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  1. #1
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    Can I hang my hammock from a solid 5.5" x 5.5" wood porch column?

    I generally my hammock on trees but I am wondering if I can use this porch post as an alternative spot? The post feels solid as can be and is 5.5" x 5.5", just wondering what others thoughts are on this?

    Also, is it better the attach the strap higher on the post rather than lower? Would this put less stress on the post? Thank you for any insight on this.

    Picture in link below


    https://i.imgur.com/LQEi631.jpg

  2. #2
    cougarmeat's Avatar
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    You might be confusing the “strength” with the job it’s intended to do. You could hang from just a 2x4 if it was anchored properly. Remember the scene in Lethal Weapon II where Riggs pulled down the house with his pickup. Yes, it was just a movie; but the point is, the house supports were designed for vertical forces. Just like your porch posts, their job was to keep what’s above them from coming down - to support agains a vertical load. No matter how “strong” they are, their ability to resist the sideways pull of a hammock has more to do with how they are anchored at the top and base. One of my email signatures is “For those who risk, life has a flavor the protected shall ne’er enjoy.” But that that doesn’t mean I act blindly. Sure those monks cutting apples in two on my stomach with their katana’s was interesting (especially when they put on blindfolds and would start from a summersault), it was not a “Let’s see what happens” decision. So if you are wrong, what happens? The pillar pulls away and the roof comes down. That’s a pretty server consequence. For me, it would be worth it to pay a builder a few dollars have her certify (or beef up the anchors) that the pillar will hold that shear (outward pull) force.
    In order to see what few have seen, you must go where few have gone. And DO what few have done.

  3. #3
    Senior Member old4hats's Avatar
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    A 6 by 6 is 51/2 inches. If it is securely anchored at the top and bottom there should be no problem. This assumes the post is square and not turned, and is solid not hollow.
    Tying strap higher rather than lower should decrease stress on the post.
    Above all, make sure the post is anchored securely, else it will likely pull out and that could be a big problem.
    Last edited by old4hats; 05-11-2020 at 12:58. Reason: Information
    If you prepare for failure you will probably succeed.

  4. #4
    Member Fisc's Avatar
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    I avoid anything that's holding up part of my house. That pole is designed to support the load from above, not pulled to the side. I'm not an engineer or an expert on the matter, but if it were my house I wouldn't.

  5. #5
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    I replaced a 4x4 post on my porch. I found that The top was only attached by a few finish nails. The bottom wasn’t nailed in at all.

  6. #6

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    Quote Originally Posted by DrPhun View Post
    I replaced a 4x4 post on my porch. I found that The top was only attached by a few finish nails. The bottom wasn’t nailed in at all.
    I tore some 5.5 x 5.5 inch columns off a house last month and was amazed at how little was holding them in. There was some dried up construction adhesive at the bottom that wasn't holding anything, and about 4-5 16 gauge finish nails at the top. Of course, the posts are made for compression stress, not lateral so you really don't have to use too many fasteners to keep it in place for normal use-assuming no one hangs a hammock off it which can introduce lateral stress. We replaced with some beautiful new columns made from Kiln Dried After Treating (KDAT) posts that were actually made up of glued up 2x4s so they seemed very solid (as they had 1.5 inch thick walls but there was still a 2.5 inch hollow center square. After we installed them, I would have no issues hanging from those posts.

    All that being said, a solid post "should" hold you up just fine, but I'd make darn sure it was securely fastened at the top and bottom and there was no water damage (rot) at the bottom where the fasteners attached it to the porch.

  7. #7
    Senior Member BillyBob58's Avatar
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    If you can add one without messing up the original posts, a top post that goes between the two uprights would really beef up the system, big time.

  8. #8
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    Tying off to the main body of the house, inline with and at a similar angle to the hammock suspension through a pulley, hook or loop would end up with little or no sideways loading on the pillar.

    Screenshot_20200512_072313.jpg

  9. #9
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    Quote Originally Posted by Singlespeed View Post
    Tying off to the main body of the house, inline with and at a similar angle to the hammock suspension through a pulley, hook or loop would end up with little or no sideways loading on the pillar.

    Screenshot_20200512_072313.jpg
    Wouldn't you just be pulling on the house then? I wonder what kind of load would be on the house if you used a pulley. At that point is it over engineering? Could probably just put a post in the ground at that point.

  10. #10
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    Hi
    I personally would not hang from there ,I bent a galvanised steel construction scaffold steel pole by hanging too tight, worked out about 350lbs laterial pull, altered my set up then with posts set in the ground and couple of tie offs at each end to stop pole leaning into each other when hammock loaded,i know its just begging to be used but my advice would be don't rely on that construction
    Last edited by hangerdave; 05-15-2020 at 02:13.

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