The Advantages of a Glider

If you are looking to add a swing to your porch or yard, let me take a moment to recommend that you at least investigate purchasing a glider instead of a traditional hanging swing, especially if the area you want your swing to be located is in your yard or patio where there is no roof available.
A mission glider, unlike a hanging swing, functions by use of a gliding track system. This track system is located underneath the glider’s seat, allowing it to slide and swing without being suspended by chains as a traditional porch swing is. There are several advantages to the use of the gliding track system.
First off, porch swing chains are prone to rusting, causing extra work and additional expense in replacing them. The vast majority of gliding track systems, however, are made with rust-proof zinc hardware, making rust much less of an issue.
A second advantage to the glider is that it takes up less space than a hanging swing. If you hope to put some sort of swinging outdoor furniture in your yard or on a deck or patio without a roof, you will have to purchase an additional stand if you wish to hang a suspended swing. With a glider, on the other hand, the swinging mechanism is self-contained, allowing it to take up about the same amount of room as a stationary bench. This difference in size also makes the glider much easier to relocate.
However, gliders are not for everyone. Be sure to weigh the pros and cons of both the glider and the suspended swing before making your final purchase.

Finishing Your Porch Swing

We all know that your swing is the most important part of your porch. For many people, their outdoor porch swings are not only a source of comfort and enjoyment, but also the focal point of their entire porch or patio. For this reason, it is important that you keep your swing looking its best for the many years to come. If your swing’s beauty fades, it will affect the attractiveness of your whole porch; and since your porch is the front of your home, the appeal of your entire house will suffer.
Therefore, it is crucial that you apply a proper finish to your outdoor swing. A treatment such as a varnish or a translucent finish will emphasize the grain of your wood, while creating a rich, beautiful, and glossy color. If you prefer the appearance of an opaque paint, you can coat your swing in literally any solid color of your choosing. In other words, you can create virtually any design that you want to on your porch by finishing your swing accordingly. These treatments not only look great and add style to your porch, but they also protect your swing from the harmful effects of rain, snow, and other moisture. The main purpose of a finish is to keep the wood safe from rot, mold, and other sorts of decay and to prevent insect damage.
To keep your wooden porch swing looking attractive, and in effect keeping up the appearance of your entire house, be sure that you apply a finish to the swing. Otherwise, it will be subject to the forces of nature and eventually lose both its beauty and its ability to function.

Find Comfort with a Padded Rocking Chair

An outdoor rocking chair is a classic and comfortable way to enjoy your backyard and relax. However, if you are looking to increase your comfort and reach a whole new level of relaxation, you might be interested in a padded rocking chair.

Traditionally, outdoor rocking chairs are fashioned entirely from wood. The user would sit directly on the wooden seat and the wooden spokes provide support for your back. Although this design is quite attractive, if you sit in a classing wooden rocking chair for an extended period of time, it leaves something to be desired in the way of comfort.
Padded rocking chairs, on the other hand, sport cushions both on the seat and the back. These cushions allow you to sit for as long as you want without growing uncomfortable or needing to relocate. That way, you can spend hours on your patio, enjoying both the soothing rocking motion and the beauty of the outdoors, without having to worry about comfort or support for your body.
When purchasing your padded rocking chair, make sure that you buy an outdoor one. If you buy one of the many indoor padded rocking chairs, the fabrics will be unable to stand up to the harsh elements of rain and snow. Outdoor padded rocking chairs use weather-resistant fabrics to ensure the long life of your rocking chair.

Swinging Together

Once upon a time, swing seating was limited to two people and that was it. A swing could be enjoyed with a friend or lover, but swinging was never a family activity. Until now, that is. Today, as I was surfing the web, I stumbled across the garden swing gilder. This nifty glider set feature two regular sized swings facing each other under an impressive canopy. This swing set could fit four grown members of your family; and even more if your small children want to swing. What a great way to bring your family together!
Not only will a garden swing glider allow your whole family to swing at once, but it is also incredibly helpful in creating quality time together. Instead of watching a movie in silence, why not spend your family night out on your swing glider? Since the swings face each other, the unit is highly conducive to personal conversation. It will allow you to interact on a deep and meaningful level, since sitting facing each other is the most intimate position for conversation. A swing glider will allow you and your family to enjoy each other and your backyard at the same time, and hopefully bring your family closer to each other in the process.

Choosing the Right Cushion For Your Swing

No outdoor porch swing is complete until you buy cushions or pillows to go with it. Not only do cushions soften a wooden swing and make it more comfortable, but they also provide you with an arena to show more of your aesthetic taste and incorporate your swing with the rest of your outdoor decor.
However, there are definitely certain materials you want to look for when choosing cushions for your swing. You will want to make sure that your pillows will be able to stand up to all the elements it will be facing outside.
The most important element your cushions will need to resist is rain. Therefore, it is crucial to look for cushions that are made of materials that dry quickly and can be waterproofed. The best option for outdoor swing cushion materials is canvas coated with PVC. PVC will help to repel water off the pillow, keeping it drier and more protected. Cushions made of this material are also more resistant to dust, pollen, dirt and UV rays. These protective features allow the cushion to retain its original strength and resist fading for years to come.
When you are shopping for cushions for your porch swing, it is essential that you get high-quality cushions made of the proper material. Otherwise, your pillows will remain wet for too long and last for a very short period of time, making your swing less usable than before you bought your cushions.

Enjoy Your Swing, Even in the Cold

One of the worst things that can happen to your porch swing is the weather getting too cold for you to be able to enjoy it! When the seasons start to change and the autumn begins to cool down, it just can be too chilly for you to sit on your swing for very long. Luckily, you can avoid this porch catastrophe by purchasing a patio heater.
Patio heaters come in several different varieties, all of which will keep your porch nice and toasty. The three main types are wall-mounted heaters, tabletop heaters, and freestanding pole-mounted heaters.
Wall-mounted heaters are installed on the walls or ceiling of your porch. These heaters keep your patio free of clutter, and are the best option if you have children or pets, or if you yourself is accident-prone.
A tabletop heater sits on top of a patio table, and is much smaller than a pole-mounted heater. These heaters are great, but only if you have the table space to sacrifice.
Finally, there is the pole-mounted heater. These heaters are quite tall and sit on the ground, but they also create a lot of heat.
No matter which kind of patio heater you decide to purchase, I know you will be happy that you can enjoy your porch swing, even when it’s cold out!

Create a Beautiful Arbor Swing

An arbor swing can be a beautiful addition to your backyard, because not only do you get to enjoy your swing, but you get to view beautiful flowers while you swing. However, to produce the most attractive nook you can, you need to know at least a small bit about arbor gardening. Here are a few tips on what plants grow best on the swing arbor and how to grow them:
• You obviously want to grow plants that are vines on your arbor. A few beautiful and popular choices are climbing roses, wisteria, trumpet creeper, grapes, and passionflower vines.
• Be sure to place your arbor where it won’t block sunlight from other plants in your garden.
• Place the arbor in a location where your plants will receive plenty of sunlight.
• Make sure your arbor is shielded from strong winds.
• Keep the base of your plants mulched with four inches of organic mulch, so that the soil retains water better.
• Be sure to check on your plants and water them daily.
• Train the vines to climb up the arbor. You might need to purchase weatherproof garden twine to tie them to your arbor as they grow.
If you follow these simple suggestions, you can basically guarantee that your backyard will boast a beautiful arbor.