You can make a summer vacation even more comfortable and enjoyable by placing a hammock on the garden plot. Who doesn't like to relax, sway and take a nap in a hanging bed in the fresh air?

Recently, a hammock has become an indispensable summer cottage attribute. Interesting new models appeared, the possibilities for placing hammocks expanded, and the design of hanging furniture improved. Consider the most popular types of hammocks, how to install them in the garden, and describe the basic rules for choosing and using country swing beds.

Content

1. Garden hammock practical garden decoration solution  video
2. The main types of hammocks and their characteristics
   • mexican hammock - a classic version of hanging furniture
   • brazilian hammock - family hammock with a sturdy frame
   • alternative hammocks (hammock swing, hammock chair and baby hammocks)
3. Rules for the placement and use of hammocks
4. Tips for choosing a comfortable and durable hammock  video
5. DIY hammock  video

Garden hammock practical garden decoration solution

The hammock was thought up by prudent South American Indians as a safe place to sleep. A bed suspended in the air protected a person from bites of insects and snakes. Today, for most people, a hammock is associated with a pleasant pastime, summer and relaxation.

Unusual design variations of hammocks allow them to be used to decorate the garden, emphasize the style of landscape design and the refined taste of its owner.

However, along with an attractive appearance, the main function of the hammock is its practical use. Staying in a hammock is not only comfortable, but also useful:

• sleep in a hammock is usually stronger and promotes complete relaxation of the body, and less time is needed to restore the forces of time;
• lying in a hammock has a good effect on the vestibular apparatus, muscles of the neck and back are relaxed;
• some psychologists recommend sleeping in a hammock as a method of dealing with nightmares or stress;      
• young parents rocking their babies in a hammock, which envelops the child like the arms of a mother and helps to calm down and fall asleep quickly.

Combinations of various materials and various colors, as well as new methods of installing hammocks, allow them to be used in any garden, regardless of the availability of special supports, the age of growing trees, the size of the territory and the landscape direction of the summer cottage.

The hammock can be placed under the crown of trees, near an artificial pond or fountain, or can be placed on a spacious terrace overlooking the garden.

The main types of hammocks and their characteristics

Hammocks differ among themselves in the installation method (hanging, frame), the material of manufacture (fabric, braiding) and functionality (hammock-swing, chair-hammock). Each of the hammocks has its own advantages and technical features.

mexican hammock - a classic version of hanging furniture

The classic hammock option is the hanging or Mexican hammock. A hanging type hammock is usually made of synthetic fabric or wicker. The weight of these hammocks is small and you can easily take them on trips. Fabric hammocks are strong enough, but some models of wicker hammocks are designed for light loads and can last only a couple of seasons.

To install a hanging hammock, you can use two closely spaced sufficiently strong wood or pillar. If the trees in the garden are young, then you can independently install the necessary supports; pillars must be dug in the ground (for greater reliability, it is necessary to fill the supports with cement).

There are special mounts on sale that allow you to expand the range between the supports and protect the trees from injuries.

The cost of Mexican hammocks is very affordable, and depends on the material used. The cheapest wicker hammocks. A model of a hammock with a mosquito net will cost a little more.

It is undesirable to install a hanging hammock on a site where there are small children, since it will be difficult for the baby to climb into it, but getting out is even more difficult. Therefore, you need to pay attention to other models of country hammocks.

brazilian hammock - family hammock with a sturdy frame

Safe to use can be considered a hammock for giving with a frame, known as the Brazilian hammock.

The hammock is located low, has a wide design and additional supports. In fact, such a hammock is stationary (weighs a lot), but there are folding models that you can take with you on trips on vacation. Folding models are less stable, as they are mainly made of light metal.

The main advantages of a hammock with a frame include:

• security;
• can be installed anywhere, regardless of the location of the trees;
• frame hammocks are available in various shapes and any color (you can order a hammock according to an individual sketch).

Country hammocks with a frame are family-type furniture, as adults, children and the elderly can relax on them.

alternative hammocks (swing hammock, hammock chair and baby hammocks)

For a family in which children grow up, you can set hammock swing  for giving. The original swing will be a decoration of the garden and great fun for the kids.

The most common version of a swing swing is a hammock with a round shape. Such swings can complement the existing recreation area in the country or diversify the children's corner.

A distinctive feature of swing hammocks is that they have one attachment point, which is why this hammock can be swung freely. There are large-diameter swing hammocks that are equipped with soft mattresses, ottomans and canopies. In such hammocks, the whole family can relax at the same time. Of course, for such comfort you have to pay a decent amount of money.

For people saving their time, and wanting to combine a pleasant pastime with work, an excellent option would be hammock chair. In a comfortable swaying chair, you can not only relax, but also work at the computer, read a book or knit.

Most hammock chairs equipped with a canopy can protect the umbrella from the scorching rays of the sun or from summer short-term rain.

Young summer residents will like to swing on their own in baby hammockdesigned for a maximum weight of up to 36 kg. The hammock has a special woven cradle, which consists of a bottom and side walls (protective sides). The bottom of the cradle is ergonomically shaped, which ensures a comfortable position for the child.

Such a hammock can be mounted on a horizontal bar, a strong tree branch or in a doorway. The baby hammock is safe to use; the child will not be able to roll over.

Rules for the placement and use of hammocks

At the planning stage of the purchase of a country hammock, it is advisable to determine the place of its placement. It is important to consider the following points:

1. The placement of the hammock should not be too sunny and windy.
2. The hammock should be above a clean surface of the earth, it should be borne in mind that in dry weather the earth will turn into dust, and during rains it will become dirt. Therefore, it is better to place a hammock on a lawn or a tiled area.
3. The place for placing a children's hammock should be well visible from different sections of the cottage, so that you can observe the child.

We list the basic rules for installing and using a hammock in a summer cottage:

• the hammock should be placed only on reliable supports;
• the distance between the selected supports should be greater than the length of the hammock (at least 15 cm must be added on each side);
• it is advisable to foresee the possibility of adjusting the position of the slings in advance (in a couple of years the hammock will sag, stretch and will need to be lifted);
• to hang the hammock to the trees, you must use special mounts that will ensure the safety of the bark of your favorite pear or apple tree;
  
• when installing a hammock with a frame, you must strictly follow the procedure given in the assembly assembly instructions;
• the thickness of the trunk of the trees to which the hammock is attached should be more than 20 cm;
• supports should be dug into the ground to a depth of not less than one meter;
• the optimal height of the hammock is 1-1.5 meters;
• the width of the mounting cables must not be less than 8 mm;
• it is advisable to change the fabric in the hammock every three years (with frequent use after two).

Tips for choosing a comfortable and durable hammock

For those who decide to buy hanging furniture for the first time to arrange a summer cottage, it will be useful to know a number of tips that will help you not to make a mistake with the choice of a high-quality and comfortable hammock.

1. The hammock is usually used in the summer in hot weather, so it is very important that the workmanship passes air well, does not cause irritation, allergic reactions and is as comfortable as possible. Cotton handles these tasks better.
2. Nylon hammocks are more durable, but less flexible and poorly breathable.
3. Mesh (wicker) hammocks leave marks on the skin and, with prolonged loads, quickly stretch.
4. Cordless hammocks rub the skin less than hammocks with a round weave.
5. The cross bars in the hammock prevent strong stretching and twisting of the fabric, but in such a hammock it is more difficult to maintain balance.
6. More durable hammocks with wicker fastening on spring-type carbines.

DIY hammock

If you want to save money and have free time (about three hours), you can try and make a hammock to give yourself.

To make a hanging hammock from fabric, you need to prepare:

• wooden crossbeams (2 pieces, length 1-1.5 meters);
• thick linen cord;
• fastening rings;
• rope;
• canvas or dense cotton fabric (you can use the old curtain or curtain);
• hammock mount kit.

All work on creating an exclusive hammock for a summer residence can be divided into the following stages:

1. In the crossbeams, you need to drill holes at a distance of about 5 cm (you should get 20-30 holes).
2. The base of the hammock is made: the fabric must be cut (length about 2.5 meters, width 1.5-1.8 meters).
3. Edges can be sewn along the longitudinal edges of the hammock or leather straps will serve as an additional fixation of the shape of the hanging bed.
4. We attach ropes to each wooden plank and bring them to the place of attachment.
5. We carry the linen cords through the rings based on the hammock and the holes in the crossbeams. The ends of the cords must be brought to the place of attachment. We perform this procedure on both sides of the hammock.
6. We connect ropes (two ends) and many linen cords on each side of the hammock. We attach a special mount for hammocks to the common beam.
7. Installs a hammock on prepared supports or trees.

Relaxing in a hammock is a great way to relax and spend your free time surrounded by a garden. Therefore, you should not procrastinate with the purchase or manufacture of such a simple and necessary attribute of a full-fledged summer vacation.

Author: Sergey and Svetlana Khuentsov

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