Porch swing Supports

hangingjoists

Trying to hang a porch swing but the overhead structure isnt conducive. Joists are all 2×6 that run perpendicular to the direction I need to hang the swing. I’m thinking of putting a couple 4x4s in between the joists and drilling into the 4x4s from below. But Im concerned about ability of the 2x6s to bear the weight. Any thoughts on using face mounting joist hangers to hang a 4×4 (and in-turn the swing)? And the best way to do it. House is 98 yrs old so I dont want to screw anything up. Attached picture shows the overheas structure of the porch. The red circles are the two points where I need to drill in from below. Thanks for any assistance. enter image description here

Best Answer

You need a structural analysis that considers the load on the roof, ceiling load, and the proposed swing load. Way too many variables to address here. If you can’t handle the structural analysis, you can do it the old fashioned way. Put a piece of plywood across the ceiling members and add 50 lbs and measure the deflection. Keep adding weight to 1.5 times the weight you plan on the swing. Don’t exceed 3/8” deflection at the center of the room.

My gut tells me that your roof won’t support the load without truss support to spread the load.