Support Product Care
Hanging Your Hammock
Hanging a hammock from two trees just sounds so darn romantic, but actually doing so can often prove tricky — not every yard has two sturdy trees the right distance apart. The space between trees needs to equal the total length of your hammock, plus 1 foot. So for a 13-foot hammock, the trees would need to be at least 13-15 feet apart, and so on.
Another option is to hang your hammock between a tree and a single post, or between two posts. In either case, the same spacing rules apply as when hanging a hammock between two trees.
For posts, be sure you use treated wood or some other material that will resist rotting. Posts should be 6 inches by 6 inches in diameter, set 2-3 feet or deeper into the ground. If you know your hammock will be getting a lot of use, it's not a bad idea to add quick-dry concrete to the bottom half of the hole around your post; follow package directions for mixing the cement.
If your trees or posts are correctly spaced, then the hooks for hanging your hammock should be screwed in about 4½ feet up from the ground. To install the hooks, begin by creating starter holes using either a drill or a nail that's 3/16 of an inch or smaller. Once you've gotten a hook started in your post or tree, slide a durable screwdriver through the hook's eye to give yourself more leverage for tightening. Hooks need to be screwed in all the way up to the eye, but no further.
When installed correctly, our hammocks support up to 450 pounds.
Overall Hammock Care
A shady spot is best for hanging your hammock. The less direct sunlight, the longer the life of both the rope and the varnish — not to mention the less sunburn you'll experience when you nod off in your hammock at midday!
During winter months and other lengthy stretches when you're not using the hammock, store it in a dry place away from harsh chemicals and from mice or bugs can get to it. Periodically check the metal chains and hammock hooks for wear and possible rust. The hanging hardware bears the brunt of the stress put on a hammock, so replace any parts that no longer seem sturdy.
Caring for the Rope
For best results, place your hammock in a kiddie wading pool or bathtub, soaking the rope thoroughly. Try to keep the wooden spreader bars and metal O-rings out of the water as much as possible; you may even want to use a plastic bucket or other container to prop up these parts. Add some OxiClean to the water, though any mild liquid detergent should also work; whichever you choose, follow the instructions on the cleaner container for amounts. Let the rope soak in the soapy solution for about an hour.
To begin cleaning, take a handful of rope in each hand and rub the pieces together; use a soft-bristled scrub brush to work on any stains. Once you've cleaned all of the rope in this way, rinse the whole hammock using a garden hose. Finally, let the hammock air-dry on a deck or flat concrete surface so that the rope doesn't stretch while drying.
Caring for the Hammock Wood
Over time the sealant we use will start to dull and wear off from normal outdoor weathering. To ensure the maximum life for your hammock, refinish the spreader-bar wood once you notice this happening. Taking the hammock apart is not recommended; leave everything tied together and simply work around the rope as best you can, following the application directions that come with the varnish you selected.
Maintenance and Repairs
Our Rope Hammocks
We take genuine pride in the craftsmanship that goes into our hammocks and other products. If any problems should ever arise due to a manufacturer's defect, we will gladly replace or fix the hammock at no expense to you. However, should the rope be damaged due to, for instance, an overly frisky dog insisting on getting into the hammock with you, or the wood get torn up from some manic squirrel deciding to polish its teeth by gnawing through your spreader bars, then we offer reasonably priced repairs at our Kill Devil Hills store; call (252) 441-6115 to arrange for a repair appointment. Repairs are only offered to Nags Head Hammock customers and are only for Nags Head Hammocks. You can also buy replacement parts by calling us at (252) 295-0405, or else visit our Replacement Parts page.
Under normal use, your Nags Head Hammock should last you for years — and hopefully the memories it will create will last you a lifetime! We hope you enjoy your hammock to the fullest, with our sincere thanks for trusting us to help meet your relaxation needs.
Wooden Furniture
Over time the finish will weather and start to wear off, and that's something to watch for, since protecting the wood's finish will lengthen the life of your chair, table or swing.
While we don't recommend taking our hammocks apart to do any refinishing work (instead leaving everything tied together, with you working carefully around the rope), that’s not the case with our chairs and swings: You'll want to remove the rope before refinishing, careful to keep the rope body from coming apart on you. As a precaution, slide a separate piece of rope through the end loop, as you see in the illustration below, and then tie each end of the rope together. Do this on both sides.
With the rope removed, you can now safely remove all nuts and bolts from the wood, using a 7/16 ratchet and key. Some screws are going to be hidden by wooden plugs, which you'll need to remove first. Use either pliers or a small flathead screwdriver for this, and if any of the wooden plugs become damaged while being removed, don't worry: Nags Head Hammocks has Replacement Parts for sale.
Once all hardware is removed and safely stored, sand the wood using 120-grit sandpaper. Note that some of the grey color close to the bolts is unlikely to come off.
Refinishing Wood
To refinish the wood, use any shade of polyurethane marine-grade varnish. We originally used high gloss, available at any hardware store, and applied three coats, though two coats should be sufficient for your own refinishing efforts. In between coats, lightly re-sand the wood pieces with 220-grit sandpaper after the wood has air-dried for 24 hours. Refinishing is the perfect time to also replace any worn nuts, bolts, washers or screws, all readily available at your local hardware store.
Cypress Wood Stands
Placement:
When placing your Cypress Wood Stand, a hard scape or at least 4 pavers should be placed under each of the 4 feet. If the stand is placed in a damp area (e.g. under a tree) it may start to show mold or mildew and eventually rot or split.
Care:
Our Cypress Wood Hammock Stands come pre-treated with Olympic Honey Gold stain. You should not re-stain the Cypress Wood Stand for at least 6 months after purchase. At the 12 month mark you should lightly sand the wood with 220-grit sandpaper and re-stain the wood with Boiled Linseed Oil or Olympic Honey Gold Stain, applying a second coat 48-72 hours after the first coat has been applied. Any other non-treat or non-boiled option is not recommended.
The following actions may lead to mold or mildew:
- Using Linseed Oil that has not been treated or boiled.
- Applying too much oil.
- Applying the oil too soon.
Your Cypress Wood Stand will naturally lose color and turn a silver gray over time. We strongly recommend you do NOT add varnish, lacquer, or place a tarp on our Cypress Wood Stands, as this does not allow the natural wood to breathe.
Metal Stands
Our metal stands can begin to rust after years of use, particularly where scratches have removed the finish or foreign particles have been stuck to the powder-coated surface for a long period of time.
Since our stands are powder-coated there's unfortunately no specific touch-up paint available but a rust-resistant paint, such as Rust-Oleum, can help touch up and further protect your stand.
For small blemishes, you should be able to match the stand's color pretty closely to a rust-resistant outdoor paint at your local hardware store.
To completely refinish the stand, lightly sand the metal poles and repaint with your choice of rust-resistant outdoor paint.
Cleaning Pillows, Swing Cushions and Hammock Pads
All of these items will need to be hand-washed and laid flat to dry. Do not put any of them in your washer or dryer as this can result in fabric fraying, pilling or ripping.
To hand-wash these items we recommend using warm water, mild soap and a soft brush to clean the fabric. You can then rinse it thoroughly and allow the item to air-dry on a flat surface before reusing.
For Furniture Pillows only, please remove the pad inside before you begin cleaning.
If the fabric does however need heavier cleaning, we recommend using 303 Fabric Cleaner to help penetrate and remove any tough stains.
