I have an unabashed love affair with hammocks. And why wouldn’t I? They’re the quintessential symbol of relaxing in your garden. Lazy weekends can be spent lying on a hammock, soaking up the sun’s rays through dappled shade and resting from all your gardening chores.
But there is one slight hitch with relaxing in a hammock – you need something to tie it to (preferably, two trees). Yet if your garden is relatively new large trunked trees are in short supply and the saplings you planted twelve months ago seem a little twiggy for attaching a hammock. This is where the wood hammock stand comes into its own. It provides all the support you need to string your hammock to and comfortably know that it will support your weight without ripping saplings from the ground.
Why Have A Wood Hammock Stand
Sure, there are metal versions of hammock stands available with long-lasting properties but when it comes to hammock stands you just can’t go past the feel and sound of timber. As you begin to climb onto the outstretched hammock, the rope and timber gently creak as the fabric takes up your weight. It’s a sound that resembles the creaking when the hammock is pulled between two trees. Close your eyes and you can imagine it already, can’t you?
Most wood hammock stands are made from Cypress timber (for example the Hatteras Wood Hammock Stand
Problems With A Wood Hammock Stand
Storage is an obvious problem but if your patio is large enough and you’re content to keep it outdoors then it shouldn’t be a problem. Most wood hammock stands come flat-packed upon delivery and require the owner to assemble. Therefore, it is possible to disassemble and store in the shed or other storage area. It’s just a shame that the design doesn’t allow for it to be folded up and stored compactly.
Another problem that may happen, and certainly will with cheaper wood hammock stands, is delaminating. This occurs when the stand has many layers and has been glued together before shaping. Eventually the forces put upon these hammock stands ensure that the glue gives way and the stand begins to fall apart. More expensive hammock frames use single pieces of timber that have been steamed to shape therefore using the grain of the timber to act against these pressures and producing a far superior product.
Where Can I Buy A Wood Hammock Stand
The popularity of these stands means that retailers are starting to offer them more prolifically. The local big-box store is an obvious starting point but they will usually carry the cheaper and more generic versions of the wood hammock stand. If you’re looking for a more durable version then skate down to your local outdoor furniture store which should offer a better range and still suit most budgets. Failing that, there’s always Amazon.com