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Free DIY Wooden Swing Set Plans

Make an easy A frame swing set with hardware sets, pressure treated lumber, and these free DIY wooden swing set plans!

girl smiling on swing set

When our daughter outgrew her toddler-size swing set, we started looking around for an upgrade. 

I was really disappointed with the cheap metal swing sets that were really the only ones in our price range. 

So we decided to build an A frame swing set with lumber and hardware sets from Home Depot.

Here’s how it went and how to do it yourself!

DIY A-Frame Swing Set Hardware

A-frame metal swing set brackets

 

The first step we took was to find a set of brackets. 

We ended up ordering an A-Frame Swing Set Bracket Set like this one from Home Depot

We were super happy with how easy it was to use and that all of the hardware was included. 

set of 2 swing hangers

Next, we ordered three sets of swing hangers since we already had two swings and a set of bars from our other swing set. 

There are lots of different swing set hangers out there. I just suggest finding one that has a weight limit well above what you think you will need. Like this set of 2 Heavy Duty Swing Hangers from The Home Depot. 

The first set we looked at only had a weight limit of 115 lbs. – that was definitely not going to work!

blue swing

Last, if you don’t already have swings and bars as we did, you will need to order those as well.

I like these affordable standard swings from Home Depot

saucer swing

At some point, we’d love to upgrade to a Saucer Swing like this one! 

You can choose any variety you’d like and make a custom swing set just for your kids.

threaded metal rod

The last bit of hardware we ended up buying for the swing set was 2 ft. threaded metal rods like the one pictured above. 

We used these to anchor the swing set to the ground because the feet were lifting up if anyone went big on the swings!

They only cost about $3.50 each so we were happy with the price. 

ground anchor for swing set

Our anchors have corroded after 2 years but are still doing the trick. 

My husband drilled down through the 4 x 4 at an angle and then pounded the metal rods into the ground with a sledgehammer. 

He attached a washer and nut to the end of the bolt to hold it in place. It was a cheap solution to the feet lifting up that didn’t require us concreting the legs in place!

Actually, you’ll also need a handful of decking screws to attach the 2 x 4s to the A-frame, so add that to your shopping list if you don’t have any hanging around. 

A-Frame Swing Set Lumber

 

piece of pressure treated lumber

Here’s a breakdown of the pressure treated lumber you will need for this swing set:

receipt with cost of lumber

When we made our swing set (in 2019) lumber was SO much cheaper than it is now!

Our total cost for lumber for this project was $77. It’s roughly double that currently. 😳

Free DIY Wooden Swing Set Plans

DIY wooden swing set plans free hand drawn sketch

Since I don’t have any fancy drawing software, you’ll have to make do with my hand drawn plans for putting the swing set together.

But hey, they are free so you can’t be too upset LOL. 

Click here to download the free DIY wooden swing set plans as a PDF. 

measuring for the swing hanger locations

The most challenging part of building the swing set ended up being deciding how far apart to attach the swing hangers. 

We decided that 18 inches was the best distance to have the pair of hangers apart from each other. So we placed them as far apart as we could while keeping them a safe distance from the edges. 

drawing that shows swing hardware for DIY wooden swing set plans

Here’s another drawing that better shows the placement of the swing hangers. 

We decided on 8 ft. 8 inches for the length of the legs, but when my husband helped build another swing set with a friend, they made the legs 9 ft. long. 

So that is really up to how tall you want it. 

Assembling the swing set is easy once you have all of your materials and tools gathered. 

Be sure to attach the swing hardware before you assemble the frame. This will make your life so much easier. 

Also, we built the A-frame on the ground then walked it up, which took two people. Just something to keep in mind!

DIY A Frame Swing Set Tools

man with drill assembling swing set

It’s always a good idea to know what tools you will need to gather before you start a project. 

Here’s what you will need:

  • Drill with appropriate bits to drill holes and attach hardware
  • Chop saw to cut ends of the 4 x 4s and 2 x 4s
  • Wrench to tighten nuts on anchors
  • Tape measure
  • Small ladder

A-Frame Swing Set Cost in 2019

kids on swings

Here is the cost breakdown for our DIY A Frame Swing Set (in 2019): 

  • Swing set brackets = $66
  • Swing hangers = $31
  • Lumber = $78
  • Metal rods for anchors = $10

TOTAL COST = $185

We were super happy that we kept the cost under $200 for a swing set that will last the rest of our daughter’s childhood. *Please note that costs have risen significantly since we built our swing set almost 5 years ago. In this post I have provided links to products that could be used, but it never hurts to shop around to help with your bottom line! 

Keep in mind that if you don’t already have swings or other accessories you will have the purchase those as well. 

Also consider that the cost of lumber may be significantly higher due to supply/demand issues. 

I hope you found this post helpful if you are interested in free DIY wooden swing set plans or trying to build your own A-frame swing set. 

Any questions? Please leave a comment below or send me a message on The Frugal South’s Facebook page!

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