What is the Average Height of a Swing Set? (Seat and Beam)
If you don't like height, the standard size for a children’s swing is 6 feet. Of course, you can go taller than that but if you want to maintain a decent level and keep your costs down, go with the standard height measurement.
But keep in mind, your typical swing set height is open to alterations and depends on who is doing the building, how tall the children are and other factors. You want to make sure that your children get enough chain length to swing easily and have a lot of fun doing it.
A short swing set height will cut down on the swing arc and not leave you enough room to place the swing seat properly.
Looking for a Swing Set? Don't buy something you'll hate
Here is a list of our buying guides to help you find the best swing set for your needs:
Comparing Swing Sets
In today’s modern world, you can get a variety of swing sets for your children. The designs range from the very basic 2 swings seats on a metal frame to very elaborate wood designs that have a clubhouse, ladders, slides, and other playground equipment.
Which one you get depends on how much you want to spend. Some people do not like to spend a lot of money on a swing set and they do what the traditional Koreans and Middle Eastern parents did.
They simply tied long ropes to tree limbs or to a simple wood frame. That frame could extend up to 24 feet or more high. Then the seat is placed very low to the ground which is often made of a simple wood plank.
The Korean children and adults still get a lot of fun out of swinging on their traditional swings even though they are not as elaborate as many western models.
Ideal and Average Swing Set Height
When it comes to swings, there are a lot of options out there. You can go with the basic design that just has a couple of swings and stand about the average height of 6’ tall. These swings still provide hours of fun for your children.
Or you can go to a variety of designs that contain lots of playground options like ladders and ropes. Their ideal height is going to be taller than the 6’ average. More likely, the ideal height for those options would be about 10 feet high.
The key to having swing sets work properly is to have enough space so your child can swing without fear of getting injured. The more height you have, and some basic swings do come in 8’ tall sizes, the better the swing arc and the higher off the ground you place the swing seat.
How Long Should a Swing Set Beam Be
The length of the swing set beam is going to depend on several factors. The most important factor is the number of swings you are going to place on it. The next important factor is the weight capacity.
You need to know how much weight you can safely place on the swing set beam no matter how long it is. If you are using only 2 swings, then an 8’ foot beam should be sufficient as long as it can hold more than 400 pounds.
If you are going to have three to 4 swings on the swing set, then you may want a 16’ foot beam that can hold up to 1000 pounds. Then these beams should be no smaller than 4 x6” in size if you are using wood.
Metal beams are a different story as they are stronger and can handle heavier weights even though they are smaller in size. Keep in mind that overall safety is the main factor and you do not want to save money and sacrifice safety.
How High Off The Ground Should a Swing Seat Be
How high you place your swing seat from the ground depends on the age of your children. There are different age groups and each one has their own minimum height restriction.
Tot - now a tot seat is defined as an enclosed seat that are made to fit children under the age of 4. These seats have to be placed 24 inches off the ground.
Pre-school seats - this age group is for children between the ages of 4 and 6. Their seats have to be placed at a minimum of 12 inches from the ground
School aged children - these children tend to have longer legs so their swing set seat height minimum is placed at 16 inches off the ground.
These regulations are designed to help our children avoid getting their feet caught on the ground as they swing by. For tots, their set height is deigned so that they cannot swing themselves.
How High Do You Hang a Porch Swing
Porch swings have a different purpose than a children’s recreational swing. They are deigned more for relaxed activities like reading, enjoying the weather and even romantic moments.
You do not need as much space surrounding the location of your porch swing so you can place it in tight spots. Before you hang your porch swing, though, you should consider how much weight will be placed on it.
You certainly do not want it to fall at the wrong moment. Once you have made that determination, you do not need a lot of space between the floor and the bottom of the porch swing.
Of course, your height will influence how high you hang it off the floor. If you are a taller person, you would be more comfortable hanging it about 19 inches high. For shorter people, you should go down to about 17 inches.
But it all depends on you and who is going to use the porch swing.
Some Final Comments
Getting the right height to your swing set is very important. The amount of height you have makes sure you have enough room so you can place the swing seat at the appropriate height for your children.
Also, you get enough room so your children can swing easily and have a lot of fun. To be sure you have the correct height for you and your family, you should check with your local government to see if they have any regulations governing the height of your swing sets.
Looking for a Swing Set? Don't buy something you'll hate
Here is a list of our buying guides to help you find the best swing set for your needs:
