You’ve found the perfect hammock in a sumptuous fabric that you can’t wait to relax in. Now it’s time to hang it up and enjoy a dreamy day of napping, reading, or chatting with your favorite person. With a handful of helpful tools and accessories, we’ll help you get your hammock hanging in several easy steps. Let’s get started!
Where to Hang a Hammock?
First, you’ll need to decide where you’d like to hang your hammock and that will help decide how you need to hang it.
If you are planning to hang your hammock from trees in your yard, you need to ensure that the trees are the proper distance apart. If you are looking for a quick and easy method to hang your hammock, a hammock stand is a way to go.
How to Hang a Hammock on a Stand
Hammock stands boast both ease and flexibility for hanging a hammock as they offer endless possibilities for where to place your hammock. You may choose to place your hammock and stand on your patio or move it around the yard to enjoy the shade.
Most hammock stands come with the proper hanging hardware required to securely hang your hammock. Once you’ve assembled your hammock stand, simply hang your hammock from the hardware attached to the hammock stand.
Both spreader bar hammocks and non-spreader bar hammocks are compatible with most hammock stands. If you are considering using a hammock stand to hang your hammock, double-check the specifications and recommendations of the hammock as well as the hammock stand to ensure a proper match.
How to Hang a Hammock from a Tree or Pole
Sturdy trees and in-ground posts can provide the stability and support you need for securing your hammock safely. The distance between your trees or posts should be between 18 and 24 inches longer than the length of the hammock, including its straps and rings.
It’s okay if they’re a little closer together than that your hammock will just be a bit more curved and slack. You’ll want to mount your hooks or straps about 4 feet off the ground so it’s easy for you to slide right into the hammock and get down to relaxing. Your trees or poles should be at least 6 inches in diameter, too.
Drilling into a Tree
Of all the ways to hang a hammock, drilling into a tree is one of the more permanent options. You can leave the hardware in place, even if you decide to take the hammock down for a season or two.
Choose a hammock-hanging hardware kit that comes with a welded steel chain, tree hooks, and S-shaped steel hammock hooks for extra durability.
- Grab your power drill and your measuring tape. Mark the spots on the tree where you’ll put the tree hooks, and drill a pilot hole in each tree. The pilot holes should be about half the diameter of the tree hooks.
- Screw the tree hooks into the pilot holes until the eyelet sections are flush with the bark. Hang a length of chain from each of the tree hooks.
- Place an S hook in each of the rings at the ends of the hammock’s hanging straps. Stick the other sides of the S hooks through the steel chain at your desired height to make the hammock tauter or more slack.
- Get in and relax!
Your hammock may stretch out a little over time. Simply move its S hooks up the chain a ring or two to make it taut again.
Hanging Your Hammock with a Rope
Want to keep things a little more rustic and a little less permanent? Using rope is a novel and traditional way to suspend your hammock.
All you’ll need are two carabiners, two steel hammock hooks, enough rope to go around each tree or pole three times (with a little leftover) and your hammock! Make sure the carabiners are real, load-bearing types.
- Wrap one section of rope around the tree or pole three times. Make sure the rope doesn’t overlap itself. The dangling left and right ends of the rope should be about the same length.
- Bring the left end of the rope over and under the right end. Pull it up through the loop it just created. Bring the end over to the right side so it becomes the right end.
- Weave the right end under and around the left end, similarly to what you did in the previous step. Bring it up through the loop.
- Create one more looped knot following Step 2 above. Pull the rope ends to tighten everything.
- Thread both rope ends through the carabiner. The lock should be facing you and under the strands of rope.
- Bring both ropes ends over the lengths of rope right above where they feed through the carabiner. Loop the ends around the left side of the carabiner, and pull them up through the loop this created in the middle of the hardware. Tighten the rope ends.
- Repeat the process on the other tree or post. Hook an S hook through each carabiner, and place your hammock’s rings onto each S hook.
Hanging Your Hammock with Straps
Tree straps make it such a breeze to start enjoying your hammock quickly. And, you can bring them with you just about anywhere.
Most strap kits come with the straps and all the hardware you need, including steel S hooks attached to the ends of the straps. On each individual strap, one end should have a hook and one end should have a loop.
- Unroll one of the straps so it’s completely unfurled and straight. Wrap the strap around the tree or pole once. Feed the hook end through the loop end and tighten. Position the loop where you want the hammock to hang from the tree or pole.
- Wind the long hook end of the strap around the tree in the opposite direction from which you fed it through the end loop. Depending on its length, you might be able to wrap it around the tree three or more times.
- Find the open-loop and place the hook end through it. Pull to tighten, and let the strap hang down.
- Repeat the process on the other tree or pole.
- Place the hammock’s end rings onto the hanging strap hooks. Want your hammock to be a little looser? Place steel chains onto the strap hooks, and use another S hook on each side to secure the hammock’s rings to the chain.
How to Hang a Hammock on a Porch
Add some extra charm to your patio or porch by installing a hammock. Mounting a hammock from the ceiling here is a little different from using trees and posts, and you’ll need a few extra tools to complete the process.
Installation Instructions:
- Choose a spot that leaves at least 3 ft. of room on the sides of the hammock. Use your tape measure to double-check. You don’t want to bump into any railings or the side of the house as you’re rocking.
- Set up your ladder at least 3 ft. away from walls and railings. Grab your chalk or pencil and stud finder and climb up a few steps. Use the stud finder to reveal the positions of the studs or ceiling joists where you’ll hang the hammock. When you find one, use your writing tool to mark the ceiling in several places so you can visualize the direction the stud runs in.
- The bottom of your hammock should land about 2 ft. from the floor of the porch. Have someone help you position the hammock, holding it up to the ceiling if needed, so you can determine where to place the hooks. Mark the hook spots. They need to go into studs or joists to ensure the hammock has proper support.
- Drill a pilot hole over each hook spot. Screw a hammock swing hook into each pilot hole until the eyelet portions reach the ceiling.
- Slip the S hooks through the hammock’s rings and through the hammock hooks in the ceiling. If your hammock is a little too high off the ground, use short sections of steel chain between the S hooks and hammock hooks to lengthen its reach.
Wasn’t that easy? Now, here’s to many days spent luxuriating in your new hammock!
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