At The Porch Swing Company, we believe the outdoor room is the second living room: the place where the year gets longer and the day slows down. Whether you're furnishing a wraparound porch in the hill country or a narrow front stoop in the city, what you hang there matters. This guide exists to make sure that what arrives at your door, and goes up on your ceiling, does exactly what it was built to do.
- Brass Tacks
Before you select your swing or swing bed, do your measuring first. The right product, hung correctly, transforms a porch. Here are five fundamentals to work through before you place your order:
- Measure floor to ceiling at your intended hanging location. That single number will determine your rope or chain selection and inform every clearance calculation that follows.
- For swing beds, select a cushion package if your model calls for one. Our frames are engineered for stability and do need a cushion to maximize comfort.
- Plan for 12 to 18 inches of clearance around the full perimeter of the swing.
- A note on clearcoat. If your model offers it, we'd encourage you to consider it seriously. The treatment forms a protective layer that dramatically slows moisture exchange between the wood and the outdoor elements, extending both the life of the piece and the depth of the finish. The one tradeoff is time: clearcoat adds a few days to your lead time because our craftsmen apply it in stages and let each coat cure.
- See It Before You Hang It
Plan for at least 12 to 18 inches of clear space around the full perimeter of your swing or swing bed, enough room for it to move freely and for you to move around it comfortably. If you're undecided on size or want to confirm the footprint works in your space, try this before you order: use painter's tape to outline the bed's dimensions directly on your porch floor, or place a cup at each of the four corners.
- Product Resources
We've built the research into the product page so you don't have to go looking for it. Scroll to the bottom of any product listing and you'll find a resource panel on the left-hand side containing everything you need: product dimensions, recommended cushion sizing, assembly instructions, product specification sheets, hanging diagrams, and a guide to selecting the correct rope or chain length. It's a good first stop for anything that comes up along the way
- Know Your Ropes (and Chains)
Consider this a gentle repeat: rope and chain length is important enough to say twice.
Identifying the correct rope and chain length is a critical step in ensuring that your product works the way it should. Get your tape measure out and measure from floor to ceiling of the desired hanging spot. This is the easy part: if you measured 8’, you’ll select an 8’ rope or chain; if you measured 10’, you’ll select a 10’ rope or chain. If you measure 10’ 2”, you’ll choose the next selection up-which would be 12’, and you’ll have to cut the excess off.
If your measurement from floor to ceiling exceeds 16’, you’ll need to order custom rope - please contact our customer service team to help you identify the correct length for your project. An user friendly guide to measuring for ropes and chains can be found here.
- 2-Point or 4 Point, That is the Question
Many of our products come with options to hang on either a 2-Point or 4-Point system. For 2-point, our chains or ropes attach to a single point at each end. The bed swings in a single arc, like a traditional porch swing or swing bed. For 4-point, 4 of our separate chains or ropes attach, one at each corner of the bed frame. This setup is more stable and simply more level. The swing still rocks, but the platform stays true beneath you.
What’s the main difference? For 2-point, because the load is concentrated through two points, the bed can sway side-by-side or even twist. For 4-point, the bed or swing is more stable and level.
- Hanging
While many of our swing beds and porch swings have varying hanging instructions, a
number of commonalities repeat throughout our collections.
- Hangers must be inserted into a ceiling or support beam.
- We offer hardware for your porch swing or swing bed. Those selections can be viewed here (please note that a 4 point selection will require 4 swing hangers, and a 2 point selection will require 2 swing hangers).
- If you have any hesitation with hanging your new product yourself, please consult with a contractor to ensure your home structure can support the weight.
- Ordering & Policies
Our collection includes made-to-order domestic furniture and cushions and products we design and import, and lead times vary accordingly. Plan ahead, particularly for client-facing projects where timing is a commitment. A full overview of our ordering process, cancellation policies, and associated fees is available here.