Wooden swing beam – Calculate beam height:
Rule of thumb for calculating wooden swing beams – beam height:
The “distance between the support points” is important here, i.e. the distance between the points to which the swing beam is attached (e.g. tree, swing connector, support triangle, playhouse, house wall):
In our example with 300 cm between the support points, the beam should be 12 cm high (using “inch” that would be 300 cm = 118 in; 25 = 9.8; 12 cm = 4.7 in):
This is a guide value for normal use with two children’s swings, primarily used by children!
- For youths or adults, the beam may be + 2 cm (+0.8 in) higher.
- The calculated value should not deviate by more than -2 cm (-0.8 in). If the beam becomes even thinner, it will bend too much.
Wooden swing beam – optimum width:
- The beam should be at least 8 cm (3.2 in) wide, as high horizontal loads occur during swinging in addition to the high vertical loads. This way, the beam connectors and swing connections can be fastened well.
- We recommend a maximum width of 12 cm (4.7 in).
Build your own wooden swing beam – our tips:
- The wood should be suitable for outdoor use: larch and Douglas fir are optimal; oak is very heavy, expensive and difficult to work with; if you want it natural, take robinia round beams.
- Make sure that the wooden beam between the support points (in the area of the swings) does not have large knotholes and cracks! These weaken the beam and can lead to predetermined breaking points.
- When buying, look for narrow annual rings, which means that the beam is particularly stable.
- As a minimum, we recommend squared timber beams 9 × 9 cm, or round timber ø 9 cm (3.5 in).
- For the permanent fastening of a swing beam to the tree, it is best to use professional Treehouse Screws!
