Hanging A Hammock From A Costco Carport?

[Various]

Title says it all - anyone have success hanging a hammock from a Costco carport roof? Will the carport hold the forces necessary? Will the struts bend? Is it possible to hang the hammock from the joints, but not from the middle of a bar?

If it will bend, is there an easy way to reinforce the strut used to hang the hammock - like maybe a smaller steel bar inside the strut bar?

I weigh almost exactly 200 lbs and should be the heaviest person using it.

As a corollary question, does anyone have an idea of how much weight a Costco carport should be able to hold hanging from the roof struts?

[MikeGyver]

Im about 160 and I have stood on out costco carport in the middle of the bar to reach something.

Grab the middle of one of the cross poles and do a pull up. if it feels solid I say go for it, if its wabbly then I would tie to the joints and do it anyways.

[AntiM]

We bent a pole trying to hang a hammock. Different, heavier carport.

[Various]

We bent a pole trying to hang a hammock. Different, heavier carport.

I saw that searching through the forum. I also saw someone claim to have vigorous sex in a Costco carport-slung hammock with no ill effect. That's why I'm bringing it up again in the hopes that more discussion/clarification ensues.

[Elderberry]

Well that explains it. The sex helped to stiffen the pole.

[theCryptofishist]

Many reports of vigorous sex are exaggeration, or complete fabrication.

[Joeln]

When I set up my carport to check it out, I did some hanging from various points.
It was too flexible and wobbly for me to feel comfortable putting significant loads on it.
My advice - don't hang heavy weights from the structure of a costco carport - they're not designed for that type of loading.

On the other hand..... this is Burning Man, what could possibly go wrong?

[BoyScoutGirl]

The problem with hanging a hammock is that the two poles aren't supporting the weight straight downward. So you can't do math like "I weigh 180 pounds, so as long as each pole can support 90 pounds, the hammock should be fine." You have to factor in the angle the hammock is hanging. For example, a 200-pound person + hammock hanging at a 30 degree angle exerts over 170 pounds of shear (sideways) force on the poles. An even shallower angle, say five degrees, means the hammock is pulling the poles sideways with over 1,000 pounds of shear force.

This will help you calculate the forces a hammock puts on the posts:

http://theultimatehang.com/hammock-hang-calculator/

[Elorrum]

ELDERBERRY!! Best line today!
screenwipes please.

[Various]

The problem with hanging a hammock is that the two poles aren't supporting the weight straight downward. So you can't do math like "I weigh 180 pounds, so as long as each pole can support 90 pounds, the hammock should be fine." You have to factor in the angle the hammock is hanging. For example, a 200-pound person + hammock hanging at a 30 degree angle exerts over 170 pounds of shear (sideways) force on the poles. An even shallower angle, say five degrees, means the hammock is pulling the poles sideways with over 1,000 pounds of shear force.

This will help you calculate the forces a hammock puts on the posts:

http://theultimatehang.com/hammock-hang-calculator/

I read about the varying shear forces. I would think those would be in the direction of the roof struts, which should provide at least some bracing against the load. But I'm no engineer. If it's a bad idea, it's a bad idea.

[mudpuppy000]

I think If I were to try it I'd hang the hammock from the peak and run ratchet straps between the two 20' sides to take the load off the joints in the peak of the roof.

[caffeineslinger]

I try to reduce my load out there and dual purpose everything, but in this case a hammock stand might be the way to go.

[Ratty]

I thought of doing it but my carport is set up like a clamshell. That means the poles come down at an angle. I sold the hammock.

[MFOB]

I don't own nor know what a Costco Carport is built from but I can shed some light on Hammocks.

I built a rack to hang my hammock from out of 1" EMT. It is a simple rack that has spread feet to keep it form tipping over side to side, 5 foot tall legs, but most importantly has a top bar that spans it from end to end. Imagine 2 upside down "T's" that are connected at the base of the "T" with a crossbar. The load is shared by downward moments and shear moments, therefore when I hook my hammock at the top near the cross bar, it holds all of the shear load. The vertical poles easily hold the ~180 pounds of myself, and ~120 pounds of someone else, sleeping and vigorously "moving". It looks like it wouldn't hold, but is strong as an ox. It is taken apart and fit into a nice bundle that takes up no room. I put it in my HY and I sleep like a baby in my hammock. Plus that leave lots of extra floor space for me.

If the Costco carport has horizontal members that hold from end to end I suppose you could hang a hammock that way but you'd be squashed up against a leg or support. I wouldn't go from side as the pitched roof probably does not have enough strength to hold those shear forces. You need something that will withstand the compression forces and ratchet straps only hold expansion forces. You'd need a cross bar, or a 2x4 or something to act as a ridgeline on the hammock in the carport form side to side to make it work.

[BoyScoutGirl]

Mfob, thanks for the explanation! Could you sketch that, or send a link? I work art in 1 inch EMT and love hammocks, so this is of interest to me.

[sparr]

It's all about where you attach the hammock and what's between those two points. If you attach to two vertices/connectors, and there's a structural member already running directly between those two spots (so that it would be directly above and parallel to the hammock), then you're probably good. If there's NOT a structural member in that spot, then you're probably going to bend/break your carport.

[trilobyte]

I don't know that any single one of the poles in one of those pre-fab carports is even remotely load-bearing. Try it at home first, that way if your structure fails you'll be able to come up with an alternative plan for shade before you head out to the desert for a week.

[Elderberry]

I wouldn't do it, and why risk it if you don't have to?
Portable folding hammock

[Just_Joe]

I built a rack to hang my hammock from out of 1" EMT.

Mfob, thanks for the explanation! Could you sketch that, or send a link? I work art in 1 inch EMT and love hammocks, so this is of interest to me.

I got a hammock for Xmas and was wondering how to engineer something for the playa.
MFOB's solution was just what I needed.
I found some scraps and threw one together. This is what you were talking about, right MFOB??

[sparr]

I found some scraps and threw one together. This is what you were talking about, right MFOB??

You should add rope/cable/webbing from the legs to the top corners, so that you aren't stressing the bottom connectors when you swing.

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[trilobyte]

It'd be interesting to see how it handled a full load. After seeing others' structures suffer bent conduit poles after messing with hammocks, I've never wanted to subject my stuff to that.

[Meat Hunter]

Google Hammock Stands.

A good number out that that would meet your needs. Also, Amazon has some portable (take-a-part) hammock stands that might be affordable for you.

[BoyScoutGirl]

I found some scraps and threw one together. ...

Hmm... that is essentially what I was picturing from MFOB's description. I could totally put together (and transport) something like that. I like the limited guying that needs to be done - I imagine myself anchoring the T's with playa staples or the like. Damn, it'd be nice to have my hammock out there... I'm going to look into this more!

Did some more searching, found this:


Derek Hansen is an avid hammock backpacker and has reviewed many of the options. After going over the basics, the first he reviews is the pipe stand, as above and from Just_Joe: http://sectionhiker.com/portable-hammoc ... ek-hansen/

[Ratty]

Thanks BoyScoutGirl, That link was inspiring.

[MFOB]

I built a rack to hang my hammock from out of 1" EMT.

Mfob, thanks for the explanation! Could you sketch that, or send a link? I work art in 1 inch EMT and love hammocks, so this is of interest to me.

I got a hammock for Xmas and was wondering how to engineer something for the playa.
MFOB's solution was just what I needed.
I found some scraps and threw one together. This is what you were talking about, right MFOB??

Yep, Almost exactly. 99.9%. Only diff is I had like angled t-brackets for the feet and used 90's for the corner. I used those so that it would fit in the HY easier. But you are perfectly doing it right. No need for anything else! Nice work.

Also no need for Guy Wires. I've swung in mine, had chicks in there doing, well... you know, sat in it, slept in it, had 3 full size dudes sitting in it at once. The brackets of mine are pretty normal and it would take way more force while swinging to break those suckers out. If your stand is only 10 feet long then your ridgeline should be about 108", that'll leave you 18" off the ground and will be perfect for hammocks that are cinched ended. My choice was to make my stand 9'6" so that I can take a continuous look and put it thru the cinched end and clip it to the bolts on the stand with a carabineer. Hammocks Only! Also I have a 2 piece top. It is much easier to travel with as the longest pieces are the legs.

[choadrocker]

I Always hang a hammock from my carport, which is a beefier version than the costco.

I hang it from corner joint to corner joint and its fine