Before You Swing: How to Hang a Tree Swing Correctly

Tree swings are nostalgic, whimsical, and — done well — genuinely beautiful in a modern yard. Done badly, they wound the tree or come down with someone on them. The difference is mostly in the setup.

Pick the right branch

You want a living hardwood branch at least eight inches thick, running roughly horizontal, well clear of obstacles below. Skip dead wood and softwoods entirely.

Protect the tree, trust the hardware

Use wide tree-friendly straps rather than rope or chain bitten directly into the bark, and rate every component well past the load you expect. The straps are cheap insurance for both the tree and the rider.