Nothing says outside comfort quite like a hammock, is there? Whether strung out in your backyard to take advantage of a cool breeze on a warm summer day or brought to add a little extra comfort to a camping trip, a hammock can do it all.
Some people, though, put off buying a hammock because they are worried that it can be difficult to hang up safely.
If you are wondering how far apart should hammock posts be, then you have to read this article because we’ve written it just for you!
Here, we’re going to answer one of the most frequently asked questions about how to hang and install these incredibly comfortable hanging beds.
How Far Apart Should Hammock Posts Be
As said, this is probably the question we see most often, so much so, in fact, that it inspired an entire article! That’s because we see this question asked so often, and we do genuinely think that it could be stopping some people from trying out a hammock. That, to us, at least, is a real shame, so it is why we set out to try to answer it.
The bad news is that the answer to this question is actually made of three factors: rope choice, hammock length, and hanging height. We should stress, though, that it isn’t as difficult or complex as it may seem at first, especially after you have read our guide to the three factors.
Rope Choice
There are a wide variety of rope materials on the market right now from which you can choose the rope that you will use to hang your hammock. Broadly speaking though, the choice will come down to a rope made of either natural or synthetic materials. Which one you choose will have an impact on where you place your hammock posts.
Natural ropes are ones that are made of things like cotton and manila. Synthetic rope will usually be made of nylon, though you can also find polypropylene ropes too. Both materials have a number of pros and cons and you can find plenty of articles online that talk through which is the better option.
When it comes to post placement, the rope you choose can have a big impact because some ropes are more flexible than others. By that, what we mean is that nylon ropes are essentially like tough rubber bands. They pull and flex as weight is applied. They can actually increase in length by up 40% while in use.
That means that if you use a nylon rope, you need to give a little extra distance to the hammock posts when you are placing them. Natural fiber ropes on the overhand don’t have this issue. The height that you hang the hammock is, generally speaking, the height it will remain at even once you climb inside.
Hanging Height
This factor is very much connected to your choice of rope because, as we mentioned, the type of rope you select will have a big impact on your hanging height. As well as the allowance you must make for the rope, of course, you must also decide on the height you like the hammock to hang at as this will also affect the placement of your posts.
Some people, for example, like the hammock to be pretty close to the ground. In particular, people who enjoy using their hammocks in the backyard like to have the hammock close to the ground. This makes it easier to get into and out of the hammock and also means you can store things like a cold drink at ground level within easy reach.
Campers may prefer to have their hammock a little higher, especially if they plan to sleep in it overnight. The hanging height can be easily adjusted via the post position. If the hammock is too close to the ground, for example, try moving the post away from each other a little further.
Hammock Length
The final factor to consider is the length of your hammock. There can be quite a bit of variation in the length of the hammock, with different manufacturers all producing products with slightly different dimensions. For those reasons, it’s hard to give an exact figure as to how much the length will affect the post placement.
What we can give you is a handy-dandy little rule that makes it easy to place your posts. What you have to do is to measure the length of your hammock in feet and inches.
Once you have that measurement, you add four feet to it. That equates to two feet for either end. Stake your posts out at a distance of the length of your hammock plus four feet, and that will be a great place to start.
Final Verdict
That’s about it! Simply add four feet to the length of your hammock, and that is a great place to start, use the other factors—the rope type and the hanging height you want – to then adjust the final positions of the posts. After that, you should have a well-hung hammock ready for an afternoon snooze or a restful sleep.
