready-made or cut from 2 X 4s. The ends should be tapered at a 45° angle to shed standing water. Nail two uprights to each corner first, then space the others evenly between; they'll fall about 7½" apart, and you'll have to trim eight of them to fit against the legs.
Leave the front open until after you've fitted the ladder and slide.
To make the ladder, simply taper one end of two 6' 2 X 4s so they're flush to the face of the deck frame when set on the box. The lower ends can be trimmed and the rails then nailed in place at both ends. The eight 23" rungs can be spaced 8" apart—or closer if you have small children and an extra 6' board.
Ideally, the slide metal should be folded into two 20 "-wide sections—one 31" long and the other 144" in length. If the sheet metal shop cannot make a 12' fold, it's OK to accept one 8' and one 4' piece. Notice that the 20" width represents only the surface; there is an additional 3" lip on each side—and 2" lips at the ends—of each section, both of which should resemble trays when completed.
Cut the ¾ plywood sheet to fit the trays; the boards should be 20" wide by 31", 48" and 96" in length, more or less. Then cut one 12" X 17" piece from what's left over. Use a power saw to rip (slice full length) 1" from the two 12' 2 X 4s and the remaining 6' piece, and cut the short board into two 31" pieces. Glue and nail these rip-cut ledgers to the plywood so they're flush with the edges, then slip the wooden assemblies into their respective metal trays, and drive a few tacks through the side lips.
