Nothing says summer quite like lounging in a hammock in the garden. Setting up a hammock may seem easy at first, but if you’ve found yourself scratching your head in confusion, you’re not alone.
Depending on the configuration of your property (as well as your skill level when it comes to handyman construction), there are three different ways you can hang a hammock in your garden.
1. Hang the old-fashioned way
If you have two trees that are close to each other, this will be the easiest way to hang your hammock. Considered the classic method of hanging a hammock, it requires two trees that are roughly 13 to 16 feet apart.
You can use hammock straps or you can drill. A removable tree strap has a metal ring at one end and a loop of fabric at the other. You will wrap the fabric once around the tree, pass the ring end through the loop, and align it with the ring on the hammock end. Connect them with an S-hook and adjust them to the proper height.
While hammock straps tend to be popular for their convenience and adaptability, you can also use the drilling method to save some money. This inexpensive solution requires you to drive a four-inch eyebolt into the tree trunk. Use a carabiner to connect the hammock, and keep an eye on the tree to make sure it doesn’t grow around the bolt.
2. Install some posts
Don’t have any trees – or have trees that would be ill-suited to hanging a hammock? You can easily hang a hammock by installing a couple of posts in your garden.
Dig a hole that is about twice the width of the pole and between 24 and 30 inches deep. If you have unstable or sandy soil, you should fill in about six inches with gravel. Measure a spot on the center of the post as well as near the top, and drill a hole that is one drill bit size smaller than your screw hook. The height at which you should drill will vary depending on the size of your hammock and how far above the ground you would like it to hang
Insert your screw hook and then place the post into the hole. Use a level to ensure that the post is plumb! Once you have your posts in place, you can mix up a batch of concrete and pour it into the hole. You might want to have somebody hold the post while you do this.
Follow these steps for both posts, adding 24 inches to the length of your hammock to figure out how far away your second post should be installed. Wait overnight before filling in any remaining gaps in the ground with dirt.
Extra points for anyone who thinks to add a ridgeline to fit a hammock tarp so you can hang in the shade.
3. Purchase a portable hammock stand
So you don’t have any trees – but don’t want to go through all the hassle of digging holes and filling them with concrete for posts. No worries! There’s one final option.
A portable hammock stand is an inexpensive solution that can be moved around to wherever you want it to be on any given day. You can move it to follow the shade (or the sun – we’re looking at you, UV worshippers!). There’s no DIY carpentry required.
That’s all there is to it! Pick the method that works best for your skill level and location, and you’ll be relaxing in the sun in no time.
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