Hammocks are incredibly comfortable, fun, and versatile accessories that anyone from any walk of life can enjoy. You need to know how to hang them properly if you truly want to get the most enjoyment out of them. If you want to know the “dos and don’ts” of how to hang a hammock, you’ve come to the right place.
First, we need to cover some basics!
What Can I Hang My Hammock On?
You can hang your hammock on just about anything! Some hammocks come with a hammock stand, which is very convenient. However, most hammocks require you to figure out how to set it up on your own.
So, what can you hang hammocks on?
- Trees. Okay, this is an obvious one. Generally, you’ll use hammock straps for this. It’s one of the easiest ways to set up a hammock.
- Ceilings. Some hammocks are specifically designed to hang from your ceiling. This could be your porch hammock, or even indoors if you want to relax with some A/C.
- Posts. Any type of post will do, as long as it’s sturdy, and there are two of them! Some people use their porch posts, but many love setting up wood posts in their backyard for their hammocks.
Now that we’ve covered the basics let’s dive into the different methods of how to hang a hammock.
How to Hang a Hammock from a Tree
This method is for anyone who loves camping, or anyone who wants to hang out in their backyard (as long as they have trees!). There are a couple of different common methods that people use to do this.
Tree Strap Method
This is the easiest way to hang up your hammock between trees. Many camping hammocks come with tree straps, but if yours doesn’t, you can always find some online by simply Googling: tree straps for hammock. Once you have your tree straps, they’re incredibly simple to use.
One at a time, wrap each strap around your chosen trees. Simply take the end of your strap with the single loop, and put the other end through it. Pull until it snugly fits around the tree.
Then you attach your hammock to the straps by fitting its S hook into whichever adjustment strap elevates the hammock to your desired position.
Rope Method
If you want to learn how to hang a hammock with rope, good for you! It’s an excellent method because ropes are incredibly easy to store and pack if you are camping. Not to mention, like the tree straps, they won’t damage trees.
Needless to say, if you enjoy making various knots, then this is the way you should go! There are many different ways to tie your hammock into place successfully. Here’s an impressive list of ten different knots to secure your hammock.
How to Hang a Hammock Chair
Next, let’s dive into how to hang a hammock chair indoors or outdoors. Some hammock chairs come with a stand, and of course, you can always buy a stand if you frequently move your hammock chair. However, many people want their hammock chair in one spot.
In this case, it is most common to hang it from the ceiling; whether that’s a ceiling inside your house, or on an outdoor porch. Here’s how:
1. First, you need to find the joist in your ceiling so you can securely attach your hammock chair.
You can use a stud finder, which is a great tool to have in your home. By simply running it along your wall or ceiling, it senses studs behind your drywall to find joists or beams.
Some people use the old fashioned method of knocking on their ceiling until the knock sounds dense, rather than hollow, meaning they’ve found a beam. Obviously, this method is free. But, honestly, a stud finder is low-cost and may give you some extra peace of mind.
2. Once you’ve found your joist, you’ll want to take a power drill and drill a small hole into the beam.
Take an eye bolt and screw it all the way into the hole that you just drilled.
It may help to take a screwdriver or similarly shaped item and stick it through the eye to help you finish screwing it into place.
3. Now, you need to decide if you want to use a chain or a rope to hang your hammock from the eye bolt.
The chain is a bit sturdier and easier to set up, but some enjoy the aesthetic of rope.
You have to determine how long you need your chain or rope to be. Do this by first measuring the length from floor to ceiling. Then measure your hammock chair. And finally, measure how high off of the ground you want your hammock to be.
Subtract the length of your hammock chair, and how high off the ground you want it, from the full distance from the floor to the ceiling. This is how long your chain or rope must be.
If you’re opting for rope, you’ll want to learn different knots to hang your hammock securely.
How to Hang a Hammock without Trees
Since the average person doesn’t have a large porch with posts, here’s an easy and cheap DIY method to hang your hammocks without trees.
All you need for this method is a post hole digger, a little bit of non-mix concrete, and two wooden posts around 8 feet long. Technically, you don’t need the post hole digger, but it will make your life a lot easier!
- First, pick a spot in your yard where you would like to place your hammock.
- Next, start digging! Using your post hole digger, or an ordinary shovel, dig about 2 feet deep.
- Place your post into the hole and make sure it’s level. You can use an actual leveler for this, or you can eyeball it!
- Fill the hole (around your post) with some of your dry concrete.
- Spray a lot of water onto the concrete and leave it overnight to set.
- Repeat this process with the other post.
- Now your posts are all sealed into the hole and ready for use!
- If you want, you can easily screw some hooks into your post to hang your hammock on, or you can use rope or tree straps if that’s what you usually use. Up to you!
And there you have it. Now you know how to hang a hammock with posts, DIY. Now go enjoy your hammock, any way you please!
Further Reading
