6X6 posts for hammock stand

[LuvmyBonnet]

Hey all. I am getting ready to set up some 12ft 6x6's in my backyard for hangin as I don't have any trees that I can hang from. Just looking for any pointers, like spacing. I'm planning on burying the post 4ft deep and filling with some stone and quickrete. I'm thinking 18ft might be a go distance as I'm going to be hanging a Ridgerunner, BB XLC and a Smokehouse tarp with a hammock.
Other questions are, do you use an eye bolt or just hang from the posts?
Do you coat or paint the posts to help with longevity?
How do you keep the posts perfectly upright while the cement sets?
Anything else I may have missed?
Your help is appreciated!

[underserviced]

Hello LuvmyBonnet!

Here are my thoughts, although slightly different restrictions:

I'm doing the same thing, except I have to keep my wife happy which means I have to keep my posts visually appealing. The frostline in my part of Ontario means I have to go down a MINIMUM of 36". My plan is put concrete peirs/footing in with sonotubes with a plate for the 6x6. I'm planning on putting posts 16' apart. My plan is to just hang on the posts. My comfort in doing this is that I'll have to build a pergola to make my wife happy which means I'll have cross braces up. This is also why I'm comfortable putting the posts on top of the footings or piers. I can't imagine a 6x6 is much different from hanging from a tree. 16' should accomodate my RidgeRunner and I'll stay 4' from the fence so my tarp can still go to the ground.

The next project will be to build a swinging bench that can hang under the pergola for aesthetics when my hammocks are there!

[Phantom Grappler]

Would 15 feet be enough space, or is Smokehouse tarp extra long?
Not sure, if spacing is longer, then don't you have to hang higher up post or tree to get a good angle of 30 degrees or close to 30?
There are some old threads on post installation, probably an easy search on Hammock Forums or search engine--bringing you right back to HF
Good luck LuvmyBonnet.


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[kitsapcowboy]

Big 6"x6" posts are a good, sturdy way to go. Ideally, I'd recommend you bury at least 30% of your post in the ground for maximum strength. The easy way to do this is to choose your desired anchor point height above the ground and then divide that number by 2.33 to get the burial depth. The minimum length of your post will be the sum of these two measurements, plus a couple of extra inches for strength and to avoid splitting when you install your anchor.

For example, say you want to hang your anchors 66" (5.5 feet) off the ground. You would need to bury your post about 28" below ground (66 / 2.33 = 28.3), so with a couple of inches to spare, an 8-foot (96") post could be used.

[Brad32825]

I just built a 10'x10' square with 4x4's, they're buried 2 feet down and I attached eye screws to the posts. I still have some finishing work to do, I'll post the link to my soon to be pergola.

https://www.hammockforums.net/forum/...58#post1809958

[oldgringo]

Round poles are much easier on straps than square corners.

[Phantom Grappler]

Round poles are much easier on straps than square corners.

Oldgringo, I know you right.


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[Phantom Grappler]

IMO 6X6 is a little over kill, I just built a 10'x10' square with 4x4's, they're buried 2 feet down and I attached eye screws to the posts. I still have some finishing work to do, I'll post the link to my soon to be pergola.

https://www.hammockforums.net/forum/...58#post1809958

And if posts are leaning in towards hammock or thinking about snapping--you can add a ridgepole if posts are high enough for ridgepole to be out of your way?


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[LuvmyBonnet]

Would 15 feet be enough space, or is Smokehouse tarp extra long?

12ft tarp. I'll also be using a 13ft Winter Dream.

Round poles are much easier on straps than square corners.

I've only been looking at HomeDepot and haven't seen any suitable round posts, just square ones.


I guess that the Ridgerunner will be the determining factor on spacing. Maybe I'll follow underserviced spacing at 16ft.

[Brad32825]

And if posts are leaning in towards hammock or thinking about snapping--you can add a ridgepole if posts are high enough for ridgepole to be out of your way?


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I ran 2x6 beams at the top of the posts to prevent leaning and add support.