How To Hang a Hammock Indoors Safely and Effectively
Many people love the joys of hiking out into the woods or choosing their favorite spot in the yard, finding a couple of trees, and tying up their camping hammock straps.
It's peaceful, quiet, and a lovely place to just sit and relax in nature. You can take a book, listen to music, chat with a friend, or just take a nap!
Sometimes, though, hanging outside just isn’t a possibility because of rain or other inclement weather.
Sometimes you wish you could bring the fun inside. If you are this kind of person, we’re sure you’re wondering how to hang a hammock indoors.
There are a handful of things that you need to keep in mind to make this a reality.
Is It Safe To Hang a Hammock Indoors?
If you know how to hang your hammock properly, it is absolutely safe to hang a hammock indoors.
When hanging a hammock inside, it is important to make sure you don’t injure yourself or someone else by hanging the hammock improperly.
Failing to hang your hammock properly could end with the hammock falling or pulling the hardware out of the sheetrock or drywall.
Improper hanging can also lead to damage to your home, which can be very expensive to repair.
There are several ways that you can hang a hammock inside safely, and many people do it.
Things To Consider Before Hanging a Hammock Indoors
Before hanging the hammock indoors, here are a few things you need to decide on:
1. Who Will Hang the Hammock?
You need to decide if you will hang the hardware yourself or have a professional come and do it for you. Hanging a hammock indoors on your own is definitely possible, as long as you keep a few important tips in mind.
Having a friend help you out and provide an extra set of hands and eyes is never a bad idea either.
The most important part of hanging anything in your home is making sure that it is securely mounted to a weight-bearing stud, joist, or beam.
This will ensure that the weight is supported so you can read, chill, or snooze in peace, knowing your hammock is secure and you have nothing to worry about.
Once you are ready to get hanging, let’s decide how you want to hang your hammock in your home.
2. How Will You Hang the Hammock?
There are a few ways to hang your hammock indoors safely.
First, you can use a hammock stand. It's a specialized freestanding structure meant to hold your hammock.
It's built to withstand the weight necessary to hang in your hammock indoors safely.
Many people use hammock stands both indoor and outdoors. They are great in spacious rooms, patios, porches, and out in the yard.
Most stands are easy to fold up and pack away when not in use, while others are solid structures secured with bolts and screws.
Next, you can use straps or rope to tie your hammock around existing structures in your homes, such as exposed beams, pillars, and balcony rails.
Again, you must make sure that whatever you are tying the rope or strap is structurally sound; otherwise, you may find yourself injured if the beam or railing decides to give under the hammock's weight.
You also want to pay attention to the beams or railings' height where you'll tie the hammock.
It’s important to make sure you can safely get in and out of the hammock without having to climb on other furniture.
Another popular way to hang a hammock indoors is to install hardware into your walls or ceiling.
This is a great option if you always want to hang your hammock in the same place indoors.
The hardware stays put in a structurally stable beam, ceiling joist, or stud, and then you just hook your hammock up to the hardware.
This is also a great option because if you want to take the hammock down at any point, you can just unhook it from the hardware until you’re ready to use it again.
The hardware is relatively small, and, likely, your guests won’t even know it’s there unless you tell them.
3. Equipment You Would Need
When it comes to how to hang a hammock inside safely, you need to make sure you have the proper pieces of equipment.
- Measuring Tape
You’ll need a measuring tape to make sure you have enough space to hang your hammock without anything getting in your way.
- Stud Finder
This tool helps you locate studs in the walls or beams in the ceiling that are structurally sound enough to hold your weight.
- Electric Drill and Drill Bits
Other tools you will need include an electric drill with drill bits to secure the hardware to the stub, beam, beam, or joist.
- Chains (Optional)
You'll possibly need chains, depending on how high your hardware is installed.
Chains could also be necessary for situations where it would be difficult to get into the hammock.
Chains provide an extension that will allow you to set the hammock to the height you prefer.
- Eye Hooks
You will also need eye hooks, which are metal loops that give you something to attach your hammock to.
- Carabiners
You will then need a couple of strong carabiners. These will attach to your hammock and then hook onto the eye hooks.
Be sure to use carabiners rated for your weight or more, so there is no risk of breaking the hardware.
- Screws and Markers
You will also need some screws to fix any hardware to the wall or ceiling and a pencil or chalk to mark your drill points. Marking your drill points might seem like a silly step, but it can really help, especially if you end up needing to make adjustments later on.
Once you have everything you need, you are ready to start hanging your indoor hammock.
How To Hang a Hammock Indoors
The steps on hanging your hammock indoors will depend on where you'll hang it to.
So, let's learn how to hang a hammock from the ceiling and wall, as well as in a small room like a dorm.
How To Hang a Hammock From the Ceiling
When considering how to hang a hammock indoors, it’s important to remember that safety is the most important thing.
Hammocks must be anchored properly to support a person’s body weight. One great option is hanging your hammock from the ceiling.
1. Survey the Area
Before drilling any holes, you need to keep a couple of things in mind.
First, take a good look at the area and find the best spot to hang your hammock where you will be comfortable.
Your hammock should complement the space, not totally take it over. You also don’t want to be bumping into pieces of furniture as you settle into your hammock.
Functionality is important since you want this to be a spot where you can relax.
2. Find the Perfect Beam
Once you find the perfect spot, you’ll need to grab your stud finder and make sure you find a proper beam.
You definitely do not want to hang your hammock from drywall alone.
If you do this, you’ll find yourself on the floor with a giant hole in your ceiling, at least.
3. Hang the Hammock and Test It Out
After you find the stud, go ahead and hang your hardware!
Once it’s in, you’ll want to test it by tugging on the hammock a few times to make sure it is secure.
Then, go ahead and hop in to test out your new hanging seat!
Can a Wall Stud Hold a Hammock?
Yes, most wall studs are definitely strong enough to hold a hammock.
It is worth noting that all homes are built differently, and structural integrity can depend upon the home's age or exposure to moisture.
These variables could change the stud's strength, so it is always best to have someone experienced with hanging hardware in studs, joists, and beams to ensure safety.
If you're ever in doubt about whether your studs can hold your hammock, have someone else take a look at it to double-check.
It's better to be safe than to risk injuring yourself from a fall or take the chance of damaging your home in the process.
With that said, let's learn how to hang your hammock from your walls.
How Do You Hang a Hammock Indoors Without Damaging Walls?
Hanging a hammock from the walls is essentially the same as hanging a hammock from the ceiling.
You need all the same tools and materials as you would if hanging from the ceiling.
1. Survey the Area
Again, you want to make sure you survey the space and choose the best spot.
When hanging from the walls, you will likely need the eye hooks to be further from each other since you have less height to work with.
You could place the hardware on the walls but close to the ceiling if you don't have much room to spread out the eye hooks.
2. Find a Stud
Go ahead and take your stud finder along the spot on the wall where you would like to hang your hardware.
This is the most important part of hanging a hammock, or anything heavy, from your walls.
You cannot just hang the hammock from drywall. Drywall is weak and cannot support heavy weight on its own.
Use the stud finder to find a stud on the wall in the area you would like to hang the hammock.
3. Install the Hammock
Once you find a sturdy spot with a stud, go ahead and install your hardware.
After one side has been installed, we recommend hooking your hammock and then pulling the other end of the hammock to the other wall, so you can visually see how the hammock will look once it’s hanging.
This can help you decide if you need to make any changes before installing the second set of hardware.
4. Test It Out
Once both sets of hardware are secured, go ahead and give a couple of test tugs on the hammock, ensuring everything is securely in place.
Once you are happy with it, hop on it and give your freshly hung hammock a try!
How Do You Hang a Hammock in Your Room?
Hanging a hammock in your room can be a lot of fun and totally change the feel of your space!
Like with any room in the house, you want to take a good look at your space and find the perfect spot that will work best for you.
Avoid hanging your hammock near doorways since it may block entry and exit to the room.
You want to find a spot that will allow your hammock to fit like any other piece of furniture.
If you are tight on space in a dorm room or apartment, don’t let that scare you away from hanging a hammock!
One of the best things about a hammock is how easy they are to take down and put back up.
Being tight on space is no problem. Just unclip the hammock from the hardware and tuck it away until you're ready to use it again.
In moments you can transform your normal room into a cool hangout.
Just decide whether you would like to hang from the ceiling or the walls and then follow the instructions above to safely install your hammock hardware.
You can also install hardware in multiple places in your room to give yourself some hanging options.
Enjoying Your Hammock!
Now that you know how to hang a hammock inside, you are ready to transform any normal, boring room into a space you’ll want to show off to your friends.
Your hammock can be your new spot for sneaking away to take a mid-day nap or a cozy place to hunker down and watch your favorite movie with your family and friends.
There is so much that you can do with the addition of the best hammock to your home.
Once you hang one hammock, you may just find yourself hanging hardware in multiple rooms around your home, so you can take your cozy hammock seat anywhere in the house!