How to Secure a Hammock to a Tree

If you love to spend summer days relaxing in the shade, install a backyard hammock for lounging. Hammocks come in many different styles and sizes, accommodating one person or an entire family. If you decide to hang your hammock from the trees, make sure you secure it properly to maximize comfort and avoid injury.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• 1/2-inch eye bolts
• 1/2-inch washers and bolts
• Hammock
• Hammock frame/stand (optional)
• Linked steel chain (optional)

1. Find two trees that are 12 to 15 feet apart. When you lay your hammock flat on the ground, the available space should be at least 1 foot longer than your hammock (including the extended cords). Selected tree trunks should be at least 10 to 12 inches in diameter to optimize user safety.

2. Drill a hole through the tree trunk approximately 5 to 6 feet from the ground. If your selected trees are closer than 15 feet together, drill the hole higher to accommodate the hammock's stretchiness when it is hung and used. Insert a 1/2-inch eye bolt into the hole until it comes out the other side of the trunk, overlapping it by about 2 inches. Screw a washer and nut onto the end of the eye bolt, and secure it safely to the tree.

3. Attach steel hanging brackets or loops to the eye bolts on both trees. Island Hammocks sells a variety of inexpensive, weight-tested hammock hardware guaranteed to hold up to 5,000 lbs. of pressure (see Resources below).

4. Secure your hammock's existing hooks or chain links to the installed brackets or loops, pulling on the hammock to test the stability of the hardware.

5. Get into the hammock, testing it to make sure it hangs at a functional height. If the hammock is positioned too far from the ground, add a sturdy steel chain between the hammock hook and the tree hardware to allow the hammock to sag toward the ground.

Tips & Warnings

• If you want to minimize damage to your trees and allow for hammock relocation, buy a drill-less kit from The Hammock Company that comes with strapping and heavy-duty hooks (see Resources below).
• To simplify the hammock hanging process, forget the trees. Purchase a freestanding metal hammock frame. Visit Hammocks.com to browse a variety of frames starting around $100 (see Resources below).
• Avoid using eye screws to hang your hammock. While they have coarse threading, they are not secured with a washer or nut. When the hardware begins to loosen, there is nothing to help hold it in place, and you could sustain severe injuries from the fall.

Resources

• Hammock hardware at Island Hammocks
• Tree straps at The Hammock Company
• Hammocks.com to browse stands

[jwatts]

on 5/12/2008 How high do I install the eye hoooks for the hammock?