Know How to build a Tire Swing

There is something quintessentially summer about a tire swing or a swing in general. If you have any old tires lying around, then building a backyard tire swing is a pretty easy DIY. So for our purposes here today, I would like to talk about two different methods of making your own DIY backyard tire swing. One is more basic than the other, but both will provide hours of fun. It is up to you which one will grace your backyard this summer. 

Some basics that apply whether you go with method 1 or method 2 are that you are going to need a tree (or other appropriate structure) to hang your tire swing. If you are going for the more classic tree hanging option then there are a few things to consider. 
 
1. In terms of the type of tree, if possible opt for a hardwood variety such as oak or maple. 
2.The branch you use is key as well, it should be 8-10 feet off the ground and you are going to want a diameter of no less than 7 inches. You also want to make sure that you attach the tire swing far enough away from the trunk so that the swing cannot make contact with the trunk. 
3. You will also want to make sure to keep the bottom of the swing about 12-18 inches above the ground. You don’t want it too much higher than that as we don’t want anyone taking a big tumble off the swing! 

Method 1 - The “schoolyard” tire swing 
I remember back in my school days when three of us would pile onto one of these babies at recess. Then some kids would come along, grab one of the chains and start running in a circle to “wind it up”. Once they let go, you all held on for dear life and hoped you would be able to keep your lunch down. 

What you will need 
  • 3 Eye-bolts 
  • 6 Washers 
  • 6 Bolts 
  • 6 Lock washers 
  • 3 Hardened steel chains (3-5 feet long and 3/8” in link diameter) 
  • 1 Hardened steel chain to hang from the tree (length will vary depending on how high you want the swing and how high the branch is. You will need twice the distance from the connector link at the top of the 3-5” chains. So make sure to measure it a few times before you cut it!) 
  • Locking swivel hook 
  • Tire 
  • Drill + drill bit 
  • 4 Connector links 
  • Ladder
How to build the swing 
Step 1 - Decide where you will put the swing, either on a tree or other suitable structure. 

Step 2 - Wash the tire really well with soapy water so that you are starting with a nice clean base. 

Step 3 - Decide which side will be the top of the swing and then using your drill go ahead and drill out the drainage holes on the bottom of the tire. You can spread the holes every few inches, they will allow any water that gets into the tire to drain out. Which is a good thing as we don’t want to create a breeding ground for mosquitos! 

Step 4 - Next you will need to determine the placement of the three eye-bolts. We want them to form an (isosceles) triangle so that each bolt is the same distance from the other one. If you want to be really exact you can google “isosceles triangle calculator” and you should be good to go! Once all the math-ing is done, mark the three places you will need to drill and go ahead and make the holes. Then you can attach the eye-bolts securely. 
The order should go as follows: 
Eye-bolt 
Bolt 
Lock washer 
Washer 
Tire surface 
Washer 
Lock washer 
Bolt 

Step 5 - Using 3 of the connector links, connect each piece of the 3-5’ hardened steel chains to the eye bolts. Feed all three of them onto the locking swivel hook and slip the last connector link onto the top of the locking swivel hook. 

Step 6 - The last step is to hang the swing. Using the ladder carefully loop the last piece of hardened steel chain over a level and burly branch. Look for a knot or other branch to help hold the swing in place. Then you can feed the ends of the last chain into the connector link and secure it. 

Method 2 - The classic tire swing 
It is such a simple DIY and can provide hours of fun. 

What you will need 
  • Rope (preferably polypropylene or manilla rope) 
  • Tire 
  • Drill + drill bit 
  • Ladder 
How to build the swing 
Step 1 - Decide where you will put the swing, either on a tree or other suitable structure. 

Step 2 - Wash the tire really well with soapy water so that you are starting with a nice clean base. 

Step 3 - Decide which side will be the top of the swing and then drill drainage holes in the bottom side of the tire. In this orientation you will need to put in a lot less holes as the “bottom” of the tire is smaller given the vertical orientation of the tire. But we still need to put in drainage holes as the water still needs to drain out. 

Step 4 - Using the ladder carefully loop the rope over a level and burly branch. Look for a knot or other branch to help hold the swing in place. Loop the two ends around the top if the tire and connect them using a bowline or rolling hitch knot. If you are not sure how to tie these ropes it is a good idea to reach out to someone who does as we want this knot to be nice and secure! 

Happy swinging!