How to Make a Hammock Base

Swinging gently in a hammock on a summer afternoon is an iconic American pastime, but one that is often inaccessible to those who live in urban or suburban environments. If you don't have two trees growing close enough together, you may find yourself lacking a place to hang it. The easiest way around this predicament is to construct a wooden base for your hammock -- bolting together beams in a shape that can support it without the need for external posts or beams.

2 beams, 6 feet, 2-by-4-inch
2 beams, 8 feet, 2-by-4-inch
2 beams, 4 feet, 2-by-4-inch
Drill
Bolts, nuts and washers

Instructions

- 1
  Cut one end of both 6-feet beams diagonally at a 60-degree angle.
- 2
  Sandwich the 6-feet beams between the two 8-feet beams, lining up the angled edges of the shorter beams with the long edges of the longer beams. The 8-feet beams should lay flat upon the ground, with the 6-feet beams angled up and outward between them. Space these apart at such a distance that the upper ends are as far apart as the length of the hammock.
- 3
  Drill three holes through the beams at each point of intersection and bolt them together.
- 4
  Place the two 4-feet beams flat on the ground underneath the stand, perpendicular to the long horizontal beams. These will serve as stabilizers, keeping the hammock base from tipping. Bolt them in place.
- 5
  Drill holes through the diagonal support beams near their upper ends. Run the end ropes through these when hanging your hammock on the base.

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