DIY Hammock Stand

We recently bought a portable hammock and we've enjoyed so much on our hiking and camping trips that I decided I wanted to hang it at home to enjoy on our backyard. I looked at the available hammock stands and they seemed quite expensive but very simple so I decided to give it a try. I based the design on some of the available commercial options. This is what I used:

2 - 8' 2X4 beams
2 - 6' 2X4 beams
2 - 4' 2X4 beams
8 - 5 and a half inch 3/8" bolts
4 - 6" 3/8" bolts
24 - 3/8" washers
12 - 3/8" tightening washers

Step 1: Angled cuts.

The first step is to make the angled cuts of the beams that will hold the hammock, the 6' beams. I made a 30 degree cut so that the angle to the floor would be 60 degrees.

Comments

[dmarmont]

Like Takelababy, I've also switched to a hammock instead of a bed. After years of poor sleep, I had the opportunity in the Yucatan to try a hammock. Better sleep with no pressure points or pain from day 1.

This looks like a fabulous project. I'm getting ready to go back to the States and have been feeling a bit angsty about having to go back to a bed or spend a bunch of money on a fancy stand.

[Takelababy]

I sleep in a hammock rather than a bed. Mine hangs from the J cargo hooks. Each has two drywall screws that pass thro the drywall and into the studs. It's nice that it is easily hung out of the way. A small cord is tied around the middle when both ends share one hook. The cord is hooked on as well and the whole thing hangs clear of the floor on one side of the room. A nice big basket holds my sleeping bag and sheet liner. Sleeping diagonally is the way to go if one wants to sleep fairly flat. The nice thing about a woven hammock is that it supports every part of the body it touches, unlike a mattress that creates pressure points.

[kaway27]

My wife had always want to have a hammock in our back yard, so I made this hammock stand for her as a Christmas present. She loved it.

[kmedina58]

we really like your design. what are measurements and cuts to assemble

[kaway27]

I am glad you like it. I attached the detail drawing with dimension below.

[TheDownsProject]

What was the degree that you cut the 4' pieces that are angled?  I'm looking forward to making this my weekend project, my hammock has been rolled up and put up since I bought it months ago.  Great design!

[kaway27]

45 degree on both ends.

[matmore74]

I used only two bolts so that I had a stronger piece of wood and then breaced it in the middle and back. Thanks for the angle of 30. I used 7 ft 2x4's and put the uprights in about 10.5 inches in.. I then added four 2x4's for support cut the 30 and at 5' 4" and set back 1/2" and then bolted them. I them breaced it on the sides. Send me a email at [e-mail] I will send you a picture of it and you will see what I mean. Put in the title area "hammock stand" Thanks for the idea on how to get it started..

[maxpower49]

here it is after i added some 2X4's for better support

[matmore74]

Thanks for the idea of the side supports. Its great for my stand.

[matmore74]

I have read all of your issues and used them to make the weak areas strong. I breaced the midle and back then I breaced the sides. Now, I will say it made it heavy but strong. I weight at 264 and I was laying in it over night and it is very relaxing and had a great time knowing I used scrap wood and new bolts. I used the idea of the guy at the top of this articule and built it from you all. It is sweet.. So I want to say thanks to you all for you in put and thanks..

[ddnova]

Save your time and money, unless your looking for a temp. weekend frame then here's some things to add, you must use pressure treated wood only, regular spruce 2x4's will break from the load at the bolt holes, use 2x6 for the uprights as I only weigh 180 and thrid time using it one snapped at the bottom. Also most smaller hardware stores only sell 5 1/2" bolts in galvanized material, do not use these they will bend as they are too soft and as far as the cable support goes well once you add everything up including optional stain then your time you will be at, or beyond what a metal and portable frame sells for on E bay. Appreciate the plans but not for constant use.

[geekzoid1]

Uhm pressure treating only prevents it from rotting it does not make it stronger. good advice otherwise. =D

[tim_n]

Quite right, actually pressure treating makes it somewhat weaker as the water is pushed out for the treatment to be pushed in. This means that instead of getting a cracking sound when it's under too much load, you can have a sudden catastrophic failure.

Not so good when you're suspended over a wooden frame.

[vicbp]

I am sorry to hear you had issues. I am not sure where you got your wood and supplies but I can tell you I've had mine for years without issue. I have been laying on my hammock with my two daughters countless times, I've even shared a hammock with my wife without problems. Eventhough I recommend the reinforcement lines I have not even installed them on mine yet. Finally I have to say, at least for me, it is not so much about the savings. It is much more about the pleasure of using something you built with your own hands! Good luck on your future projects.

[kiss2dave]

Great design. I added the wire braces that suckmyinstrucables suggested (has to be wire, cord just stretches too much), using the hammock eyebolt on the upright rather than adding a dedicated attachment point - this transfers the swaying forces directly to the crossbraces without going through the upright, and saves by not adding another bolt. Before starting the cutting, lay out the base and uprights with your hammock to check it will fit correctly - I changed the upright angle from 60° to 45°, which not only gives it greater strength by making the hammock tension more longitudinal than transverse to the upright, but also gives it (I think), a more pleasantly nautical appearance. Also, if the raw lumber for your uprights are starting longer than the suggested 6' (I had bought 8' lengths) leave cutting them to length till last - that way you can make sure you have sufficient adjustment for your specific hammock - my uprights ended at 6'9", rather than the suggested 6'. Then I left on an extra 6" for a decorative top piece.

[Sargel]

Did you use pressure treated wood? And how much did the total setup cost?

[kiss2dave]

Yes, pressure treated, particularly since it's an outdoor stand. I used decking lumber. Cost? About $60 or $70 altogether - those little bits of metal add up. Value to me? Priceless.

[EtotheMax]

Your design looks awesome! What's the total length of the setup?

[kiss2dave]

14' 11"., tip to tip. I eventually added 'feet' too, ie small blocks at the ends of the bases, to stop it from wobbling on my uneven patio.

[Sargel]

What's the hanging distance with this design?

[Sargel]

After looking over the plans and doing a little math, it looks to have a hanging distance of around 10.5' +/- a few inches, which seems perfect.

[Kryptonite]

Wow that's awesome! Nice job!

[genericpenguin]

Added the lines as advised by several of the comments. Works well. Did this for one of my nephew's school projects.

[maxpower49]

THanks built one last night with my dad it works good i just have to get some cable or more 2X4's to brace it

[Pompilidae]

 These are some beautiful frames. I bought a hammock in the Yucatan where hammock hooks are sunk into the walls and the hammocks are taken down during the day to open up the room. Gordo (the man who I bought the hammock from) demonstrated how to sleep in them (diagonally). In High school I borrowed from their idea and attached cupboard door handles (the kind with four screw holes) to my walls (making sure to hit the beams).  The hammock is hooked up to the handles with carabiners and I got a much better nights sleep than I ever did in my flat bed. My back hurt less too.

However, now that I'm renting an apartment I don't think that would be appreciated. Your stand is fantastic. It'll be a great summer project.

[prestont]

 Thanks a lot! I almost bought one but then decided to give making one a whirl with random old scrap wood and whatnot from the garage.

Instead of using cable for the side stabilizers I just used some 2x4s.

[pmdryd]

THANK YOU! Man, I have looked all over for a plan like yours. I was hot to trot to buy a couple of wooden frames with quilted hammocks for my twin girls 'till I looked at retail prices. I'll make this and send pics if they are presentable.

[rck_mtn_climber]

eno ftw

[August Spies]

Thing is, I have yet to find a hammock that maintains tension after a few hours of sleep. So while i like mine with a bit of sag (and sleeping on a bit of an angle, as mentioned), I tend to get mine as tight as possible at the beginning of the night.

[suckmyinstructables]

So I just finished building this great stand. As has been mentioned several times, it is really not stable enough in the basic version. To increase stability significantly, I added wire rope diagonals between the ends of the feet and the middle of the top beam. This adds about 15 to 20 bucks to the overall cost but I'd say it's well worth it. I don't think I would trust the stand without them.

[wynberg]

Made this one today and used a double brace on the crossbars. the only problem is I'm not really sure how to strap them together and attach a hook for the hammock. Any suggestions?

[dagmar31]

Waah. I just made one. It looks great, but I came upon a few issues... maybe my home depot is just crappy, but I realized that some of my wood was warped.. this made my base a little.. rocky, like, rock left to right a little. Second, I definitely noticed the sway of the upright 2x4's... I think what i might do is actually double up the 2x4's. Third, after some testing, one of my upright 2x4's cracked at the base. It was "pulled upward" as a result of the weight in the middle of the hammock. Do you guys think that running rope or cable from the upright 2x4's to the base will prevent this from happening? And last, I feel some.. weird lopsided tension on my hammock, like its forcing me to learn towards one side when laying down... can somebody help?

[abadfart]

ya just check your wood befor you buy it try to get the least boed

[fidgety2]

what type of hammock do you have i have a eno single nest that is what i think you have but i can't be sure

[vicbp]

I have an ENO Doublenest. I think the only difference is the width, not the length.

[MOrmons]

I HAVZ YOUR CARPET ON MY WALLL nice hammock too

[themakeitguy]

i was thinking about having some pieces go at an angle from the middle of the 6' beams to the ends of the 4' beams, that would make it more stable if you started swinging a little :]

[gtashie]

Great design, but can anyone offer guidance on using this for a hammock with spreader bar? Will it be any different?

[leewhitford]

I like the whole design of the stand. I beefed mine up for outdoor use and for an XL Hammock by replacing the 2x4 with pressure treated 2x6. This will require you to use longer bolts, but there is more area for the bolts so you can add a few more for strength. So far it has held over 350 lbs with minimal sideways bend. I see it constantly evolving..