You'll need:

• 1 piece of pressure treated pine at least 6 months old.  Pressure treated wood needs time to cure, so the chemicals helping to preserve the wood won’t bleed through your paint.  It should measure 11/2 inches thick x 7 inches wide x 21 inches long.

• 2 lengths of 1/4” nylon rope, the length will be determined by where you want to hang the swing

• S hooks for hanging (optional)

• White spray paint

• Pencil for drawing

• Small chisel or sharp knife

• Colorful water base paints/acrylic (your choice of colors)

• Small paintbrush

• Polyurethane spray to seal the paint

• Boxwood branches, ribbons and / or silk flowers for decorating the ropes (optional)

• Wire (optional)

Drill a 1/2 inch hole near each corner of the board.  This is there the rope will go through. 

Spray paint your board on the top and bottom and sides with the white spray paint.  Do this outside or in a well-ventilated room, being careful not to get overspray. 

While the paint is drying, decide how you want to decorate your swing.  I chose to stencil some flowers and leaves on the left side.  On the right, I drew a heart and arrow and the initials of the newlyweds inside the heart with a pencil and then carved the pattern into the wood. 

For an extra touch, stencil a leaf or two along the front edge and add a ladybug.  Ladybugs are supposed to be good luck. 

Seal the entire seat with polyurethane to preserve the stenciling. 

Loop one length of rope through the two holes on one end.  Tie a knot above the board to secure it.  Repeat on the other side. 

Hanging: We hung our swing from a tree.  Since our thick branch wasn't level, we had to adjust the lengths of the ropes to accommodate its gentle slopping.  Make sure your branch will support the weight of an adult.  

It is optional to decorate the ropes, but if you choose to do so, boxwood can be wired along the length of the ropes, as can silk flowers, and ribbons to float in the breeze. 

Enjoy for a very long time.