National Hammock Day is on July 22nd! While you may have never heard of this obscure holiday, that does not mean it isn't worth celebrating! Despite it not being a major holiday, National Hammock Day is a great opportunity to get creative with PVC! Before we look at the project, however, here are some fun facts about hammocks that you may not have known.
A hammock is defined as "a sling made of fabric, rope, or netting which is suspended between two points, such as posts or trees." They were first invented by natives of Central and South America and were used for sleeping. Many early hammocks were woven out of tree bark! Later they were adopted by sailors as they saved space and did not take up as much space as beds. Today, hammocks are known to all as symbols of leisure, relaxation, summer, and easy living! It really doesn't get any better than a hammock.
PVC Hammock Stand
First off, these PVC hammock stand plans are originally from The Ultimate Hang, a hammock-enthusiast website that has a bunch of great guides like this. It is worth noting that this project was probably originally intended for metal pipe. For this reason, I recommend using schedule 80 PVC to make your PVC hammock frame, as it is thicker and stronger than regular schedule 40 PVC.
What You Need:
- 72" lengths of 1 in. Schedule 80 PVC Pipe (x4)
- 24" lengths of 1 in. Schedule 80 PVC Pipe (x4)
- 1 in. Schedule 80 90-Degree Elbow Fitting (x2)
- 1 in. Schedule 80 Tee Fitting (x2)
- 1 in. Schedule 80 Union Fitting (x1)
- PVC Cement
Building the Frame:
First, make the legs of your PVC hammock stand, starting at the feet. Take the 24" lengths of pipe and attach them to the opposite ends of the tee fittings with PVC cement.
Next, insert two of the 72" lengths into the open end of the tees and cement the two elbows onto the other end of the pipes. Both legs are now complete.
Third, you will need to construct the horizontal bar at the top of the frame. This will give the PVC hammock frame the strength it needs to hold someone. Take the two remaining 72" pipe lengths and cement them both into the union. The union will be able to unscrew for easy storage.
Finally, place the horizontal bar into the elbows at the top of the legs. Your hammock stand is now complete! Certain joints do not have cement. This is so it can be taken apart. If you aren't planning on taking apart your PVC pipe hammock stand, go ahead and cement all the joints, as it will add extra strength and ensure nothing comes loose.
Attach the Hammock:
Now that you have your own DIY PVC pipe hammock stand, you will want to use it. You may want to use a tarp, as shown in the illustration. Wrap your hammock snugly around the legs, toward the top. If you are afraid your hammock will slide down, wrap some of the strap around the top of the elbow fitting to keep it secure.
And there you have it: your own PVC hammock stand. It can be disassembled for easy transportation as shown in the illustration, so get out there and celebrate National Hammock Day the right way!
