I have a wooded lot, and would like to have several areas to hang. Thinking I will set 4x4's, instead of moving a portable around all the time. How far should the posts be apart from each other?
Thanks,
Kim
I have a wooded lot, and would like to have several areas to hang. Thinking I will set 4x4's, instead of moving a portable around all the time. How far should the posts be apart from each other?
Thanks,
Kim
By 4x4 you meant 6x6 right?
"If we lose the forests, we lose our only instructors. People must see these forests and wilderness as the greatest educational system that we have on the planet. If we lose all the universities in the world, then we would lose nothing. But If we lose the forests, we lose everything." -- Bill Mollison
I'm new to this, but I'd guess you'd want it the same as two trees - 12-15 feet apart.
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Step 1.....find one of the half dozen or so threads here on the same topic.
Step 2....pitch the 4x4s since they'll flex and potentially leave you on your backside. 6x6 preferred but 4x6 is kind of a sweet spot as far as strength/cost goes.
Distance depends on your particular setup but 15' for me is a good span for most any of my hammocks.
There have been posts on Hammock Forums about 4x4 breaking. I'm not a structural engineer, but I slept in a hammock last night. If your 4x4 posts are long enough, you can attach a strong crossbar between the two posts. That crossbar will take the same path as your tarp ridge line--only higher--you need crossbar to be up high--out of your way.
If you have extra 4x4--you can double them and glue, screw, and or bolt them together. Or even strengthen them with 2x4s all way around 4x4--you might can attach them with a nail gun.
And be sure to bury posts deep enough and possibly use concrete--to keep them from leaning towards each other from loaded hammock.
How deep? Not sure--maybe 3 or 4 feet.
Good luck Woodsie8! Post pictures and let us know results.
Everything I've said--is mainly guessing--not knowing from doing. I do know this--if project fails, for any reason, you got a mess to clean up!
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Last edited by Phantom Grappler; 03-20-2017 at 05:41.
I would use at least a 4x6 with the thicker side pointed towards the hammock. Buried at least three feet in the ground, anchor it with a 90 pound bag of ready mix per side spaced at least 13 feet apart and have at least six feet if not 8 feet coming out of the ground. Google hammock hang calculator and double check your measurements once you pick a spot and make sure you use pressure treated wood otherwise you will be replacing it within 2 years.
By all means, let's argue about whether or not a hammock will hurt a tree. All the while ignoring the fact that there is an island of garbage the size of Texas floating in the Pacific ocean. Or how about the fact that over 75% of the world's nuclear reactors are leaking...
As others have said, be safe and use 6x6 posts to hang your hammock from. Installing a beam at the top of the posts to minimize the posts flexing towards each other under load is also a good idea. As for how deep to set the posts, it should be below your local frost line at minimum. I would say a good rule of thumb would be to have 1' buried for every 2' of vertical post above the ground.
Cheers
Brian
Good judgment comes from experience, and often experience comes from bad judgment. - Unknown
A beam across the top will work (use (2) 2"x4"x8' overlapped 1' to make the 15' span or use (2)2"x4"x8' in a configuration to stiffen the 4"x4" posts if that is what your set on using.
The configuration should look like this. []\ /[] Securing the 2x4s to the 4x4s and anchoring the 2x4s in the ground as well....leaning them into the center. Remember to have at least 6' of your posts out of the ground to get a proper hang height. Hope that helps. One question though...if you have a wooded lot, why not use the trees you have?
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