How to Install a Tree Swing

Summertime is perfect for playing outdoors, and what backyard is complete without a tree swing?

Tree swings can provide years of fun, but it’s important to install them in a way that guarantees both your safety as well as the health of the tree. Here are some tips for the safe installation of a tree swing.

Choosing a Tree and Branch for a Swing

When hanging a tree swing, be sure to consider:

• • Tree Type: The branches of a sturdy hardwood tree are best for a tree swing – oaks are ideal. Avoid fruit trees, evergreens, or trees that split easily.

• • Branch Size: A tree swing needs a horizontal branch at least 8 inches in diameter that is no more than 20 feet off the ground.

• • Branch Condition: The branch chosen for a tree swing must be healthy. Inspect the branch from trunk to tip, and avoid branches that show any signs of infestation, disease, splitting, or narrow connections to the main trunk. And above all, don’t use a dead branch!

• Clearance: The branch should be large enough that the swing can hang at least 3-5 feet away from the trunk without the branch bouncing.

How to Attach a Swing to a Tree

There is debate about the safest way to install a tree swing, but in general there are two main approaches:

Eye bolt

• • Eye Bolts: Carefully drill a vertical hole all the way through the center of the branch, and insert a 1/2” diameter or larger, corrosion-resistant eye bolt, using washers and nuts to secure it to the tree. The tree will eventually grow around the bolts, making a permanent installation. This method eliminates friction on the bark, but it does cause damage to the tree. To make your rope last longer, attach a carabiner to the eye bolt, then tie the rope to the carabiner.

• Rope: A tree swing can be attached to the branch using rope as long as you take steps to prevent the rope from cutting into the tree bark. If you choose to tie the rope around the tree branch, use a running bowline (or other slip knot) that will loosen when the swing is not being used, to allow the tree to grow larger without being girdled by the rope. To protect the bark, use a rope sleeve or a piece of rubber tubing to reduce friction.

Choosing Rope for a Tree Swing

Use 1/2” diameter or thicker rope to make it easy to hold and provide enough strength. There are a number of materials used for rope, including:

• • Polyester Rope: Braided polyester rope is probably the best rope choice among the synthetic ropes for a tree swing. It holds up well to the elements, provides maximum strength, and has little stretch.

Braided polyester rope

• • Nylon Rope: While the strongest rope, nylon is susceptible to stretching and can be slippery for little hands to grasp.

• • Polypropylene Rope: This lightweight rope is the least expensive rope available. Polypropylene rope makes a poor choice since it deteriorates rapidly in the sun’s UV rays.

• • Natural Fiber Rope: These include ropes made from natural plant materials including manila, cotton, sisal, and hemp. While popular for rustic tree swings, natural fiber ropes are not as strong as synthetic rope, will rot over time, and can break without warning. If you use a natural fiber rope on a tree swing, be sure to replace it every year or two.

• Metal Chain: While not as attractive as rope with a tendency to pinch small fingers, corrosion-resistant chain is strong and holds up well to the elements. Chain should only be used for swings installed with eye bolts, and not attached around a tree branch.

Tree Swing Safety Tips

Follow these tips to maximize the safety and enjoyment of your tree swing:

• • Inspect the tree branch, as well as the ropes and swing itself, regularly. Look for splitting, fraying, missing bark, or other damage, and repair right away. A properly installed swing should not cause any damage or grooves in the tree.

• • Plan on replacing the ropes every couple of years.

• • Move the swing to new eye bolts if the tree grows over the ends.

• • Make sure the rope, carabiners, and hardware are rated for the maximum weight.

• Be sure knots are tied securely to prevent unraveling.

Further Information

• Hanging a Tree Swing (This Old House)
• Swing into Fall with a Tree Swing (Mother Earth News)
• How to Build a Tree Swing (This Old House)
• Tree Swing (Martha Stewart)
• Rope Materials (boatsafe.com)

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40 COMMENTS

Our neighbors have installed a chain swing on an old oak. The branch looks healthy and is at least 8 inches in diameter. The swing is installed with a bolt driven through the branch and held in place with nuts.
My concern is that the height of this swing is at least 40 feet, it look very dangerous. The weight of the chain must be substantial if it were to break. The swing is at the top of a hill and if one were to swing to capacity I imagine that the fall would be substantial as well. Is this a safe swing? Thanks

Sounds like fun though 🙂

I like seeing the bolts in the trees much more than the ropes or many other items people may use. While drilling a hole in the tree is invasive; if done properly, it is minimally so. And the tree can grow around the eye bolt, however ropes and cables can girdle the tree, much like a collar on a puppy that is never loosened or replaced. Any branch used to attach a swing should be inspected initially and routinely by a qualified Certified Arborist. If the tree is a live oak (quercus virginiana), the branch is much more likely to be of structural capacity to support the swing; however many of the water oaks (Quercus nigra) and laurel oaks (Quercus hemisphaerica) are especially susceptible to decay fungi and other pest problems. But remember, not all branches are created equal: even a good tree can have a bad branch, and it doesn’t have to be rotten or hollow; I would certainly want to look at the branch attachment. If the branch attaches to the trunk with a moderate swelling (branch collar) and a “U” shape, that is a good sign as the attachment will become stronger with age. However, in the urban environment, many trees will have codominant stems which develop bark inclusions which are structural weaknesses with no collar; this looks like a “Y” or “V” and has a very tight branch angle which results in wood that actually pushes apart, becoming weaker as it matures.

CHRIS FRANCIS
* ISA Certified Arborist
* Alabama State Licensed:
– Tree Surgeon
– Landscape Designer
– Landscape Contractor
– Pest Control Supervisor

hope this swing works for me I will have my niece an nephew twins 3 years old for a whole I am trying to find things to keep them busy an I want this swing up before they get here. Your information was helpful

This is great info – thanks. We are hoping to install a porch swing hanging from our large Sycamore tree. The branches I want to use though are probably a 45% angle along the trunk of the tree. Should that be avoided? All the other criteria mentioned in your article are met. Thanks.

Why only 20 feet high? Our oak is so old and tall, first branch may start at 40 feet. Is over a flat surface. seems would be ok to me, but wondercwhy u said 20.

I installed a swing with chains and eye-bolts. It looks fine but the swing wobbles from the longer side of the chain, what’s the solution? Please!!

Can a swing be attached to a heavy duty cable that spans two tall mature trees? Is there a limit to the distance of the span? How do you attach the swing to the cable to avoid friction?

we have a branch that is probably 15-20 ft high. and its at a perfect right angle. its just the perfect branch for a swing. its also very thick. So i was thinking about buying one of those commercial grade belt swings and doing the eye bolts and swing chains. ive wanted to do this for 2 years bt never had the time or money.
but does this sound like a good plan?

Thanks for suggesting the bolts. I was lucky enough to find a branch in good position and level. From past experience, it is impossible to get a 2 chain swing to swing properly from an unlevel branch. The pivot (hinge) points must be the level. Recently I placed 4″ strips of thick rubber over a branch, laying each chain over the respective strip of rubber. The rubber protected the branch from the chain but collected 4 types of insects and moisture, not good. Glad I caught it in time before the bugs and rot damaged the branch. Years ago I used bolts through two different branches that attached to a 4″ x 4″, spanning between the branches. Then the swing chains were attached to the 4 x 4. This allowed me to get the swing in a better position and spread the total weight to 2 branches. Also, if the ideal branch is not strong enough, a rope or chain can be attached to the top of the bolts in the weak branch and extended to bolts in stronger branches above. Lots of trouble and work but worth it if you are determined to have a yard/tree swing.

Hi Doug,
Thanks for the feedback and suggestions on hanging a tree swing!

If the limb is too weak, don’t attach a swing or anything to it. Your kids will not appreciate being crushed. If you are unsure about the structural integrity of the tree and/or branch, be sure to have a Certified Arborist check it out. The branch you pick does not have to be perfectly level. In order to level your chains for the swing, you can use bolts between the chain links; this should give you the opportunity to move roughly 1/3 of a link at a time. Most swings will only require one adjustment bolt.

CHRIS FRANCIS
* ISA Certified Arborist
* Alabama State Licensed:
– Tree Surgeon
– Landscape Designer
– Landscape Contractor
– Pest Control Supervisor
* Certified Landscape Professional

Are American Sycamores (I live in PA) strong enough to hold a rope swing? How old does the tree need to be before attaching the swing? Similarly, would a Tulip Poplar make hold a swing well?

i would say most any species would be fine for a rope swing, so long as the roots are in place, the tree does not have decay, and the branch attachment is good (no bark inclusions). You want a branch that has a significant collar, not one that has a tight angle of attachment. I don’t have any numbers on this, but I would think you would be looking for a tree (or branch) that is at least 1″ in diameter for every 10 pounds of weight.

CHRIS FRANCIS
* ISA Certified Arborist
* Alabama State Licensed:
– Tree Surgeon
– Landscape Designer
– Landscape Contractor
– Pest Control Supervisor
* Certified Landscape Professional

This sounds great, but I’ve been having a heck of a time finding the proper eyebolt. Hardware stores just don’t carry one long enough to go through the branch that is either stainless or galvanized. They only have zinc-plated, which I don’t think will hold up. Any suggestions?

There are several online and catalog companies that stock tree and/or heavy duty hardware (Sherrill is a popular arborist supply co.). But if you want to touch before buying, find a Fastenall.

Chris Francis Tree Care

Anna,
use axle grease. It sounds messy and is, but unless you rub it off the outside will get dirty the bolt will not get dirty or wet and no rust (and it will slide through the hole easier)

Thanks for the great info. I might try drilling the holes to hang an eye bolt in my tree. I bought a swing, and it actually came with straps to hang it and I have to admit it made the job really easy for me. Would it be better to use eye bolts? An answer would be great.

My granddaughter is almost 4; my daughter would like to hangna swing from one of my trees, particularly a large pear tree. A tree man told me that the pear tree was not a good tree to hang a swing from. Is this correct as I have only pear and plum trees. Thank you.

Pears are weaker wooded, but could provide enough support for a child’s swing. The issue is branch attachment. Pears (especially ‘Bradford’ callery pears) have tight branch angles with bark inclusions that tend to “split” apart. The branch attachment for the host limb should be attached at a much wider angle and should look like a “U” instead of a “V” or “Y”. The limb and surrounding tissue should also be free of any decay. Also look at the connections below the limb to be sure there are no defects in the trunk. And look at the diameter too. I won’t pretend to be a structural engineer, but it should be fairly obvious if your limb is large enough to support the weight; you could always put a little weight on it to be sure it will hold.

CHRIS FRANCIS TREE CARE
Daphne, AL

Great comments and helpful – I have an implementation question if anyone has thoughts. I am putting in a swing (Southern Red Oak)and have gotten OK from a local arborist to confirm the tree/branch is healthy. What I did not ask but am curios about, is given that the branch itself is 16+” in diameter, can a lag-type eyebolt be used rather than a drill thru bolt? Drilling a branch that large is a bit of a challenge and the branch is about 40′ high.

Lag bolt would be just fine. You still want to drill it out before screwing it in, but do not drill too large; you will want the threads to be screwing into wood in order for it to hold. ANSI Standards state that the hole shall be 1/16″ to 1/8″ smaller than the lag-thread hardware. I suggest the 1/8″ because you will have more meet to screw into. As the tree grows, it will actually strengthen. When drilling, take small bites at a time, and clean the bit regularly. Do not stop drilling while bit is in the tree. Be sure your dill has good power and a reverse. This part is not easy, but it should last forever. Hardware should be inspected every year or two, but I do not anticipate any issues.

CHRIS FRANCIS
• ISA Certified Arborist (#so-6157A)
• Alabama State Licensed:
– Tree Surgery
– Landscape Design
– Setting of Landscape Plants
– Ornamental & Turf Pest Control Supervisor
• ALNLA Certified Landscape Professional
• AUFA Certified Urban Forester

CHRIS FRANCIS TREE CARE

Great. Thanks for the pointers.

We have a Quince tree with a branch that is (according to my husband) strong enough to hold our child. However, I am a bit skeptical. The tree is old and has a lot of moss, as well as a hollowed-out area near the base. The branch which we are hoping to hang the swing is 5″ in diameter, which is good for our daughter’s 21 lbs. However, the Y shape is perhaps a problem. My question is- what type of tree has a branch in a U shape? This seems impossible to find in our northwest tree selections. We have Cherry/Plum tree in our yard with huge sturdy branches but they are also in a Y or V shape. Perhaps I am not understanding the U shape of a branch…
Also, is a bolt that only goes in about 3 inches strong enough?
Thank you.

We had a swing in an old oak tree on a hill in our back yard. The branch was about 20′ up and was about 10″ in diameter. I wrapped the rope multiple times around branch so the swinging action was the rope flexing and not twisting on the bark.The big safety thing I did was to extend additional ropes from the branch up to the main trunk so the branch could never fall. The swing being on hill was great- you start with your feet touching and as you swing downhill you would rise to about 8′ off the ground. To be extra safe I added a $1,000,000 umbrella policy to my homeowners insurance!

Planning to attempt this with a large oaks in the back yard. The concern I have is that drilling into a healthy tree may introduce a chance for disease or decay to start. Thoughts on this?

Doug,
There is always the potential to harm the tree and cause decay to spread, but you should be fine, as long as the branch is fine. The greatest threat is drilling through decay, then that fungi has an easy path to spread. But a healthy limb will have little chance for decay as your hardware will fill the void that you create by drilling. Check the species of tree with your local extension agent to be sure there are no diseases around to worry about.

Christianna,
The U-shape is in the connection of the branch to the trunk. You want to avoid tight crotches or branch angle attachments, like acute triangles. I would prefer a 90-degree attachment (right angle), but will settle for less, so long as the angle is not so tight that it pushes the wood together (rather apart) as it grows. The U-shape will build wood and strength all the way around as it grows.

CHRIS FRANCIS
• ISA Certified Arborist (#so-6157A)
• Alabama State Licensed:
– Tree Surgery
– Landscape Design
– Setting of Landscape Plants
– Ornamental & Turf Pest Control Supervisor
• ALNLA Certified Landscape Professional
• AUFA Certified Urban Forester

CHRIS FRANCIS TREE CARE

The best way to attach a tree swing to a tree is to use a piece of a rubber hose and run the rope through the hose making sure that the hose ends up over and around the branch. I then replace the hose in a few years in a new spot with a new rope to keep everyone safe and having fun. The tree suffers little damage and the rope is protected as well. I also use the rubber hose to protect my rope going into the holes in my wood seats. It works wonderfully.

As an Arborist I would highly recommend to not drill into the tree or branch as doing this damages the tree and the branch may break or die. Best advice is a wrap around the branch however it should not be tight on the branch as the branch will widen over time and constrict again the wrap thus cutting off circulation to the branch which will result in the branch weakening and dying.

Would using tow straps work? I have found them 2×24 and 2X36 inches with a ring on each end that say they are rated at over 2000 lbs. I was thinking of going around the branch with the strap…attaching a large quick clip to the rings and attaching the swing to that. What do you think of this idea.

I am trying to put up my bench swing between two trees. My husband is concerned about the damage to the trees and if this could cause them to die. These are oaks that have a 8-10 inch diameter. I wanted to put a metal brace on the trunk and then run a landscape timber across to hang the swing from. Max weight with swing would be around 500 lb. Thoughts?

If you do some research you would find that a eye bolt is not the proper attachment to use. An eye bolt is only designed for a 0 degree force. as you increase the angle of force you substantially decrease the load rating of the eye bolt. Quite simply it is not designed for that type of use. The proper attachment would be a swivel hoist eye. It swings with the direction of the force. That allows the force to always be at a 0 degree angle and maintain its rated capacity.

What are your thoughts on using a 2″ wide tow line that’s wrapped around thee limb at least 4 times and spread out covering the limb area by approximately 6″ vs drilling thru the limb and attaching a bolt and washer. Thanks for taking the time to respond.

We installed a rope swing to a level branch on an elm tree in our yard. I thought the best for the tree was to drill through the branch and put in eye bolts which was very difficult but we managed to do it. The branch is about 30 feet up in the air. However, now when I (150 pounds) swings on the wooden seat and pumps I cannot get the swing to go very high. I’m thinking this might be the friction between the (3/4 inch) polyester rope and the eyebolt? What would be causing this? Do you suggest we insert a metal clip of some kind between the rope and the eyebolt? Or start over with the rubber around rope idea?

I have very old oaks with horizontal branches too high to use.
Is there a way to engineer a swing using the tree trunk to secure the robe & then a large bracket or other structure to extend the rope & drop the swing?

Thanks for all suggestions.

Any ideas for a tree tire swing on a tree that has near vertical branches? Cant get the swing out far enough from the tree. Saw a neat kit from weltevree (Netherlands) but don’t know where i can buy one.
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/317855686172352518/
Thanks.

Great guide also wanted to share I have tested the strapmate it on two different swings on tree limb. Works great. Hardware is solid and versatile as well. Kids are happy

The safety features of the swing is my top priority. For those who wants to install their own adult tree swing or hand-painted swings, there are a lot of choices.

I wish you would have included a video on the knots used for the swing you have pictured.

Thanks for your feedback, Veta.
You can find tutorials for typing both a slipknot and a running bowline on YouTube.
Let us know how it goes. 🙂