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How to Hang a Hammock

Mission Hammocks Answers:  How to Hang a Hammock

You sit at your desk all week, working away. Knowing that at the end of the week, once your work is done and your shut your computer off for the final time until Monday morning you, there is a peaceful escape waiting for you at home. You know that Saturday morning, once you mow the lawn, you can lay back, kick up your feet and enjoy an adult beverage relaxing in your very own cozy hammock chair. Well, that is unless your kids are already planted in it, slowly swinging in the summer breeze reading a book or just drifting off for a nap in the sunshine. Maybe you decide a larger hammock is more of your dream, one where you can curl up with your significant other and read a book. Or, just cuddle and soak in the sun.

hanging a hammock

It is a dream to keep you motivated through the week, and a reality to keep you relaxed and able to unwind on the weekends. And once the cooler weather comes and it is time to bring all of the outdoor furniture in, hammocks are incredibly easy to take down and can even be put up inside the house if you have the space and know how.

Things To Consider When Hanging a Hammock Chair

The first step in the dream of hammock ownership is the most obvious one: Hanging the thing! When it comes to hanging your rope hammock chair it is truly a matter of personal choice and practicality. Make the right choices and you will be relaxing in no time.

Hammocks can be hung in the most classic way, strung up between two trees in the shady corner of the backyard to optimize summer napping, or it can be hung up on a porch between rafters. If you do want the inside hammock situation, you can use straps and a hammock stand to hang the hammock from a bedroom wall.

hanging a hammock chair

Hanging the hammock chair, no matter where, comes down to three very simple steps. After all, ultimate comfort should not be that hard to come by. The basic steps are: Ensure height and distance, location, and hanging method.

How to Select a Hanging Location

When you are choosing a location for your hammock there are a few things you should look for, depending on the method by which you are going to hang it.

Hammocks can be strung between sturdy trees, anchored posts, hammock stands, or wooden wall and ceiling studs. The traditional method of hanging the hammock between two trees will require a tape measure, a drill, and hanging hooks.

hanging chair hammock inside

Determining the distance between objects you are going to hang the hammock from usually needs to be about 10 to 15 feet so that the hammock can be stretched out. However, the exact distance you will need between trees, or stands/posts, really comes right down to the size and style of the hammock you have purchased.

If you have purchased a spreader-bar hammock the rule of thumb is usually that the distance between posts should be based on the length of the hammock. A spreader-bar hammock is usually around 13-feet long. Remember that you should leave some extra space so you have room to adjust the tension in your hammock for perfectly optimized comfort.

What If I Don't Have a Proper Hanging Spot?

If your backyard does not have trees or posts the correct distance for your needs, you can use hanging straps or extra chain/rope to make up the extra distance. This issue also comes into play with the hammocks tension. Remember, hammocks with no spreader bar are designed to hang with a slumping arch in the middle, rather than taut and flat. This means they can be placed with shorter distances between trees/posts. It also means that you have to pay close consideration to the height at which you hang your hammock. No one wants to go through all of the work of hanging the hammock just to plop down and bang your butt off of the ground. The longer the hammock and the smaller the distance between trees/posts means the higher up the tree you have to hang the hammock.

If you are worried about the trees, but do not have space for, or the extra finances for, a hammock stand you can always use hammock tree straps. Tree straps wrap tightly around the tree and connect using a metal S-hook that the hammock is then strung from. These straps help protect the trees from the damaging wear and tear of hammock hanging and can usually hold up to 450lbs.

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Hammock stands can be pricey, but they save trees the stress and can also be an incredibly esthetically pleasing addition to any backyard or bedroom. They also mean if you do not have ideally located trees, if any trees at all, in your back yard you can still enjoy the comforts and benefits of a hammock. There are stands available for spreader-bar hammocks, long, short or wide hammocks. It doesn’t matter your style, or design, there are stands that fit your needs.

Conclusion

When it does come down to the details of how you are going to hang the hammock chair, there are pros and cons to each method. When picking between a hammock stand, rope, tree straps, hanging hardware one of the main things for you to consider is that damage that may be done to the trees. Ropes and tree straps will defiantly not hurt the trees, while other methods may cause damage to them. There are hanging hardware kits that you can purchase which make hanging the hammock chair much easier than any other method, but they can cause harm to trees and once they are put up they are not mobile. So, if you use these kits, make sure you love the spot you picked.

As mentioned before, hammock stands can be pricey, but really, the only other downside to them is their space requirements as they need more of your yard space than other methods. But, they are easy to set up, are extremely mobile and can really add to the décor of your backyard.