How to Maintain Your Wooden Porch Swing

A porch swing is a wonderful piece of furniture that provides a source of relaxation and exquisiteness for any home.

However, purchasing one of these fantastic swings is a large investment, and thus it is important that you properly tend to it so it continues to perform in top shape as time goes by.

Most porch swings are built out of varying types of wood and each of these wood types have specific resistances. Figuring out what your swing is resistant to will allow you to determine the optimal way to maintain your swing.

Here is a list of benefits for common wood types:

• Oak resists water and decay
• Cedar is strong and durable but is not resistant to weather. It also needs treatment to maintain its color
• Mahogany resists water, mildew, and rot
• Cypress resists rot and insect decay

Knowing the kind of wood that is in your swing allows you to find out exactly what type of routine care it needs, thereby saving you time, energy and money.

Protection Tips

Wood is extremely vulnerable to sun and rain damage. Long-term exposure to these elements can cause the wood to rot or warp. So, follow these tips to ensure this doesn’t happen!

1. Either keep your swing indoors or make sure there is sufficient covering over it. A patio swing with a stable roof over it is a great way to enjoy yourself outside without harming your swing.
2. Do not let alcoholic beverages, hot items, and certain plants touch your wooden swing. They have the potentially to permanently stain your wood.
3. Ensure proper installation. When your patio swing isn’t properly installed, there is potential danger. The swing could fall and not only damage itself but you as well. Even if your swing is properly installed, always make sure to keep the hardware and chains clean and lubricated. Failure to do this can result in the same danger.
4. Keep it dry. Treat your wooden swing with water-resistant sealant or keep it covered if you believe it has the potential to get wet. If you do not, then it can develop mold, rot, warping, peeling paint and color fading.
5. Keep splinters in check. Eventually, your swing will develop splinters not matter how high the quality is. To get rid of them just take a sanding block or hand sander with fine to medium grit sandpaper and simply smooth away the splinters. If left unchecked, the splintering could multiple and ruin your porch swing. You may have to apply paint or varnish after removing the splinters this way.
6. Put a protective coating around your swing. These coatings can protect your swing from rain, snow, and wind. The coatings and varnishes can be bought at most retail and hardware stores. The application is as simple as spraying 1 or 2 thin coats over your swing and letting it dry before use. Just follow the instructions given to you though!
7. Proper storage. If your porch swing is in a location where it can be affected by extreme weather conditions, then store your swing in a safe location if you want it to last long. A garage, shed, basement or attic should work just fine. Remember to store hardware such as chains as well.

By now you should be a pro at maintaining your wooden porch swing. Increasing the longevity on such a beautiful and big investment is well worth the extra minutes in making sure your swing is taken care of and functioning in top condition.