How to Make a Swing Rope Ladder

Rope ladders are commonly used for outdoor activities or for a child's treehouse. They require only simple tools and take a few hours to complete. It is important to use a good, sturdy rope for the ladder that will not snap under the weight of a climber. When building, it is important to properly tie knots in the rope to support and hold the rung boards in place. All materials needed to build a swing rope ladder can be found at most home improvement or hardware stores.

Things You'll Need

• Rope
• Heavy-duty scissors
• Utility knife
• 1-by-3-by-10 board
• Sawhorses
• Tape measure
• Pencil
• Circular saw
• Power drill
• 1/2-inch wood drill bit
• Plastic washers

Instructions

1. Lay rope out on a flat, level surface and determine the length needed to create one side of the rope ladder. Cut the rope with a heavy-duty pair of scissors or utility knife. Lay out another length of rope equal in length to the first, and cut it in the same fashion. Separate the two pieces slightly on the ground to form the sides of the ladder.

2. Place a 1-by-3-by-10 piece of lumber on a pair of sawhorses so it is adequately supported. Measure 2 feet across the face of the board with a tape measure and make a pencil line. Repeat this until you can’t make any more 2-foot-long markings.

3. Cut the rung boards with a circular saw at every line marking. Rungs are placed every 1 1/2 feet on the ladder. Make enough boards so the first is 8 inches from the top and the rest are placed every 1 1/2 feet after that.

4. Measure to find the horizontal center line of one board. Make a mark 2 inches in along the line from each of the short sides. Drill 1/2-inch holes at the two markings. Place the first board onto the top of each other board and outline the location of the holes. Drill holes in the remaining boards.

5. Tie a knot in one side of the rope so it is 8 inches up from the end. Insert the other end of the rope through a hole in one of the boards and slide it down until it reaches the knot and stops. This knot supports the step board and keeps it from slipping off the bottom of the rope ladder.

6. Place another knot in the rope 1 1/2 feet above the first knot and board similar to the first. Slide another board down the open end of the rope to hold that step on the second knot. Continue this process until approximately 16-inches from the open end of the rope. Tie a final knot just above the last board to hold that board in position and keep the board from sliding off the end.

7. Repeat the same process of knot tying and fitting the open hole in the second side of the step boards onto a rope and make a duplicate of the first rope to complete the ladder.

Tips & Warnings

• Add plastic washers between a wood board and rope knot to help protect the wood from the rope.

• Ensure that the rope ladder is properly mounted prior to use.

• Only allow one person on the ladder at a time.

References

• “Black and Decker: The Complete Guide: Build Your Kids a Treehouse”; Philip Schmidt; 2007
• “Yard and Garden Structures: 74 Easy-to-Build Designs for Gazebos, Sheds, Pool Houses, Playsets, Bridges and More”; Matt Debacker; 2001