Whether you’re hanging a porch swing, tire swing, wood plank swing, or any of the other numerous swings out there, the method for hanging them from a beam is mostly the same. What differs is the type of beam you are hanging your swing on and the type of hanger you use.
The three types of beams we will discuss in this article are wood beams, metal beams, and metal poles. I know metal poles are not beams, but this is a good place to discuss how to hang a swing from a metal pole.
Another key factor is what kind of access do you have to the beam you want to hang the swing from. If you can only access the bottom of the beam, you will be limited to how you can hang a swing from it.
Eye hooks
With a wood beam you can drill holes into it. Then screw eye hooks into the beam. If the eye hooks are mounted correctly, they can hold a swing. This is a good method to use when you can’t access the top part of the wood beam.
This type of swing hanging is not exclusive to wood beams, but is easiest on wood beams. To do the same thing with a metal beam, you would have to drill a hole and thread it to get the metal beam to hold the eye hook without placing a nut on the backside of the eye hook.
To use eye hooks with metal poles, you will need to drill all the way through the poles. Then use lock nuts and washers to hold the eye hooks in place. Eye hooks are a good option for metal poles because metal poles are usually not that thick.
Heavy duty swing hangers
You can also get heavy duty swing hangers to mount to your wood beam. These hangers can be mounted by drilling into the wood and screwing mounting screws into the wood. They can also be mounted by drilling all the way through the wood beam and putting a lock washer and nut on the back end of the mounting bolt.
You run into the same issue as using eye hooks when trying to use heavy duty swing hangers on a metal beam. You have to thread the hole in a metal beam if you are not going to drill all the way through and use lock nuts.
Most of the heavy duty swing hangers available won’t work for metal poles because they are too large to mount to poles and they are flat. Pipe swing hangers will work better for hanging a swing from a pipe. Pipe swing hangers allow you to hang a swing on a pipe without having to drill holes.
Tree swing straps
Tree swing straps are a great way to hang a swing on a wood beam or metal beam if you have access to place the strap around the beam. They also work great on metal poles. Just feed the strap over the beam and place the end without the loop on it through the looped end.
Rope
You can tie a loop on one end of a rope using a bowline knot. Then put the rope over your wood beam, metal beam, or metal pole. Feed the end without the knot through the loop and pull it up to the beam or pole Then hang your swing.
On a metal beam you may want to be careful how the rope is sitting against it. If it is an I-beam or there are sharp edges, the rope may become frayed and lose its strength.
BeneLabel Antirust Stainless Steel 304 Heavy Duty Swing Hangers
These hangers work for wood or metal beams. They come with the hardware for both. Made of 304 Stainless steel, they won’t rust. They are heavy duty and can support up to 1800 lbs. You shouldn’t use these hangers on concrete.
These will also work for metal poles.
Eastern Jungle Gym Heavy Duty Swing Hangers
The Eastern Jungle Gym Heavy Duty Swing Hangers are for hanging a swing from a wood beam. They are made of heavy duty, galvanized steel. These hangers don’t come with bolts, so you will have to get some.
They are not made for metal beams or poles.
National Hardware Swing Hook Kit
These eye hooks screw directly into a wood beam. You don’t have to drill all the way through. They are made of steel and coated with yellow chromate. The S-hook has a rubber bushing. National Hardware has been making products like these swing eye hooks since 1901.
BeneLabel Tree Swing Rope
This tree swing rope hanger is an easy way to hang a swing over a wood beam, metal beam, or metal pole. They are made of braided polyester. The rope is sewn together to create a loop and then a plastic piece is installed over the stitched area for strength and stability. The hook is made of stainless steel.
Easy Hang (8FT) Tree Swing Strap
Easy Hang Tree Straps are made of nylon. They are 2” wide. This makes them great for a wood or metal beam. The carabiner hook is made of steel. Each strap can hold up to 2200 lbs.
You can use these for metal poles as well.
Hanging a swing chair from a beam
To hang a swing chair from a beam, follow one of the methods above to create an attachement for your swing. Then decide if you want to have a swing chair that dangles or if you want a swing that spins. If you want a swing chair that dangles, you should attach a carabiner to the beam mount. Then hook your chair swing to the carabiner.
If you want your chair swing to spin, you should attach a swing swivel to your beam mount. Some kits you buy for mounting to your beam will come with a swing swivel. If you are thinking about going this route, you may want to look for a kit that has a swivel in it.
Conclusion
Wood and metal beams can present a little bit of a challenge when hanging a swing. But, no matter what you beams configuration, you can find a way to hang it. Be sure to look for products that are strong and can withstand the elements; especially if you are hanging your swing on an outdoor beam.
