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  1. #1
    Senior Member Gideon's Avatar
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    Question; will a 6x6 wood beam hold?

    I have a problem, none of my trees in my yard are close enough to hang from. I'm thinking about putting in a single 6x6 wooden post about 15' from one of my trees so I can hang a hammock in the back yard. It's either that or build a hammock stand. What I like about the post idea is it's only a single post, dig a whole and quickcrete it in. I can not only hang my hammock but tarp as well.

    So what do you think? would a 6x6 with 2-3 ft of it in the ground in concrete hold? Seams a lot simpler than building a whole hammock stand and cheap too?

    Thoughts?

    Gideon

  2. #2
    Senior Member Roadrunnr72's Avatar
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    It "should" hold. But I would go deeper than 2 to 3 feet. I am sure someone has done it and will chime in.
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  3. #3
    Senior Member Timberrr's Avatar
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    Go for it!
    6x6 is fine. 4x4 is definitely too small! Trust me on this. I put in 4x4's because I wasn't smart enough to ask first.
    I would recommend a 10 footer. 4' down and 6' up. Or not less than 3 1/2' down. PT of course.
    Once you got your post in the hole, throw in a few shovels of dirt. Follow that with two shovels of quickcrete. Two more shots of dirt and two more of quickcrete, continuing until your quickcrete bag is done. Check your plumb as you fill in the hole. Finish with the rest of the dirt, making a mound so water runs away from your post.
    Water it in with a hose and let it set up for at least 48 hours before you put it under any load.
    Very important: the hook you screw into it must be galvanized. I know it's twice the price but it's cheaper than putting a zinc plated one in now and then replacing it with galvanized later.
    I put some ivy at the base and trained it up the post. It's cheap and it looks nicer than a bare post. Others put a light on top of it or brackets for hanging plants or a lantern. Those seemed like good ideas to me too.
    Good luck. Post a pic or two when you're done.
    Last edited by Timberrr; 09-08-2012 at 18:40.
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  4. #4
    Senior Member hppyfngy's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Timberrr View Post
    Go for it!
    6x6 is fine. 4x4 is definitely too small! Trust me on this. I put in 4x4's because I wasn't smart enough to ask first.
    I would recommend a 10 footer. 4' down and 6' up. Or not less than 3 1/2' down. PT of course.
    Once you got your post in the hole, throw in a few shovels of dirt. Follow that with two shovels of quickcrete. Two more shots of dirt and two more of quickcrete, continuing until your quickcrete bag is done. Finish with the rest of the dirt, making a mound so water runs away from your post.
    Very important: the hook you screw into it must be galvanized. I know it's twice the price but it's cheaper than putting a zinc plated one in now and then replacing it with galvanized later.
    I put some ivy at the base and trained it up the post. It's cheap and it looks nicer than a bare post. Others put a light on top of it or brackets for hanging plants or a lantern. Those seemed like good ideas to me too.
    Good luck. Post a pic or two when you're done.
    This sounds perfect although how you trust anyone called "Timberrr" with such a question is beyond me...
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  5. #5
    New Member 2.ooohhh's Avatar
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    I sunk my 12'x6"x6" to a depth of 4' to mount a gate, I think if I were hanging a hammock I'd go at least the same depth or deeper with the post.
    “Rivets are the new duct tape.”

  6. #6
    Senior Member Timberrr's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by hppyfngy View Post
    This sounds perfect although how you trust anyone called "Timberrr" with such a question is beyond me...
    ...mmm good point.
    I guess I should have added "HYOH", "YMMV", etc.
    I also agree with 2..., deeper is always better!
    The rule of thumb is 1/3 down and 2/3 up.
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  7. #7
    Senior Member MDSH's Avatar
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    There's no need for concrete. In fact, it might give a false sense of security. Just tamp the dirt with a pinch point bar as you back fill every 6-8" or use the end of a shovel, hoe, or rake handle 1" or 2" at a time, especially on the side opposite your hang. Tamp it very well, until it is hard. Spend an hour tamping if need be and it will hold better than concrete.

    Use a treated (TYP) or cedar post. You'll want to sink it 1' for every 2' above ground. Such a ratio will allow use of a 4x4 if you find the bow and orient it opposite the load. A 12' piece of timber then would give you an 8' tower with a nice hook at 6'-8".

    Mike

  8. #8
    Acer's Avatar
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    I have a 4 x 4 in the ground 2' but have it with a removable cable to my lite pole in the yard and use it only when its good weather and not storming. I have a 6' x 6' in front of the porch 2' down concreted,,and it won't move period, and have hung off it all summer many times and your good to go with 2 even 3 hammocks on it if you have the porch 4 x 4's to tie to,,you don't have to go to extremes to put your 6'x 6 so deep in the ground if you have a soil like yellow clay or a clay type top soil. It will not move on you and is solid.
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  9. #9
    Senior Member samsara's Avatar
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    Where timberrr lives "dirt" is sand
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  10. #10
    Acer's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by samsara View Post
    Where timberrr lives "dirt" is sand
    Oh heck! Get a truck load of yellow clay somewhere. It took me almost a hour to dig my hole with a hand post hole digger,,yellow clay is so friggin hard!
    2nd CAG, CAP 2-1-5 5th Marines, 1st Mar. Div.
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