You can make a canopy cover for your patio swing on your own following a few easy steps. This cover will provide protection to your costly swing from the natural elements. This will, in turn, add to the life of the swing and help retain its functionality as well as its looks. Therefore, investing in a patio swing cover will ensure that the usefulness and effectiveness of your patio swing are enhanced.
Yes, you can buy a patio swing cover from a home improvement store or a garden center. You can even get it customized according to the shape, size, and need of the swing and your choice, but it will cost you a lot of money for that.
Alternatively, you can get it all if you make a canopy cover for your patio swing by yourself. You do not need to be adventurous to do. All you need is the right materials and know the right techniques to make the cover.
Measure the swing
Start with measuring the patio swing to find the right size and the amount of fabric you require to make the canopy cover.
Measure the length and width of the total area that you want to cover surrounding the patio swing where you want to install the cover. You can use a tape measure for this. These measurements are important because:
- It will determine the amount of cloth you will need to make the cover
- It will also help you in making the right design of the cover to ensure that it fits well and covers every inch and corner of the measured area.
Just make sure that this measurement is as precise as possible. In order to make the best measurement, you should measure twice, if necessary. Also, make it a point that you order for a foot or more while purchasing the material for the cover. This will make up the loss or wastage of material in case you make a mistake while making the canopy cover.
Cut the material
You will get the material for your canopy covering a home décor or home improvement store. Cut the material according to the measurement with scissors making sure that you leave enough margin to sew the ends. It is also required to make sure when you cut the material that it is large enough to cover the entire patio swing when it is pulled tout.
The last few steps
When you are done with the cutting, get a few tent poles or lightweight rods of aluminum to hang the tarp and provide it adequate strength and support. You will need 4 lengths of tent poles as under:
- 2 short pieces for the sides and
- 2 long pieces for the back and front.
Secure the tarp on the poles using needle and thread, preferably a fishing line.
Attach fringe on the side as a decorative element both at the back and front. After that, attach the cover to the patio swing. Use a drill to secure it to the existing frame of the swing. With screws or bolts.
