Hanging swing: assortment and selection criteria

Hanging swings have always been and remain the most favorite children's entertainment on the playground. Ease of installation and the ability to operate at any time of the year make this game one of the fastest and easiest ways to entertain not only children, but also adults. The most popular are suspended structures.

Outdoor suspended swings became widespread with the beginning of the construction of high-rise high-rise buildings, in the courtyards of which it became necessary to equip playgrounds for children. Hanging swings are included in the standard list of attractions recommended for installation in the play area. Suspended structures are a powerful metal crossbar in the shape of the letter "U" with a seat suspended from them, which is attached to the frame with steel chains. This option solves many problems at once:

• the metal chain has a high strength reserve of a dozen or more times, due to which it can withstand an increased load;
• the chains do not have the ability to stretch, due to which the chair is located at the same level for several years;
• duration of operation - even in a situation where the swing is not lubricated with oil, they are operated for several decades exactly until the destruction of the supports or the seat begins.

However, such a swing also has disadvantages - the use of a steel chain often causes the seat to vibrate, twist, and sometimes even overturn. In addition, such structures are quite heavy - massive seats correspond to metal chains, which several years ago caused a number of tragedies - when children fell from a swing, they were hit by elements of a moving structure, which caused severe injuries and even death of children. That is why lighter models have been used on playgrounds in recent years.

Let's consider the main ones.

For adults, the following options for a suspended swing are most often purchased. Sun loungers are single structures that are suspended at a single point. The model is equipped with a spring, so it can withstand a load of up to 200 kg. Cocoons are swings equipped with an additional stand. As a rule, they are made from real or artificial rattan, vine or bamboo. The model consists of small reinforcing arcs, which are attached from above at a common fixation point, and rattan and threads are stretched between them. Most often they are produced in a single version, but there are also options for 2.3 and even 4 seats.

Hammocks - easy to operate, are usually made of dense fabric and are a canvas that is attached at both ends to a vertical support. Usually intended for use by one person, less often by two. Swing sofas are the most common swing for adults in summer cottages and in the courtyards of private houses. These standard models, which have a long seat cushion and a rigid back, are distinguished by an underestimated swing frequency - to put it simply, they swing rather than swing. Usually purchased for a group of individuals.

Swings for babies are also available in several versions.Sofas - products designed for only one person, differ in a high backrest and are equipped with comfortable armrests that protect the baby from slipping out. Sometimes these models are equipped with additional lighting and sound effects.

Benches are good for a group of children, as a rule, they swing from 3 to 5 babies. Such structures are products made in the form of a bench or in the form of individual seating positions connected to each other. Usually such swings have a strong metal frame, and hard seats are equipped with soft mattresses. For the smallest, jumping models are optimal, which are designed for babies up to 1 year old.

Before approaching the choice of a suitable swing model, you need to decide on the place where they should be located. It is important to focus on a few important points.

• The swing should be located so that you can always see the child, even if the structure is installed outdoors, and you are at home.
• The swing should not be located in the immediate vicinity of fences and walls of outbuildings and houses - keep in mind that even swinging strongly with outstretched legs, the child should not hit hard obstacles. The minimum free distance in front and behind the swing is 2 meters on each side, so it is unacceptable to install the structure on a balcony or veranda, but to save space they are often hung in the doorway.
• It is optimal that the hanging swing is located in the shade, otherwise in the summer during the daytime they can get hot and the child will be uncomfortable with having fun on them.
• The swing should be located away from thorny bushes, poisonous grasses, plants and flower beds.
• It is optimal that the surface under the swing is soft and springy - in this case, the baby, even falling, will not be able to hurt himself.

The most common version of a suspended swing is considered to be wooden, and such models can be used both for outdoor devices and at home. Swings made of wood have a lot of advantages. First, it is an environmentally friendly material. Secondly, the cost of wood is low, and therefore the swing will be quite democratic. Thirdly, wood products have a long service life, they are resistant to external atmospheric influences, do not rot under the influence of precipitation, and direct sunlight does not cause cracking and deformation. By the way, such a swing can be easily and simply made at home, and for this you don't even need to buy expensive boards - just look around and use the materials at hand, which are probably stored in everyone's dacha shed.

It will be very cheap to build a swing from ordinary wooden pallets. - these products, left over after repair or construction, can become a good seat, you just need to fix a dense rope on such a pallet and attach to the main frame. If you connect 2 pallets, then you can equip a swing with a back, by the way, many additionally sheathe them with foam rubber and cover them with canvas - this makes the entertainment much more comfortable, moreover, on such soft structures it will be possible not only to sit, but even lie down after a very active day ...

If you have an unwanted skate or a broken snowboard lying around, then they can also be used to equip a play area and transform into great seats. Such a sports facility is characterized by lightness, but at the same time strength, so you can put a baby on them without fear that such an impromptu seat will break under the weight of the baby. The main thing here is to fix the suspension structure as firmly as possible on the frame using cables or chains, but there will be no difficulties with this.If, for example, there are wheels on the skateboard, then it will be enough just to build loops from the rope and thread a board through them, in this case the wheels will be fixed with ropes and prevent them from slipping.

Metal swing is considered an equally popular option., they look very stylish and expensive, emphasize the landscape favorably and create a large field for various kinds of decoration and the manifestation of design ideas. Metal products are durable - they can serve faithfully for several decades, they are not afraid of temperature fluctuations, high humidity, frequent precipitation or, conversely, sweltering heat.

However, there are also disadvantages. First of all, this is weight - the swing is very heavy, so you have to tinker to put it on and fix it on the base. In addition, if they fall, they can hit the child and cause significant harm to his health. And in the absence of the necessary care, they quickly undergo corrosive processes. In addition, swings made of metal heat up in summer, and in winter, on the contrary, they become too cold, so their use may be inconvenient.

In recent years, swings are made of plastic more often, the advantages of such models are obvious - it is light weight, easy to install, quick cleaning and good transport tolerance. Even if such a swing hits the child, he will get off with only a slight bruise. But there are also disadvantages. A swing made of plastic can crack in the cold, and upon impact and break. In the heat, the material can begin to melt, which leads to deformation of the structure. Such swings are often quite unstable, therefore they are optimal for young children. In addition, the environmental safety of such products is in great doubt, so many do not trust such designs.

By design, swings are divided into mechanical and electronic. Mechanical are attached and work on the principle of a pendulum. They are fixed to the frame through a suspension on bearings using chains, and swinging is carried out through a special rhythm of squats and straightenings. At the time of squatting, the seats hit the highest point of their support, the sooner the mechanism passes through the lowest point of support, the stronger and higher the swing will turn out. The oscillation frequency depends on the size of the suspension - it corresponds to the length from the suspension point to the central part of the bulk of the load, which is located in the area of ​​the swinging waist.

Electronic models are attached and function in accordance with the theory of the oscillatory circuitwhich includes a wire coil and an electric capacitor. The latter consists of 2 metal plates, between them there is an air cushion. When a positive charge is formed on one coil, and on the other, on the contrary, a negative charge, discharges arise in them and current flows. At the end of the replacement of charge parameters, all actions are performed in the reverse order. Slowly but surely, the stock of kinetic energy ends and the oscillations stop.

When buying a swing, special attention should be paid to the safety of the structure, reliability and strength of the swing. For very young babies, it is better to use models equipped with seat belts, they prevent the baby from slipping and falling onto the ground.It is very important that the fastening is strong and the knots do not begin to unravel at the moment of swinging, however, knots tied too tightly are no less dangerous, since they can easily slip through the hole in the sides of the swing.

The reviews on the use of hanging swings are the most positive - these products are practical and reliable, they require minimal installation time, while serving for years. At the same time, the swing is presented in a wide variety of commodity items - they can be made of different materials, have different shapes, functionality, as well as different sizes and methods of fastening. However, users note that when installing such products, you need to add a little stability to the swing using special spacers. It is very important to periodically inspect the structure, check the working units. All elements that are in sandy soil should be disassembled and thoroughly cleaned annually.

If the swing is covered with awnings, umbrellas and has soft seats in its kit, then all these elements need to be washed periodically, if this is not possible, wash with water from a hose using a cleaning agent. It is better to treat all wood surfaces with special compounds that will protect the material from fungal infection and harm caused by insects - for this purpose, special fungicidal varnishes and liquid antiseptics are used.

But metal elements should be wiped with water-repellent coatings. After any rain, it is imperative to wipe the swing with a dry cloth - this will significantly increase their service life, and during a hurricane or strong wind, be sure to remove the awning, since when the canvas is pulled, the arcs of the structure and fasteners may bend. The product must be clean - in order to maintain it in this state, you must regularly wipe all moving parts with a medium-hard brush.

And, of course, do not exceed the permissible load on the swing, otherwise, as the reviews testify, the swing may break. Do not swing too much - this can not only lead to injuries, but also easily cause the structure to overturn. It is strictly forbidden to jump on the swing and swing the seat to the right and left.

Hanging swings have been an indispensable attribute of children's games for many decades. In stores you can find a wide variety of very different and very stylish models. And you can make an excellent swing with your own hands from any available means.

Swings can be very different - wicker, round, double designs, as well as with a net, a bag, in the form of a cocoon or an egg, are quite popular. They may or may not have a rack.

For the smallest, they equip a room swing.

For information on how to make a hanging swing with your own hands, see the next video.