Painting your hammock

**Cedar1974** · 10-25-2014, 06:07

I know this might sound strange, but has anyone tried painting their hammock just for esthetic purposes. I'd love to make a special hammock for Burning man sometimes so I was wondering if anyone has tried this and if so how did you paint it?

**Turtle Creek** · 10-25-2014, 06:26

Not me. Just thinking you may be better off experimenting with some sort of dye. Paint seems like it will quickly flake. Just my .02

**FLRider** · 10-25-2014, 06:46

Dye would likely be a better route, both for longevity and comfort (paint, even fabric paint, has a tendency to be stiffer than most of the fabrics used in camping hammocks).

However, if you really want to decorate your hammock, I'd recommend doing a double layer (the inner for structural support and the outer to show off your creativity). That way, you could add pretty much whatever you wanted without compromising the ability of the hammock to keep you off of the ground. Obviously, this is going to add weight, so I wouldn't recommend it for a backpacking rig. But if you're just humping it a couple hundred yards from a parking lot...well...

**Cedar1974** · 10-25-2014, 06:58

Wel, I was thinking of doign this for the Burning Man festival some day. Maybe I can use an applique type thing, like cuttign a flame pattern out of scaps of Nylon and set it to the under layer.

**Bushwhacker** · 10-25-2014, 10:25

Wouldn't it be possible to silk screen it? Or use some sort of spray paint?

**IRONFISH45** · 10-25-2014, 10:28

Try this company http://www.dharmatrading.com/ I have used them for many years, their products are fresh and the shipping is fast and accurate.

I would use dye, because it is absorbed into the fibres. Personally I do not like paint, because it is stiff, may flake off and it fades quicker than most dye. Dharma is the go to place for a lot of artists and have been in business since the late 60's. Small, family owned, I call them for help or suggestions, I get the information I need form a person who understands what I want to accomplish, I do not get a script read to me.

I am going to decorate my tarp with birds in flight, just for the heck of it. My main concern is some Gull using the tarp for target practice.

You could buy some banners and put them up to mark your site for the Burning Man. We made tall banners to mark our site when it is appropriate, fun and distinctive, states this site is in use.

**Bushwhacker** · 10-25-2014, 10:30

Just use paints specifically designed for nylon (if that's what your hammock is made of - what hammock do you have?)

https://www.google.com/search?q=nylo...en-US:official

**sdjkfhwexdf** · 10-25-2014, 12:38

Build a hammock from Tyvek. Its strong enough and can easily painted.

I use it for a Bunch of DiY-Gear and paint it with dispersion paint for walls or acrylic artist paint to make camouflage Tyvek.

Have fun :-)

**WhollyHamaca** · 10-25-2014, 15:07

Hey, Cedar -- I did this long ago on my very first couple of hammocks, with both paints and applique. If I do it again I'll make the designs on a UQ instead, because the UQ will cover up designs on the hammock. Or decorate the outer layer of a 2-layer if you don't need UQ. My decorated ones were nylon, but as sdjkfhwexdf says, Tyvek does indeed take paint well.
Anyway, here's what I did, and I was happy with the results:
Paint:
I used fabric paints and fabric markers free-hand and with stencils, then heat-set with an iron & press-cloth. Quick and easy. It has held up for many washings, hasn't faded or flaked, but it did stiffen the fabric a little at first. Both the paints and the markers worked well on nylon. My grand-daughter has it now for a toy-hammock (too worn out to sleep in but still colorful).
Fabric DYES are so liquid you'll probably have trouble controlling sharp edges of designs. I've tried adding various wash-away thickeners and resists but the dyes still seep and mingle a bit. I liked the hammock I painted with dyes. The colors blended together at the edges, so it may not be the effect you're going for. Look in an artist supply store (or Dharma as Ironfish45 says) for air-brush fabric dyes that you can use undiluted, straight out of the bottle with brushes or pens. Nylon takes commonly available dyes; read the labels if you want to use them on poly.
What doesn't work: The colors of "permanent" office-supply markers fade after just a few washings. That's OK if just for a special occasion, but I wouldn't waste the effort if I wanted it to last. And latex wall/house paint dries stiff and rubbery, peels and flakes.

Cut-out appliques:
I'd be cautious about sewing anything onto the weight-bearing parts of the hammock to avoid creating weak spots. Recommend to sew or glue your cut-out shapes on the outer layer of a 2-layer hammock, or on your UQ.
I used Aleene's no-sew fabric glue to applique some shiny gold lame' cut-out stars on my second nylon hammock. It dried level & flexible, held up well for many washings. I think I heat-set it in the dryer (or I might have ironed it; don't remember). After a few years the hammock tore but the glued-on stars are still on it. Made the remains into my grandson's wizard cape.

Please post pics of your ***flaming hot*** hammock when you finish it! (Red, orange, gold lame' flame cut-outs on black?)

**Cedar1974** · 10-25-2014, 19:40

Originally Posted by WhollyHamaca

Hey, Cedar -- I did this long ago on my very first couple of hammocks, with both paints and applique. If I do it again I'll make the designs on a UQ instead, because the UQ will cover up designs on the hammock. Or decorate the outer layer of a 2-layer if you don't need UQ. My decorated ones were nylon, but as sdjkfhwexdf says, Tyvek does indeed take paint well.
Anyway, here's what I did, and I was happy with the results:
Paint:
I used fabric paints and fabric markers free-hand and with stencils, then heat-set with an iron & press-cloth. Quick and easy. It has held up for many washings, hasn't faded or flaked, but it did stiffen the fabric a little at first. Both the paints and the markers worked well on nylon. My grand-daughter has it now for a toy-hammock (too worn out to sleep in but still colorful).
Fabric DYES are so liquid you'll probably have trouble controlling sharp edges of designs. I've tried adding various wash-away thickeners and resists but the dyes still seep and mingle a bit. I liked the hammock I painted with dyes. The colors blended together at the edges, so it may not be the effect you're going for. Look in an artist supply store (or Dharma as Ironfish45 says) for air-brush fabric dyes that you can use undiluted, straight out of the bottle with brushes or pens. Nylon takes commonly available dyes; read the labels if you want to use them on poly.
What doesn't work: The colors of "permanent" office-supply markers fade after just a few washings. That's OK if just for a special occasion, but I wouldn't waste the effort if I wanted it to last. And latex wall/house paint dries stiff and rubbery, peels and flakes.

Cut-out appliques:
I'd be cautious about sewing anything onto the weight-bearing parts of the hammock to avoid creating weak spots. Recommend to sew or glue your cut-out shapes on the outer layer of a 2-layer hammock, or on your UQ.
I used Aleene's no-sew fabric glue to applique some shiny gold lame' cut-out stars on my second nylon hammock. It dried level & flexible, held up well for many washings. I think I heat-set it in the dryer (or I might have ironed it; don't remember). After a few years the hammock tore but the glued-on stars are still on it. Made the remains into my grandson's wizard cape.

Please post pics of your ***flaming hot*** hammock when you finish it! (Red, orange, gold lame' flame cut-outs on black?)

Actually I think you are right that making the flames on an UQ would be better, that way I can still have my dual layer rainbow hammock I plan on making then make a flame UQ to keep me warm.