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When I imagine the most perfect summer, I see wispy clouds crossing a blue sky with a light breeze. I slowly swing on the porch swing while the kids play in the yard. No matter how many versions of my dream I conjure up, there is always a porch swing.
You can make your own quite easily and this handmade farmhouse-inspired porch swing is beautiful and functional. It’s sturdy and deep, and the secret is that it uses a crib mattress as a seat. How brilliant is that?
My father-in-law has been making these beautiful porch swings that he sells to locals for some time now. We live in Idaho, where farmland stretches across the landscape and stately red barns still dot rural roads. If you love modern farmhouse style, you’ll love this project!
*Warning: This is a custom design that my father-in-law perfected without ever writing down the instructions. Use the pattern sketch and instructions below as a general guide, although you may need to modify the construction as you go. It’s like your grandmother’s famous meatloaf recipe that she never wrote down…she just knows how to make it!
First, a big thank you to Arrow Fastener tools that help us complete all of our DIY projects, big and small. From their iconic T50 stapler (which I’m sure you’ve seen everywhere), to the Arrow T50AC electric stapler and nailer featured in this project, Arrow Fastener has been helping us “put things together” since 1929 – that’s 90 years!
Watch the video tutorial!
Supplies needed:
(See diagram below for all required charts and sizes.)
- Skill saw or circular saw
- Drill
- sander
- (7) 2x4x8 pieces of wood
- (1) box of 2.5 inch wood screws
- (1) piece of 4×8 half-inch plywood
- (4) 2x2x22.5 boards
- (2) 2x2x24 boards
- (8) half-inch 4-inch long eyebolts (with washers and bolts)
- One liter of wood stain
- One liter of polyurethane sealant
- (1) rope 1 inch thick and 25 to 30 feet long
- Crib mattress with dimensions 5.5 inches (H) x 27.25 inches (W) x 51.63 inches (D)
- (4) Heavy Duty Eye Bolts
Step 1: Cut Boards
Step 1: Cut BoardsSince the seat of this porch swing is a crib mattress, this tutorial and the wood dimensions are sized to fit a standard crib mattress approximately 5.5 inches (H) x 27.25 inches (W) x 51.63 inches (D).
Cut the wood to the following dimensions. (Printable sketch)
Step 2: Set them into shape.
Before you start putting the pieces together, first place them into shape. Two side pieces, one back piece and one bottom piece. It is helpful to label all cut pieces as “A”, “B”, etc. to keep everything in order.
Step 3: Screw all the wood pieces together, starting with the criss-cross sections.
If you prefer not to see visible screws in your porch swing, use a pocket hole jig to make deeper angled holes for the screws to enter. This is a simple step that makes a big difference stylistically. It simply creates a clean and elegant look.
(Next: the angled holes a pocket hole jig will make so the screws aren’t exposed.)
Attach all the wood pieces according to this pattern (shown above), starting with the criss-cross pieces first.
Step 4: Use a 1-inch drill bit to make holes for the rope.
Since a rustic farmhouse look was what we were going for, we used a 1-inch drill bit to drill eight holes in the 2x4s where the rope will go to suspend the swing.
Step 5: Use the Arrow electric nail gun to fix the bottom of the swing.
The bottom and final piece consists of four 2x2s and a 2×4 in the center for support. Clip all of the 2x2s and the 2×4 in place. Next, take the half-inch piece of plywood measured to fit and use a nail gun like the Arrow T50 Professional Electric Nail Gun to attach the plywood to the swing frame.
This will be the bottom of the swing and will serve as support for the crib mattress seat.
Step 6: Stain and finish with a polyurethane finish.
Finally, stain your farmhouse porch swing and finish it with a coat or two of polyurethane finish to help protect it from the elements.
Step 7: Use a crib mattress as a seat.
The genius behind this particular porch swing is that it uses a crib mattress as a seat. It creates a deep swing that everyone can fit in and is a perfectly comfortable seat.
I purchased this new crib mattress for $50, making the grand total for this entire porch swing project just under $200! If you have some of these supplies on hand and an unused crib mattress, building this porch swing can be very inexpensive.
Cover the crib mattress with a sturdy sheet, add some pillows, and you’re ready to hang!
Step 8: Some Hanging Tips
Be sure to get sturdy eye screws to hang your porch swing. We also recommend fixing it to a beam if there is one, something sturdy.
Step 9: Enjoy!
After checking that your new porch swing is securely fastened, grab some lemonade, find the breeze, and enjoy.
*Many thanks to Arrow Fastener for sponsoring this post. All opinions are my own. Thanks for stopping by!
