Help with ideas for my old swingset

15 years ago

Years and years ago, my dad built me a swingset. It was a metal version of the now wooden jungle gyms. I would love to make an arbor using the two pieces I have 'rescued'. They are each made out of 2, maybe 3 inch diameter metal pipes welded together, and when you stand them up, they look like the letter H. The uprights are about 8 feet tall and the horizonal pipe going across makes it about 4 feet wide. My problem is: I don't weld. Can't and won't. LOL. I can cement the posts into the ground, but what can I use for the top and how do I get more stuff on the side to grow vines on it? I had thought about attaching various sizes of cedar tree limbs to the sides, but won't they fall apart eventually? Any other ideas that I could do to use sentimental swingset? Thanks.

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Comments (6)

luna_llena_feliz
15 years ago
I'm not sure if I'm picturing your swingset right but my immediate thought were hog panels surrounding your swingset frame. Below is a link to another post here where people posted pictures of their hog panel arbors. Scroll down the list of posts to see the pictures.

Here is a link that might be useful: Hog Panel Arbors
katishooked
15 years ago
Along the same thots as Luna, most of the home improvement stores have many different gauges and styles of wire you can buy in lengthe. Mt thoughts was once you got the pieces in the groung where you want them is to wrap the ends of the wire around the poles. This would give you support for climbers, or if the wire was sturdy enough you could hang birdhouses, feeders etc. Good luck. Pictures do help us to see your train of thots. Please post.
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Barbara Kelly
15 years ago
Cementing it into the ground sounds like a good start. Is the cross member one pole or two? I would get hog panels and cut them the width of the H. Cut them to fit the height. You can install these with zip ties and they will last forever.

Then cut a panel in half lengthwise and the length of the crossmember. fold this into a tent shape like V upside down. then put it on top of the crossmember and wire it on.

It sounds like a lot of work, but really isn't and should be beautiful when covered with wisteria or roses. What a nice way to remember your Dad.

Would be a nice place for a bench or swing seat.
tennesseetrash
15 years ago
Some people who don't weld use bolts to construct a project like that. Perhaps that's an option. The old swingset would make a wonderful, sturdy trellis or arbor. Please show us pics of it when finished!

Vines such as clematis come back every spring, and I think they grow well in your area. Wisteria is aggressive, but beautiful, and a strong metal frame like yours would hold it. So many other vines that you can plant in the spring each year from seed, such as Moonflower or Hibiscus Indian Bean Vine. Around it you could plant other complimentary plants like hostas, ferns, flower bulbs, annuals, all in the colors and textures you like. ~tenderlee
hardin
Original Author
15 years ago
Thanks for the great ideas. I have been in the midst of remodeling the back yard. We are wanting to put in a small pond, but I want to work on other things on the outer edges (so to speak) before we put it in. And the cheaper, the better. I love this forum. Now if I could only find a big ole' satellite dish...bowling balls...more rocks...no end to this list.
tennesseetrash
15 years ago
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Help with ideas for my old swingset

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luna_llena_feliz

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Help with ideas for my old swingset

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luna_llena_feliz

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