How do I adjust the height of my swing bed after the rope has settled?

While many people choose natural manila rope for its classic appearance, its oil content and natural composition may lead to sagging over time as the rope “breathes” with seasonality and will eventually need adjusting. To adjust your rope lengths, lift up on both sides of the swing and place a 5-gallon bucket or other height-appropriate support underneath your swing bed’s right and left sides. Once the swing’s weight is safely and fully supported, untie each knot, pull the rope taut, and re-tie the knots at a higher location than they were previously. After all four knots are re-tied, you can lift up on each side of the bed swing, remove the supports, and let the swing hang freely. To tighten the knots further, carefully and steadily press down on each side of the swing bed until the knots are tight and the bed is level. At this point, you can also sit on the swing bed in each corner if you feel you are unable to apply the appropriate amount of force/pressure with your hands alone.

If you are looking for a more maintenance-friendly rope solution, our 1″ synthetic manila and black poly options have a much higher uv resistance, are less prone to sagging, and maintain their appearance much longer. The length adjustment procedure is the same as described above should the need arise.