Hammocking is one of the oldest relaxation techniques, where you set up your swinging bed to either sleep or meditate. Hammock chairs are swing seats you can set up by your campfire to avoid crawling bugs as you sip your evening coffee and catch up on the day’s events with your loved ones. The experience you get from your hammock depends on where and how you set it up.
Hammock stands are essential accessories that help you set the relaxation space to ensure maximum security and comfort. However, you must understand where and how to use them to achieve your dream seamlessly. This blog highlights the critical steps to set up your hammock stand. This guide fits all types of supports you opt for, from portable wooden stands and metal rods to DIY supports.
1. Identify the Position
Location determines everything about your security, comfort, and relaxation. You must identify where you want to erect your hammock for evening serenity. Hammocks can serve you indoors or outdoors; your choice will determine what you need to make the stand. An outdoor hammock chair is ideal for camping, backyard relaxation, or a peaceful porch retreat. So, where do you intend to hang yours?
For outdoor relaxation, you must have a perfect space to accommodate the hammock and provide security against the elements and falls. For instance, a woodland may not be fit for hammocking as the space may be constricted. But if you find some clearing, it can serve well. Check the ground and see if the soil can support the stand. Avoid rocky grounds that may make it hard to balance your hammock.
Also, you want to ensure your chosen spot is clear for a hammock with a canopy. One without will require that you set it up in a shade. However, you must ensure it is spacious enough, as described earlier.
2. Collect Your Materials
Whatever type of hammock stand you intend to build, ensure you have all the necessary materials. If your hammock comes with a stand, you will get the materials and instructions in the package. They will guide you on how to build the stand and what piece goes where. That will be an easy task. But for hammock stands you build from scratch, you must source for ideal materials and ensure they match the task.
The items you need to build and erect the hammock stand vary depending on the type you need. Ensure everything is right and there are no missing bits or damaged parts. Refer to DIY videos to help you collect the requirements for custom-built hammock stands.
Organize the materials accordingly to ensure no mistakes when assembling the stand. You will need to begin with the base and build your stand upward. DIYers may not need a complete stand with a base and supportive structures. You may use pole supports driven into the ground for a stand. That is a straightforward approach and will take the least time to complete.
3. Assemble the Platform
The hammock stand base is the foundation. You never want to make errors. It is paramount to set it up accurately to ensure sturdiness and efficiency for all your hammocking experience. Most predesigned hammock stands have two large plates for the base. You need to join them to make the complete platform.
Your supplied hammock stand equipment includes all the platform pieces, the joinery tools, and fastening bits like screws or bolts. Some sellers may not send you the toolset. In that case, you must take out your DIY toolkit to get to work. Join all the pieces meant for the foundation and ensure the joints fit well before tightening the joinery screws or bolts.
DIY projects may have simpler or more complex approaches to building the hammock stand base. You will do your homework and determine which option fits your skill level or resource availability. Also, understand if you will use screws or nails, and buy the correct sizes and quantity. For instance, 4” and 2” nails will have distinct applications in building a hammock platform.
After carefully joining the base and ensuring no gaps, you want to be sure it can withstand your weight when you put it to use. Try exerting pressure on the base by standing and shaking on it. It should be sturdy without creaks or wobbling. If the foundation is shaky, check whether you need to tighten some nuts or disassemble and reconstruct the entire base.
4. Attach the Supportive Poles
The uprights are the vertical poles you will use to hang the hammock. The number varies depending on the manufacturer. You may need two or four in most cases. Double hammocks may use six poles to support the swing. However, hammock chairs typically use one pole and a crossbar.
Attaching these poles to the base requires some joinery work. DIYers may build these poles directly into the base joints to make them a single unit. However, that may be only ideal if you do not intend to carry your stand or move it from one point to another. Portable hammock stands have replaceable joints; you can disassemble and pack the pieces for transit.
If your hammock stand has crossbars, attach them to the verticals. They help strengthen the structure and prevent bending the verticals when you hang the hammock and start using it. However, not many have these. Also, ensure the joints are secure. You may add extra fasteners, like strings, to add security for added weight.
5. Hang the Hammock and Test
Erecting a stand is incomplete without ensuring it is safe to use. Whether setting up one for yourself or your kids, you must ensure it can accommodate the weight threshold before using it. At this point, you will hang your hammock on the stand. Use the designated hooks and attach the swing bed or chair to the uprights or crossbars.
After setting up the hammock, apply some weight to check if it is set up and ready to hold the desired weight. Start gradually to prevent accidents. You can use a small bag and see if there are any wobbles. If everything seems intact, try pushing down on the hammock and swaying it side-to-side. Continue pressing further to determine if the hooks are robust.
Gently sit on the hammock and lift your feet off the ground. How does the swing bed behave? No creaks? That means you are set. You can now lay full-body to check the feel. If the hammock feels awkward, check the setup and see if you missed something or had the wrong size. However, the solution may be the size of the attachment ropes you used to hang the hammock.
Summing Up
Hammocking is a fulfilling experience for your holiday, evening relaxation, or sleeping solution for your camping trips. Setting up a hammock stand ensures a secure platform for your swing bed. However, it may be a complex task for most people.
Following the simple approach, you will shortly have your hammock stand up and ready for use. All you need to do is gather and assemble all the required items according to the manufacturer’s instructions. When creating a custom stand, ensure it follows safety protocols to prevent accidents. Read more
