Just ask suzanne henninger who owns a weekend cottage in seaside florida where the front porch features a swing painted a cool blue.
How to support porch roof to support chair swing.
Measure off the porch at intervals of 6 feet.
A typical two person swing can be supported by a single 2 x 8 joist two 2 x 6 joists or three 2 x 4 joists.
Clamp the support beams to the top of the posts and use a spirit level to check if they are horizontal.
Stand a post up in the bracket and hold a level on its side.
Drill pilot holes through the beams and through the posts and lock them together tightly with 7 carriage bolts.
Make sure that the support beam or joists in your ceiling will support the weight of the porch swing and its occupants.
Build the support beams out of 2 8 lumber.
Connect the short chain to the long chain on each side about 2 or 3 feet above the seat this is variable as desired using small s hooks or quick links.
With a helper or two hook the long chains onto the hangers in the ceiling or other support.
You can also attach four individual chains to each corner which might make your swing support stronger but requires drilling four holes in the ceiling.
Before you purchase a swing you ll need to make sure you can safely hang it on your porch.
If your patio does not have a ceiling then you must double or triple up rafters at the point where you intend to hang your swing.
Porch swings should be mounted into ceiling rafters for safety and stability.
Make sure the posts are plumb and check if the corners are square.
Hanging swings are often added to an outdoor porch or a favorite corner of a quiet room to create a comfortable retreat.
Hop on sway for a bit and you re transported to a stress free zone.
If the swing is to be structurally stable you must bolt the support fasteners into the ceiling rafters and not just screw them into drywall or a wood ceiling.
A porch swing isn t just a piece of furniture it s a state of mind.
It is not your patio roof that will support your porch swing but the ceiling of your patio that must do the job.
If you re unsure of your ceiling s strength have an experienced carpenter check it out.
Position a mounting bracket at one of the marks on the bottom of the porch.
This work will usually require a carpenter who is familiar with what is required as either end of the beam will also have to be supported.
This is the length in between each post.