Structural lumber hammock shelter ideas?

[kitsapcowboy]

Doesn't have to be made out of wood

I am guessing he appreciates the aesthetics. (I would.)

Not sure what you want for a roof, but I'm planning to put clear polycarbonate ("suntuff") panels on a chicken coop / run. Those might be worth exploring for a hammock shed if you want more light. They are supposed to block UV

This is an interesting idea, although depending upon where the shelter is sited, accumulated leaf litter and debris may be more of a noticeable issue with polycarbonate roofing.

However, Cowlitz, you might also consider Ondura panels. They are corrugated conventional roofing panels that are semi-rigid, lightweight, and durable. They require minimal framing and decking underneath is optional, so the added substructure weight will also be minimal. I have these panels on a couple of outbuildings I built that are still going strong in PNW weather after a dozen years. They are easy enough for one person to lift on a ladder and nail into place by himself/herself, and you should only need 4 to 8 of them depending on your design. They sell Ondura panels at Lowe's, and they are pretty affordable compared to many other types of roofing. HTH…

[dkurfiss]

Following this thread closely. When I get moved full time to Ohio, this would be perfect on my property as I intend to set up a full camping area with fire pit, places for hammocks, etc, etc. Having this built would make an excellent shelter for both ground and hammock winter camping.

[Muddy Creek]

Sounds way too heavy for a couple of buddies to move. Think about building it on timber skids so that it can be dragged with a tractor or other vehicle. Or build it in panels that can be disassembled for moving. Or simply build it in place where you will need a shed long-term, forget about moving it and get yourself a hot tent when it's time to move.

Whatever you build, make sure it's sturdy enough to not crash down on you in the night.

Wayne

[Cowlitz]

Excellent stuff here. My structure has to have a sturdy roof, because of the cottonwood trees. like the idea of building it on a skid and dragging it. I’m going to see what it would take to get it to float. The property gets flooded now and then. I’ve got a big log Laying here...would easily float a small structure. Be a pain to move but I have access to a small excavator. This way when floodings expected I can just throw out an anchor and not worry about moving it to hi ground.

[kitsapcowboy]

Excellent stuff here. My structure has to have a sturdy roof, because of the cottonwood trees. like the idea of building it on a skid and dragging it. I’m going to see what it would take to get it to float. The property gets flooded now and then. I’ve got a big log Laying here...would easily float a small structure. Be a pain to move but I have access to a small excavator. This way when floodings expected I can just throw out an anchor and not worry about moving it to hi ground.

Or...wait until a flood and use the opportunity to relocate your floating hammock shelter!

Skids can work surprisingly well, BTW, depending upon your soil and terrain.

[dscotthep]

Keep in mind that if it can be moved by you and a buddy or two, then it can be moved by a good stiff wind. You'll want a way to temporarily stake it down so that it doesn't blow over.

[Just Bill]

Hi all. Looking for ideas on building a hammock shed. I’m building it in porch mode, 2x6 and plywood, 3 walls, a roof, and ridge pole. 14’ Long unless y’all think different. I’d like it to be compact enough that it can be moved if needed, but not feel cramped. When I say moved I mean having buddies come over and help move it. It’s going to have a little bitty wood stove and canvas tarp to cover the porch side when weather gets real ugly and I’m thinking 7-8’ peak roof height continuously sloping down from there. I’m 6’1” and want to be able to stand under cover and not crouch.

This is being done on my own property along a riverbank and will be setting up something similar at a buddies. My hammock is a Blackbird XLC. Would love to see a picture if someone has built a shed for hanging. I wouldn’t even ask, but y’all can be pretty crafty.

Been contemplating this a bit myself... though more portable.
A bit like this- http://bennettconstruction.us/products/sawhorse.html
Or like this- https://www.wikihow.com/Build-a-Saw-Horse

I would go with 16'... if nothing else if you are covering it build in sheet good sizes (4'x8') increments. And as mentioned you have some room for bridges if you ever go that route.

But I figured if I spring for cedar... I could easily move a scaled up version of a heavy saw horse around the yard.
I was thinking I could drill a hole at the base and use some 18" sections of rebar for 'stakes' to pin it down.

For your use... this would create a light frame and you could put 1x4's down the legs for easy sheathing attachment.

I agree with others... you build a full shelter and you'll need 30 buddies or equipment to move it.

The other thing about a sawhorse type frame... you could easily 'skin it' with tarp material or full canvas shelter.

Being less lumber too... you could probably build a couple for the same price and scatter them out if the property is big enough.


In my case... the house I just bought has the main sewer in the back of the yard (it's a double lot) but the drain lines for several houses head there... and it's clay pipe so sinking posts is probably not an option.
The cedar (or treated lumber) sawhorse idea seems like a cheap easy solution to this.

[oldgringo]

If you want portable, stick with a tarp, and beef things up a bit. Or consider a wedge tent.

For a permanent shelter, I like a pole structure with no floor. Floors invite tenants you'd rather not have. In that same vein, leave a few inches between the walls and the ground. You will appreciate the ventilation, and mice won't. Depending on how much water you anticipate, a larger gap may be better...let the water come on through, although I gotta say, building in a floodplain is a recipe for heartache.

Now, if you want to be one of the cool kids, Google trail shelters, and look for inspiration there. In particular, some of the older Adirondack shelters are just drool-worthy.

[XJ35S]

I want to just throw this out there as a viable building method. Our horse barn was built this way 5 years ago and NO issues as yet at all. Rock solid in the worst storms. Our barn is big at 12x14.

The method is to drill holes in the wooden pallets and bolt them together with 5/16" bolts. Then Lag Bolt the panels to a 4x4 post. It's a very quick and easy build and the pallets are free. We invested $1200 but have finished panels outside and a metal roof. both you won't need.

We built this in one day with two Ryobi 18v drills and two impact drivers and none of the 4 batteries were recharged during the build process.

We found 3.5' wide x 8' long pallets from a pool and spa dealer. This is sitting on the ground with ground anchors at the corners cabled to eye bolts in the posts.
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[Cowlitz]

Glad I haven’t made up my mind yet. Dang that Adirondack style is appealing for my situation. The more pictures I saw the more I want one. Going to be heavy but having a porch you can stand under like that on solid ground would be excellent for fishing, and a floored sleeping area is great for keeping this ash around here off everything. The height of the sleeping area would also increase my view of the river.