There are different places in the house where you can hang your hammock. If you do not want to hang your hammock indoors, you can even hang hammock on your porch or balcony. These places have different hanging methods.
If you have a pergola in your home, you might be confused about the possibility and feasibility of hanging your hammock from a pergola. Is it even possible? How will I go about it? We will address all these questions below.
ANSWER:
There are different places you can hang your hammock within and outside the house, and hanging your hammock from a pergola is one of those places. It is pretty possible to hang your hammock from a pergola. However, you will have to observe some safety precautions and check out several things.
If you take a walk around some neighborhoods, you just might see some individuals relaxing in the hammock hung to a pergola, especially on a summer break. However, you should know that the ability to hang your hammock to a pergola largely depends on the type of pergola you build and a host of other things.
Table of Contents
Guide on How to Hang a Hammock from a Pergola (With Pictures/ Video)
The method of hanging your hammock from a pergola largely depends on what you intend to hang. If you intend to hang a hammock chair, the method you use to hang it largely differs from the method you use to hang a hammock bed from your pergola. Below is the method to hang your hammock from a pergola.
- Confirm the Weight of your Pergola
- Mark Out and Select the Location where You Want to Hang your Hammock
- Tie the Hammock Straps to the Marked-Out Spots or Create Anchor Points
- Connect your Hammock to the Strap
- Get into your Hammock to Know if It Is properly Set Up
Step 1: Confirm the Weight of your Pergola
This is the first thing you must do if you are looking to hang your hammock from a pergola. You have to take your time to check and confirm the weight of your pergola. Can the pergola hold your weight? Will it collapse if you get into your hammock after hanging it? You need to confirm before hanging your hammock to the pergola.
We have discussed methods to check if the pergola can hold your weight. Simply call an expert to confirm. However, you can attempt to pull or push the pergola to see if they are strong enough. You can even attempt pull-ups to know if the roof is strong enough to hold.
Step 2: Mark Out and Select the Location where You Want to Hang your Hammock
Once you have confirmed the weight of the pergola, you must mark out where you plan to hang your hammock. You should select the strongest possible location for safety reasons.
When marking a location, your hammock shouldn’t be in the middle of the pergola when hung. This might hinder the free movement of people. It is best to hang your hammock vertically on one side of the pergola. That way, you get to relax in your hammock without disturbance.
Step 3: Tie the Hammock Straps to the Marked-Out Spots or Create Anchor Points
You should tie your hammock straps to the marked-out spot when you are done marking the places where you want to hang your hammock. There are different methods to hang your hammock strap to the pergola.
Simply wrap your strap around the wood at the top and pass one end through the loop. Pull and wrap in the opposite direction to ensure the strap is firm enough. Pass the end of the strap through one layer of the wrapped strap and leave it hanging.
If you do not want to tie your strap to the roof, you can simply create anchor points by possibly drilling holes in your pergola with a hand drill. Screw your hook to the bolt using an expansion bolt. You can always tie your strap to the anchor point or hook once it is properly fixed.
Step 4: Connect your Hammock to the Strap
Once you’re done trying your straps to the roof or anchor points of the pergola, you can connect your hammock to the wraps using a carabiner. Remember to allow for a bit of sag for proper balance.
When connecting your hammock, remember to observe the angle 30-degree rule. Also, ensure the hammock isn’t too far from the ground. If your pergola is relatively high, you should use long straps for your anchor points. Your hammock shouldn’t be more than 4 feet off the ground when you get into it.
Step 5: Get into your Hammock to Know if It Is properly Set Up
This is the last thing you must do once you are done hanging your hammock bed from a pergola. You have to take your time to get into your hammock bed to confirm if they are properly set up.
If your hammock doesn’t sag too much and isn’t too far off the ground, you are good to go. However, if there isn’t proper balance in your hammock, you might have to make one or two adjustments to the straps. LEARN:- How Do I Keep My Hammock From Sagging? (4 STEPS)
Video Guide
Frequently Asked Questions
Things to Consider when Hanging your Hammock from a Pergola
Just as we stated earlier, there are different things you must consider if you want to hang your hammock to a pergola. These things d not only determine the possibility and your safety when you get into your hammock hung from a pergola. Below are some of the things you should always consider.
- Size of the Pergola
This is the first important thing you must consider if you want to hang your hammock from a pergola. You must pay attention to the size of the pergola. How big is the pergola? Is it large enough to hang my hammock bed? All these questions and more are things you must consider when hanging your pergola.
If your pergola is large enough, you can hang your hammock bed from it. However, if it isn’t large enough, you might have to hang a hammock chair instead. The size plays a very important role in how you hang your hammock.
- The Structural Integrity of the Pergola
Another thing you must consider when hanging your hammock to a pergola is the structural integrity of the pergola. Is your pergola strong enough to hold your weight? If it is made of wood, is the wood strong enough? Before hanging your hammock to the pergola, you must find answers to these questions.
There are different ways to find answers to these questions. You can easily call an expert to ask if it is safe to hang your hammock from the pergola. If you do not want to call an expert, you can easily try to do pull-ups with the top of the pergola. If it holds firm, you can hang your hammock from it.
How Much Weight Can a Pergola Hold for a Hammock?
You need to pay attention to how much weight your pergola can hold when you get into your hammock. A wooden pergola can hold an average weight of 300 pounds. That is, it can only accommodate one person inside a single-sized hammock.
It isn’t ideal for hanging 2 hammocks from a pergola as you would be overburdening the stand.
Is It Safe to Hang a Hammock from Pergola
If you follow the safety rules, it is safe to hang a hammock from a pergola. You should check if the pergola is strong enough. If it is, go ahead and hang your hammock.
You should also observe the height rule of not more than 4 feet. If all of these things are observed, you have nothing to worry about when hanging your hammock from your pergola.
Can a 4×4 Pergola Post Support A Hammock?
A 4 by 4 pergola post can support a hammock. It largely depends on how you set your hammock up. If you pay attention to the strong parts and observe all the necessary measures when setting up your hammock, you should have no problems hanging your hammock on a pergola post.
However, if your hammock isn’t well set up or hung, your four-by-four pergola post will not be able to support your hammock for long. There is a good chance the post will break or bend under the weight after a while.
How Much Wind Can a Pergola Hammock Withstand?
A pergola hammock can withstand wind just like a normal hammock. It largely depends on the strength of the pergola. If your pergola is strong enough, your hung hammock should be able to withstand wind as strong as 60 miles per hour.
How Do You Keep Pergola From Blowing Away When Hammocking?
You can do different things to keep your pergola from blowing away when hammocking. Below is a list of those things
- Ensure your pergola is firmly rooted to the ground
This is the first thing to do if you don’t want your pergola to blow away whenever you are hammocking. You must ensure your pergola is firmly rooted to the ground. By doing so, there is less tendency for your pergola to feel the effect of the wind.
- Plant windbreaks
You will find windbreaks useful if you want to prevent your pergola from blowing away when hammocking. By planting windbreaks, you can reduce the effects of the wind, which will prevent your pergola from blowing away.
Conclusion
You can hang your hammock from your pergola; however, you need to consider several things. Some of these things have been discussed in this article.
You should also know that hanging your hammock chair from a pergola is pretty simple. The step-by-step guide and a host of other things have been discussed in this article.