Backyard...

[Mundele]

Hi Guys,

This might be an odd question. I live in a town house with a very small backyard with no trees. I want to make an underquilt and need a place to hang my hammock that's close to the house. I also would like a place to just "hang out"

My question is this... How far apart is too far apart for posts? It would be convenient if I placed 4X4 posts about 17 feet apart. (this distance would work out well given the layout of my little yard). Would that be too far apart to hang my HH, or my cheapie nylon hammock? I was planning on the posts being about 6' high. How deep would I need to bury them in the ground?


Thanks for the advice...

--Matt

[SGT Rock]

I think that will work. Give it a shot.

[Mundele]

Do you reckon that 2 feet deep is deep enough?

[pharper]

I would recommend looking into your local codes... anything that is good for fence posts should be good for hammocks... I have mine set up btwn two 6' privacy fence posts some times.

[attroll]

2 feet deep. Hmm. It depends on what you have for soil down to 2 feet. But I don't really think 2 feet will be deep enough. You have to remember that you are going to be tying your hammock off at the tops of these post and the post will have you body weight pulling the post towards the center. Unless you also put a post accross the top that will keep the post from pulling towards the center. I guess the best thing to do it try it.

[Mundele]

There's a lot of red clay dirt around here. The reason I said 2 feet is that 8 ft. 4X4's are cheaper and easier to haul than the longer ones. (plus it gets hard to dig a post hole deeper than about 2 feet. I may give it a try, or buy longer posts.

Thanks for the advice guys.

--Matt

[stieg]

I think two feet deep would be enough if you put a crossbar across the top to keep the tops from wanting to collapse inward. Get a pipe or extra 4x4 to keep them from leaning inward. Otherwise I'm not sure that 2 feed would be enough.

It seems like 15 feet might be more flexible width. It should work with the HH either way, but other hammocks may be easier with the closer width. 17 feet should work fine, though, too.

[IdahoSpud]

In response to your question, yes 2 feet is deep enough. I would place the 4x4's 15 feet apart and put a 16 foot 2x4 across the top for support. Use 3 inch grabber screws to attach to the top of the 4x4. Tamp the dirt in around the 4x4's solid in small lifts (the handle of a shovel works ok) If this is to be temporary then Fir lumber is ok with any type of 3" screw. If this is to be permanent then use redwood or pressure treated materials, and an exterior grade of fastener like a 3 inch deck screw or similar galvanized fastener. Nails are ok to use to attach the 2x4 to the top of the 4x4 but screws apply better holding force and down pressure and they are not likely to work loose. (use at least 4 or 5). Get the posts nice and plumb and you should have a nice set-up to hang your hammock. I also have a HH and have a similar set-up in my backyard. My posts are at 15 feet and it works great. Gook luck and let me know if you have any questions.

[Mundele]

I'm gonna try this without the crosspiece, but I am gonna use Quikrete and tamp it well. If it doesn't work then its no big deal. My homeowners association would have a hissy fit (do you guys use that term?) if I put up a stand with a crosspiece.

--Matt

[squirrel bait]

Plant Morning glorys around the base of the poles.... wa la, it's a very pleasing plant hanger. Tie offs won't hurt this weed at all. Very tough. Should pass any covenant of your homeowners association.

[IdahoSpud]

I understand about those pesky Home Owners Ass., if you don't use a cross brace then go maybe a foot deeper with the posts and angle them out a bit to compensate for the weight. Regulat post mix would be cheaper than Quikqrete
(2 bags per hole) and use Eyebolts at the desired height to hang the hammock.
Later...........

[budman5]

Mundele...go 3 feet deep and you won't need any cross support.

[sedohr]

Relating to this, In using the HH web strap on my 6x6 posts, I'm not able to double wrap the strap and I don't like the potential slipage using just a single wrap. If I use an eye bolt instead, should I just lash the rope directly to the eye bolt (I assume I can still use the figure-8 lash)?

I'm a little worried that not having the straps will get rid of a needed (slight)stretch and potentially overly stress the hammock.

Any comments?

Thanks,
Randy

[The Scribe]

I think it's been mentioned, but anchor the posts with concrete. Probably could get by with three 80 lb bags and I think you can get that for $10. If you want, get some white five-gallon buckets to set the posts and cement in and lower those into the ground. That is how I do my lamp posts and other things like that.

plant flowers around the poles to make it look pretty for the association. my friend has a hammock on a metal frame and they bitch at her for leaving it out in case the landscapers "might" want to mow the lawn.

pcm

[Mundele]

I used two 8' 4X4's for my hammock posts. They're 24" deep and I used quikrete to secure them. One post is nice and rigid, but the other is pretty flexible. It's firm in the ground but the actual post bends. The wood was new and pretty wet when I got it at Lowe's and I am hoping that it stiffens up as it cures. My advice for anyone else doing this... use 6X6's instead...

--Matt

[jlb2012]

Relating to this, In using the HH web strap on my 6x6 posts, I'm not able to double wrap the strap and I don't like the potential slipage using just a single wrap. If I use an eye bolt instead, should I just lash the rope directly to the eye bolt (I assume I can still use the figure-8 lash)?

I'm a little worried that not having the straps will get rid of a needed (slight)stretch and potentially overly stress the hammock.

Since we are talking about a post and not a living tree here I would do without the straps and just use the rope twice around the post and two half hitches to hold it - second half hitch should be slipped. No eyebolt needed either - I would think the eyebolt might be a bit rough on the rope / difficult to untie but I am not sure.

The stretch in the straps is NOT needed - in fact I consider stretch in the support system to be a PIA - I have to lay in the hammock for about 10 minutes and then retie the hammock tighter to get it the way I want it.

[sedohr]

K, I'll give that a shot. I don't know why but that small rope holdin' my big a** up in the hammock always blows me away. Somehow I feel 'safer' with those "big straps" being used even though I know it's ulimately those skinny little ropes holdin' me up.


Also, I second the vote for using 6x6's instead of 4x4's. I took out my smalled 4x4's - they were bending a tad when I loaded my 240 lbs but the 6x6's are solid as a rock. I put 'em down about 22-23" and used quickrete.

Randy