How to Hang a Hammock Indoors or Outdoors: A Step-By-Step Guide

Getting a hammock for your house or backyard provides endless opportunities to relax. You can sleep in them, sunbathe, count the stars, or use them as a reading chair in a kids’ bedroom.

Deciding where to hang your hammock depends on two main things: practicality and aesthetics. 

You’ll want to ensure you’ve got enough space and security to hang the hammock properly. But you also want to hang your hammock somewhere that looks nice and allows you to fully enjoy the lounging experience.

If you want to get a hammock for your home, keep reading to learn everything there is to know about how to hang a hammock indoors or in your backyard.

To help you set up your hammock, we’ll explain in this article:

• What equipment you’ll need to hang a hammock indoors or outdoors
• Things to consider when choosing a location
• How to hang a hammock indoors
• How to hang a hammock outdoors

What Equipment You’ll Need

All you need to hang a hammock indoors is the following equipment:

• Your new Caribbean Hammock
• A hammock suspension kit
• A power drill
• A suitable drill bit
• A pencil
• A tape measure
• A stud finder (optional)

To hang a hammock outdoors in the backyard, you’ll need:

• Your new Caribbean Hammock
• A tape measure
• Tree straps or rope or hanging hardware or a hammock stand

Things to Consider When Choosing Where to Hang a Hammock

Before you decide on your ideal hanging spot, you’ll need to consider 5 main things: space, accessibility, height, comfort, and aesthetics.

Ask yourself:

• Space – How much space do you have to hang your hammock? Is there enough distance between the two points? Will you be able to comfortably swing without hitting a wall or fence?
• Accessibility – How easy will it be to access your hammock? Do you need to walk across muddy grass to get to it?
• Height – Can you hang it high enough, so it doesn’t touch the floor when you’re sitting on it?
• Comfort – How comfortable is the space? Is it in an area that’s too sunny or too shaded to suit your preferences?
• Aesthetics – Does it look nice?

To check the recommended height and distance you need, read the manual on your hammock or check the product details online.

If you need inspiration about where to hang your hammock, here are some of the best places to hang a hammock in the garden and our top 10 ideas for where to hang a hammock indoors.

How to Hang a Hammock Indoors: A Simple Step-By-Step Guide

Provided you’ve purchased a Caribbean Hammock and tailor-made suspension kit, all you need to do is follow the 3 simple steps below to hang your hammock indoors.

1. Check the Location

First, you need to check the suitability of the location.

Measure the space to ensure you have enough room to hang the hammock. 

Depending on the type of hammock you have, you’ll need:

• Jumbo Caribbean Hammock – At least 4ft of hanging height and 13ft of hanging distance
• Double Caribbean Hammock – At least 4ft of hanging height and 11.5ft of hanging distance
• Mayan Hammock – At least 5ft of hanging height and 11.5ft of hanging distance

2. Find the Joist

If you’re hanging a hammock indoors, you can fix it anywhere, as long as you are drilling it into a ceiling joist, wall joist, or wooden beam. 

Never attempt to hang a hammock on drywall, plaster, or plasterboard when there’s no joist behind it. It won’t be strong enough to hold the weight and the wall could crumble. 

To find the joists in your walls or ceilings, use a stud finder. 

Once you’ve found the joists or beams, use a pencil to lightly mark where they are, so you know where to drill.

3. Secure Your Hammock

Next, it’s time to secure your hammock to the wall or ceiling joist. 

You’ll need your hammock, a suspension kit, a power drill, a suitable drill bit, a pencil, and a tape measure for this next part.

Here’s how to secure your hammock indoors to a wall or ceiling joist:

1. Measure and mark with a pencil where you want the two anchor points to go (using the correct distance for your product, as labeled above).
2. Drill into the joists with a power drill and suitable drill bit, ensuring you drill into the center of the joist.
3. Screw the lag bolts from your suspension kit into the holes, turning it clockwise to tighten.
4. Attach the chains from your suspension kit to the integrated hooks, ensuring the s-hook is hanging at the bottom.

5. Attach the hammock rings to the two s-hooks at the bottom of each chain.
6. Adjust the length of the suspension to your desired height and sag.
7. Test your hammock to ensure it is secure by tugging it and then carefully sitting on it.
8. Enjoy your new hammock!

How to Hang a Hammock in Your Backyard: 4 Easy Ways

 

Most people hang a hammock in the backyard between two trees. It’s often the perfect spot, since it provides sun, shade, shelter, and a peaceful view of the leaves.

You can also secure a hammock to an outdoor wall or a strong fence. You’ll just need to check it can hold the weight of the hammock, as per the recommended guidelines of your product.

There are several different ways to hang a hammock in your backyard. You can either:

1. Use Tree Straps

Tree straps are the most ideal way of securing a hammock to two trees. 

All you need to do is wrap the straps around the tree, tighten them, and fix your hammock to the clips provided. 

Some pros of using tree straps to hang your hammock include:

• They won’t damage the tree
• They can be very secure
• It’s often a waterproof solution
• The straps will typically last a long time

There are few cons to using tree straps to hang a hammock. Most products will last a long time, but only if they are of high quality.

If you decide to purchase tree straps to hang your hammock, just make sure you:

• Purchase high-quality tree straps that are designed specifically for hammocks
• Check your tree straps regularly for any wear and tear

2. Tie Rope

You can also fix a hammock between two trees by tying rope very securely around the tree and to the hammock ring. 

It’s usually best to tie a simple shoelace knot when hanging a hammock outdoors.

Several pros of using rope to secure your hammock to two trees include:

• It won’t damage the trees
• It can be very secure if tied properly
• It’s a quick, cheap, and easy hanging solution

However, some cons of using rope to secure your hammock include:

• It can come loose, especially if the knot isn’t tight enough
• It can slip down the tree trunk when wet, even if the knot is tight
• The rope can wear in harsh weather, like excessive rain or frost, so it needs to be checked regularly

3. Fix Hanging Hardware

Using hanging hardware isn’t ideal when you’re fixing a hammock between two trees.

However, if you’re hanging a hammock without trees and want to secure it to an outdoor wall or under a treehouse, using a suspension kit is the perfect choice.

Some pros of using hanging hardware are:

• It’s ideal for hanging a hammock on a wall joist or wooden beam, like under a treehouse, a porch, or between 2 outdoor walls
• It can be very secure
• It can be a fully waterproof solution

Several cons of using hardware to hang a hammock in the backyard include:

• It can cause slight damage to an outdoor wall, fence, or beam
• It cannot be used on trees without causing damage

4. Use a Hammock Stand

If you don’t have any suitable trees or walls in your backyard, purchasing a hammock stand is the ideal solution. 

Some of the pros of using a hammock stand include:

• It’s easy to set up
• You can place it anywhere in the garden, without needing to worry about weight restrictions
• You can move it around, so you can enjoy the sun or shade, in your garden or your neighbors!
• You can take it with you when camping or visiting a music festival
• It can be moved indoors or outdoors quickly and easily
• They don’t take up as much space as a hanging hammock

The only thing to consider before choosing hammock stands is that you’ll need a flat surface to place it on.

Find Your Perfect Hammock Today

Feeling inspired by how easy it is to hang a hammock in your house or garden? Find your perfect design today!

At Caribbean Hammocks, our products are hand-woven with love and care to bring you the highest quality materials and endless comfort – for years and years to come!

Explore our divine collection of artisan Caribbean Hammocks now.