Designing/Building a Swing Set?

[bagtagley]

Budget is limited, but I want something wood. I don't need seven swings, a climbing wall, a two story play house and three slides. Just need two or three swings. I was thinking two 6x6s, upright in concrete, with another 6x6 across the top. Lots of lag bolts and corner brackets, etc. That too simplified? Could also do a basic A-frame, but that adds complication and materials.

Anybody done this? I'm well aware of the potential to maim my children if I don't take this seriously, but I don't think it would be a stretch to think that I can do a better job than an overpriced WalMart job.

[toast2266]

I think your plan sounds fine, as long as you set the posts reasonably deep. If it seems unstable, it won't be too hard to add some diagonal bracing after the fact.

[OSECS]

Budget is limited, but I want something wood. I don't need seven swings, a climbing wall, a two story play house and three slides. Just need two or three swings. I was thinking two 6x6s, upright in concrete, with another 6x6 across the top. Lots of lag bolts and corner brackets, etc. That too simplified? Could also do a basic A-frame, but that adds complication and materials.

Anybody done this? I'm well aware of the potential to maim my children if I don't take this seriously, but I don't think it would be a stretch to think that I can do a better job than an
overpriced WalMart job.

Those 6 x 6 posts can move, twist quite a bit depending on weather conditions. Toast is right you need to set them deep, 24" min. The connections of the hor. Header To the vert. Post will need to be pretty beefy to counteract the forces of 3 kids swinging at the same time and the cumulative affects of that action coupled with the movement of the wood.

You're basically asking the vert. Members to be cantilevered out of the ground and have enough mass below grade to counteract the swinging motion of the kids.

The connector detail and the mass below grade are your two critical details.

[brice618]

Youll want some diagonal bracing if you want it to last for a long time. Like the others said that's a lot of force to cantilever in many different directions at once. Might want to add a small diagonal between you column and header as well.

[MakersTeleMark]

pm pechelman