When I think of hanging a hammock, I automatically think I need two trees that are the perfect distance apart. Well, we don’t have two trees the perfect distance apart in our backyard, but we love a good hammock. So, we decided to make the hammocks happen without the trees. Whether you decide to use one hammock post and a tree, or three hammock posts in a triangle, you can do this DIY and enjoy your hammock easier than you think.
You see, a long time ago, in a backyard far far away, we did have two trees the perfect distance apart. We hung a hammock and my husband was so happy. He could just lay out there in his hammock any time he wanted. Then, we move to this backyard with lots of trees, but they just weren’t perfect for hammock hanging, you know.
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Step 1: Choose Location For Hammock Posts
It took us many years in this backyard to finally decide how we wanted to use this corner of the yard. In fact, there used to be a tree here. It didn’t add to the space in any way. Really, all it did was keep the grass from growing. So, one afternoon, my husband decided he would just take that tree down. I was worried we were making a mistake, but honestly, we should have done it sooner.
Once the tree was gone, I did a little Pinterest research on hammock post, hammock posts, hammock on posts, hammock with posts, how to hang a hammock on posts, etc. I found some inspiration photos measured our patch of yard and decided we could fit three posts which would give us the ability to hang up to three hammocks at the same time. It was finally time to get that hammock back out of the storage shed.
Step 2: Place Your Hammock Post
This is a super easy DIY. Even if you have a small yard, you can pull this off. We chose to do three hammock posts so we could hang three hammocks at one time, but you could do any number of hammock posts depending on your space. If you just have the space for two hammock posts, you can still get one hammock up.
Before you start digging your holes, take a minute and figure out the best location for each hammock post. Measure how far apart you want your hammock posts based on how long your hammocks are and how low you want them to hang. We placed each hammock post about 15 feet apart in a triangle shape. We used 6inch x 6inch posts that were 8 feet long. We set each hammock post about 2 feet down into the ground with cement.
Once our posts were in the ground we sprayed them with stain to match our fence. Now, when we don’t have our hammocks hanging on the posts, you can hardly tell they are there because they blend in to the background so well. If you want to see how we rehabilitated our fence, check out Backyard Wood Fence Upgrage. In fact, the hammock posts and the fence were just two of the many projects we have completed in our backyard. You can check out all of them in Backyard Makeover Ideas.
Step 3: Place Your Hardware
After our hammock posts were in the ground and stained, we added the hardware to attach the hammocks. We used large eye bolts, chains, and carabiner clips. The chains help adjust the height of the hammocks. They will hang lower once you are in the hammock, so hang them higher than you might think. If you leave some length on your chain, you can always adjust the height of your hammock.
Step 4: Hang Your Hammock
Finally, hang your hammock up and relax. We started with a rope hammock and quickly upgraded to a woven hammock for the fall and winter months. Did you know there were hammocks for different seasons? We also have ENO hammocks that the kids love. With three posts and lots of hammock options, we can make any combination of hammocks we want.
Step 5: Upgrade Your Hammock
I recommend all of the hammocks we have. The rope hammock is a Pawley’s Island hammock that will hold more than one kid. It has the wooden slats at either end that hold it flat which makes it easier to get in and out of. We have had this hammock for many years and it has help up very nicely.
The blue hammock is definitely an upgrade. It also has the wooden bars that keep it in the flat position, but it is woven fabric. It’s warmer than the rope hammock. I would also say its even easier to get in and out of than the rope hammock. We also have the pillow that you can attach to either end of the hammock. Let me say that eith one of these hammocks would make a great gift, especially for Father’s Day or birthdays.
W also have quite a collection of ENO hammocks. These hammocks are easier to travel with and hang up at your favorite camp ground. They are fun to hang up out here on our hammock posts as well, because the kids can swing more in those hammocks. They can also wrap themselves up on in an ENO hammock.
This is just one of the DIY projects we have completed in our backyard. If you liked this post, you might like some of the others.
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