Read this part first, because it is the only part that can go wrong: mount the swing into a ceiling joist or into suitable concrete. Never into drywall alone. Drywall does not hold a swinging load, and every failure we have heard about came back to an anchor that was not in solid structure.
Everything else is straightforward. Most people have the swing up and tested inside half an hour.
What you need
- Stud finder
- Pencil
- Drill
- 7/64 in or 7/32 in drill bit
- Socket wrench
- Safety glasses
The bolts, the swivel mount, the carabiner and the daisy chain strap are all in the box. You are only supplying tools.
Where it can hang
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A wood ceiling joist. The most common setup. Use the two lag screws and a 7/64 in pilot hole.
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A suitable concrete ceiling. Use the two expansion bolts and a 7/32 in hole, away from edges and cracks.
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A sturdy tree branch. Thick, living, and at least as thick as your forearm. Loop the daisy chain over it and clip back with the carabiner.
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A play set beam rated for a swing, using the same strap and carabiner.
Not drywall. Not a ceiling tile. Not a plaster surface with nothing behind it. Not a decorative beam that is only carrying itself.
Ceiling height
6 to 9 feet is ideal, and the included daisy chain covers that range. Above 9 feet, add a second daisy chain strap to bring the seat down to a height a child can climb into. They cost a few dollars at any hardware or climbing store and clip straight into the carabiner.
Below 6 feet the swing still works, you simply have less room to move.
Step by step
1. Find solid structure
Run a stud finder across the ceiling and mark both edges of the joist, then aim for the middle. Tap along the line as a cross check: solid sounds dull, hollow sounds hollow. On a concrete ceiling, pick a spot away from edges and cracks.
Mount into a joist or suitable concrete only. Never into drywall alone, and never into a plaster or ceiling tile surface with nothing behind it.
2. Mark and pre-drill
Hold the swivel mount against the ceiling where you want it and mark the two bolt holes with a pencil. Put on safety glasses, then pre-drill both holes. Use a 7/64 in bit for the lag screws in wood, or a 7/32 in bit for the expansion bolts in concrete.
Keep the pilot hole smaller than the bolt. That is what gives the threads something to bite.
3. Bolt up the swivel mount
Line the mount up with your pilot holes and drive the bolts in with a socket wrench until the plate sits flat against the ceiling with no gap. Wood gets the two lag screws, concrete gets the two expansion bolts.
Snug is right. Keep going past snug and you will strip the hole.
4. Hang the swing
Clip the locking carabiner through the loop on the swivel mount and screw the gate closed. Loop the daisy chain strap through the carabiner, then attach the swing at the loop that puts the seat where you want it. Lower is easier to get in and out of.
For a tree branch, put the carabiner on the end of the strap, throw the strap over a thick living branch, and clip back to the height you want.
5. Pull test, then get in
Before anyone uses it, grab the swing and pull down hard with your full weight. Bounce on it. Nothing should shift, creak or move at the ceiling. If it does, take it down and find a better anchor point.
Give the swing about three feet of clear space in every direction, including whatever it can reach on the way around when it spins.
The pull test
Before anyone gets in, grab the swing with both hands and pull down with your full weight. Bounce. Watch the ceiling mount while you do it. Nothing should shift, creak, flex or move.
If anything moves, take it down and find a better anchor. This test takes ten seconds and it is the whole difference between a safe install and a bad one.
Clearance
Give the swing about three feet of clear space in every direction, and remember it swivels, so think about the full circle it can reach. Move lamps, shelves, corners of furniture and anything breakable out of that circle before the first ride.
Care and washing
- Machine wash cold, tumble dry low.
- Take all the hardware off before it goes in the machine.
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When you reattach the daisy chain after a wash, put it on the side of the swing that has the seam. Hanging from the other side pulls across the seam instead of along it, and that is how a seam tears.
- Reposition the fabric at the top every so often so the same spot is not always taking the load.
Before every use
- Look over the daisy chain strap for fraying, thin spots or stitching that has come loose.
- Check that the carabiner gate is screwed shut.
- Check that the ceiling mount is still tight against the ceiling.
- Pull firmly on the swing to test it.
- Keep an adult in the room. Ages 3 and up, one person at a time, 200 pound limit.
Something is not right
If a piece is missing from your box, or something looks wrong, stop and write to us at hello@saintesenswings.com before you hang it. Send a photo if you can. We would much rather send you a part than have you improvise.
