Farmyard Tree Swing

I've wanted a swing like this since I was a little girl. And over the weekend, Zach made me one!

It was a pretty easy project too, and fairly inexpensive.

We already had the 2x8" board. It was left here by the previous owner along with some other miscellaneous lumber that we've put to good use around here.

I got the 3/4 inch, natural rope at Family Farm and Home for $.64 a foot. We needed 34 feet, so it was around $22.

A synthetic rope will last longer in the elements, but I like the look of the natural fiber. 

First off, you need a good sturdy tree with substantial limb somewhat parallel to the ground.

Our big Sugar Maple provided a perfect limb, right outside the farmhouse covered porch.

We measured from the limb down to an approximate seated level.
Which was 12 feet,
times 2 for each side of the swing = 24 feet
We added 10 more feet to go around the branch and for knots, which gave us five extra feet per side.

Zach had to trim a few low branches so that the swing would have a clear trajectory. 

We also found a great knot tutorial for a Double Running Bowline Knot over at Handy Man How To. This type of knot will expand as the tree grows so it won't damage the limb.

We mad a knot in one end of the rope, swung it around the tree limb and snaked the long end of the rope through the loop.

Then Zach made another knot on the other side and swung it over the limb as well. I cut the rope hanging down at the halfway point, and we snaked the cut end through the second loop. This created two ropes hanging down from the limb.

Then Zach cut a 2x8' board at 30 inches. Then we marked 3 inches in from each side at the center width of the board (this photo shows 2 inches, but later we decided to bring it in an inch more.) 

And he drilled a hole using a 3/4" cut bit.

Then all there was to do is snake the rope through the holes and tie a good knot.

It took a couple times untying the knots to get the swing board level, but in the end it made a perfect swing!

I love sitting on it waiting for Oliver to go potty, or waiting for Zach to come home from work. It's perfect!