Easy Swing Stand

Setting our six-foot oak swing down off the hooks for winter is always a challenge.  We used to use empty five-gallon buckets and wood pieces to make a temporary stand, but this year I decided to make a more permanent and solid solution.

I took 2x4 material and, using a pocket hole jig, I created rectangular frames with a center cross member to use as legs for my stands.  I cut the lengths to 24" and made the height 17", just the right height and length to hold the swing off the floor.

 As I cut the pieces on my powered mitersaw, I used a 5" orbital sander to clean up the edges and eliminate the stray splinters that always seem to find their way into my fingers.

After making four of the stand legs, I used two sets of two 3" x 3" hinges to secure pairs of the stands on the short side. This created two stands that could be stored folded closed and then opened into a “V” shape to securely hold the swing.

 Apply a quick coat of an outdoor clear finish, and the stands are ready to use.  Positioned into two “V” shapes under the swing, they make a solid way to store the swing for the winter and eliminate fiddling with the buckets and boards.  Add a small tarp to cover the swing, tying it to the open frame of the stands, and we are ready for winter.