Introduction: Homemade Swing and Slide
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About: I have always lived a life of making whatever i need, when i need it. after discovering this site i have sung it's praises from the hilltops, trying to get others to come check it out. I plan to build my own s…
Welcome to my instructable on how to build a homemade swing and slide. Of course you may notice that the swing and slide part are store bought ,but the rest of the parts are homemade indeed.
I hope you enjoy reading about this homemade set up as much as I enjoyed making it.
Lets start with a materials and tools list.
1) Swing(store bought) twenty dollars
2)Slide(store bought) forty dollars
3)Hammer(already owned and well worn)
4)Skillsaw( for making cuts in wood)
5)Nails(got buckets of them from my house building project)
6)Scrap wood(end cuts to small to re-use and pieces that started twisting to much to be used on home)
7)A lovely daughter( that insists on being under my feet on every step of any project)
8)A rainy day(to dangerous to climb on framework of home)
9)Cabin fever(gotta get outside or my wife will kill me from my endless pacing around to find something to do)
10) Cement blocks(capstone would have been better but this is what I had)
11)Small hammer( just like daddy's,so my daughter can hammer each piece of wood that i do)
12)Flashy material(plastic grating to hide flaws and generally clean up final look)
I hope you enjoy reading about this homemade set up as much as I enjoyed making it.
Lets start with a materials and tools list.
1) Swing(store bought) twenty dollars
2)Slide(store bought) forty dollars
3)Hammer(already owned and well worn)
4)Skillsaw( for making cuts in wood)
5)Nails(got buckets of them from my house building project)
6)Scrap wood(end cuts to small to re-use and pieces that started twisting to much to be used on home)
7)A lovely daughter( that insists on being under my feet on every step of any project)
8)A rainy day(to dangerous to climb on framework of home)
9)Cabin fever(gotta get outside or my wife will kill me from my endless pacing around to find something to do)
10) Cement blocks(capstone would have been better but this is what I had)
11)Small hammer( just like daddy's,so my daughter can hammer each piece of wood that i do)
12)Flashy material(plastic grating to hide flaws and generally clean up final look)
Step 1: Homemade Swing and Slide
After a trip to the store to by a swingset,I realized"OMG, these things ae incredably high dollar."Followed by the famous words"I think I can build it much cheaper and more heavy duty ".
Now this is of course is followed by the wife rolling her eyes,and saying in her,sweet talking to a child voice," If you really think you can".
"Sure thing I can baby"is my normal response,So I started by just buying the swing and slide parts only,"I just saved us two hundred dollars", I am heard exclaiming as we leave the parking lot.
Picture one
First up on my list is scrap end cuts gathering,after all you can not call it homemade if it does not contain some scrap stuff.
In the first picture of the underside of the homemade platform you will notice that I had managed to come up with six pieces of wood four foot long."well now ,it looks like my setup will be roughly four by four and heavy duty since these pieces of scrap are two by six's.
The first picture also shows that i covered the top platform with two by fours, each separated by a nails width between each board.This allows rapid water drainage and good airflow for drying after bad weather.
The legs and x-bracing were applied with the top upside down and then flipped over to stand upright. Sorry for the lack of starter pictures,but it was raining just enough that I did not want to bring out my camera(phone) just yet.
Picture two
After a period where the rain had driven me in, I managed to catch a sunny moment and start taking pictures.
I have put more two by six's around top edge as re-inforcement and attached a ladder and the slide(it came with it's own heavy screws for attaching).
In case you have not noticed,my wife wishes me to point out to you that I am making a very heavy platform and have not thought to set it on the blocks off the ground yet. But being the clever guy that I am I did think to have them ready,(face palm).
Picture 3
I should also explain why I have not given much on measurements,I am useing the tried and true method of placing a board where I want it and marking with a pencil .Then removing and cutting,followed by re-placing board and nailing down.This is normal for me, why do I need to know how long to cut it if I can just mark it and cut. Most of my cutting terminoligy consist of words like "yay big, chest high,arms length,and right about there".
Any way, I was getting distracted ,I have here a close up of the ladder my girl will be climbing up to reach her homemade slide with. She is yelling at me from the window, I would not let her come outside to play in the rain,her nose was running.
Picture 4
Other side, and I have already slid down it myself several times,and still not thought to put this increasingly heavy swing and slide up on the blocks yet.(Another face palm)
Now this is of course is followed by the wife rolling her eyes,and saying in her,sweet talking to a child voice," If you really think you can".
"Sure thing I can baby"is my normal response,So I started by just buying the swing and slide parts only,"I just saved us two hundred dollars", I am heard exclaiming as we leave the parking lot.
Picture one
First up on my list is scrap end cuts gathering,after all you can not call it homemade if it does not contain some scrap stuff.
In the first picture of the underside of the homemade platform you will notice that I had managed to come up with six pieces of wood four foot long."well now ,it looks like my setup will be roughly four by four and heavy duty since these pieces of scrap are two by six's.
The first picture also shows that i covered the top platform with two by fours, each separated by a nails width between each board.This allows rapid water drainage and good airflow for drying after bad weather.
The legs and x-bracing were applied with the top upside down and then flipped over to stand upright. Sorry for the lack of starter pictures,but it was raining just enough that I did not want to bring out my camera(phone) just yet.
Picture two
After a period where the rain had driven me in, I managed to catch a sunny moment and start taking pictures.
I have put more two by six's around top edge as re-inforcement and attached a ladder and the slide(it came with it's own heavy screws for attaching).
In case you have not noticed,my wife wishes me to point out to you that I am making a very heavy platform and have not thought to set it on the blocks off the ground yet. But being the clever guy that I am I did think to have them ready,(face palm).
Picture 3
I should also explain why I have not given much on measurements,I am useing the tried and true method of placing a board where I want it and marking with a pencil .Then removing and cutting,followed by re-placing board and nailing down.This is normal for me, why do I need to know how long to cut it if I can just mark it and cut. Most of my cutting terminoligy consist of words like "yay big, chest high,arms length,and right about there".
Any way, I was getting distracted ,I have here a close up of the ladder my girl will be climbing up to reach her homemade slide with. She is yelling at me from the window, I would not let her come outside to play in the rain,her nose was running.
Picture 4
Other side, and I have already slid down it myself several times,and still not thought to put this increasingly heavy swing and slide up on the blocks yet.(Another face palm)
Step 2: Safety Rails for the Homemade Swing and Slide
Here I was getting closer to allowing my girl to try her homemade swing and slide out, but needed to make it safer first.
Using measurement like from ladder to corner cut and make frame,... from corner to slide, cut and make frame,... from slide to other corner, cut and make frame ,... and finally from corner to other side of ladder ,... cut and make frame. This is quite literally how I did it. My measuring tool was a pencil. Now that the framework is up I have covered it with with plastic grating, I had left over from a covered porch. I also done this in another light rainfall so the pictures are of after the fact, but I believe self explaining.
Just a little FYI from my wife,... notice the 8th picture. It is here that I finally placed the entire thing on the blocks,... much to the delight of my wife snickering over there on the porch. I think she took a picture of me struggling and sent it to her mom.
Using measurement like from ladder to corner cut and make frame,... from corner to slide, cut and make frame,... from slide to other corner, cut and make frame ,... and finally from corner to other side of ladder ,... cut and make frame. This is quite literally how I did it. My measuring tool was a pencil. Now that the framework is up I have covered it with with plastic grating, I had left over from a covered porch. I also done this in another light rainfall so the pictures are of after the fact, but I believe self explaining.
Just a little FYI from my wife,... notice the 8th picture. It is here that I finally placed the entire thing on the blocks,... much to the delight of my wife snickering over there on the porch. I think she took a picture of me struggling and sent it to her mom.
Step 3: Now for the Homemade Swing to the Slide
It is now day two of my homemade swing and slide construction,also I have just gotten off work,and after picking up the wife and daughter at grandma's, we have made it home by six thirty. As my girl plays on the slide I begin framework to hold the swing. Finding some longer ,but twisted boards i begin,first by seperating them with short stock at both ends and in the middle. In picture 1 I have also used some short stock to stop support arm from left or right movement, my girl like to set her drinks here as she plays.
Picture 2
Remember I said no left or right movement, well look at the damage as i forgot to fasten the arm to the braces and the back and forth movement made it slip off and crash into the grating,(how many is this now,three facepalms, or four).
picture 4
Middle section separatedby some short stock, my daughter only wieghs about thirty pounds so I figured just a couple of long heavy nails was all that was needed to hold her up for several months of play. As I was hanging the swing she was trying to sit in it and start playing. This of course had my wife rolling in fits and cackling with laughter.
Pictures 4,5,and 6
All show, how I managed to brace the final end,to stop all sway as she was testing out my workmanship.
Picture 2
Remember I said no left or right movement, well look at the damage as i forgot to fasten the arm to the braces and the back and forth movement made it slip off and crash into the grating,(how many is this now,three facepalms, or four).
picture 4
Middle section separatedby some short stock, my daughter only wieghs about thirty pounds so I figured just a couple of long heavy nails was all that was needed to hold her up for several months of play. As I was hanging the swing she was trying to sit in it and start playing. This of course had my wife rolling in fits and cackling with laughter.
Pictures 4,5,and 6
All show, how I managed to brace the final end,to stop all sway as she was testing out my workmanship.
Step 4: Video of Her Playing on Her Homemade Swing and Slide
She absolutely loves the swing and slide.My brother also came up to inspect my work and brought along some young boys to do some testing of their own.It has held up very nicely and he was payed back by several boys a crying as he took his walk back home,they wanted to stay and play. I have included some videos of my girl playing as I believe seeing it in use speaks far louder than just still images.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VIIhFBiYHb4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mvi0IAYrmRQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CE9T03xLdA8
As you can see she handles it like a pro.I hope you have enjoyed this and also hope it might contribute to a building of your own homemade swing and slide.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VIIhFBiYHb4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mvi0IAYrmRQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CE9T03xLdA8
As you can see she handles it like a pro.I hope you have enjoyed this and also hope it might contribute to a building of your own homemade swing and slide.