How Many Feet of Paracord Do You Need for a Hammock? (Interesting Project)

Paracord is a term developed from old fashion military parachute cords. During world-war II is when the United States military realized that these parachute cords can do other work. The military used them to secure tents, to pull vehicles out of the mud, and many other uses. Nowadays paracords are in our houses as furniture including patio chairs and hammocks. 

To make an eight feet patio hammock you need about 3,000 feet of paracord rope. Using a simple procedure you can make a paracord hammock at home. Below is a simple procedure that will help you to make a paracord hammock as long as you have 3000 feet of paracord rope. 

How to Make a Paracord Hammock 

Below is a procedure for a three by eight feet paracord hammock. 

What you need 

  • 3000 feet of paracord rope. (1500 feet for black paracord and 1500 feet for red paracord. But you can use any other color you want) 
  • A sharp pair of scissors 
  • A lighter 
  • Two Y-shaped stands 
  • Two 4 feet long pieces of wooden rods (for spreader bars)

Step 1 

Place the Y-shaped stands to face each other and four feet apart. Then place one of the wooden rods in between at the top of the stands. If your stands are not Y-shaped you can use a hammer and nails to hold the wooden rod at the top of the stands. Remember we are making an eight feet hammock so the stands should also be eight feet tall or more. 

Use a lighter to burn the ends of the paracord to prevent fraying. 

Step 2

Now is the time to make the background strands. Cut the black paracord using a pair of scissors into four strands each 375 feet long. Then tie the strands on one stand at the bottom and loop it with the other stand. Repeat the procedure until the strands cover up to the top of the stands. 

Step 3 

Cut 150 pieces of the red paracord each piece about ten feet long. Remember to burn the ends to prevent fraying. Then tie the pieces on the wooden rod at the top. Make sure you tie them close together. You can tie them on top of each other because it is not easy to fit 150 pieces on a four feet piece of wood. This will make the foreground strands. 

Step 4

Now is the time to start netting. Start with the red strand on the right and pass it around the black strands. Take your time and pass it from the top to the bottom. Do the same for the 150 red strands. You will see some red strands remain unused at the bottom. Don’t worry this will work in step four below. It is a time-consuming step but if you want a paracord hammock you must do it. 

Step 5

After netting, it is time to remove the wooden rod at the top and lay the almost finished hammock on a flat space. Then take the other wooden rod and tie the bottom rods on it. Do not pull the strands because the paracord naturally can stretch. Start on the right moving to the left. 

Step 6

By now you will notice there is some space left on each corner of the wooden rods. Tie a rope of about one meter on each corner (you can use a paracord rope or ordinary rope). These ropes will be for hanging the hammock. After this, your paracord hammock is ready for use. 

Benefits of a Paracord Hammock 

  1. Durable 

A paracord hammock can stay for many years because it is made from synthetic paracord ropes that are waterproof and water-resistant. The ropes have a plastic cover that prevents rainwater from destroying it. The ropes are also shiny so that they can reflect away strong sun rays. The ropes are twisted together making the hammock strong and cannot tear like the fabric hammock. 

  1. Can carry extra weight 

A paracord hammock can stretch hence a single hammock can carry two people. The ropes are strong and twisted together hence you do not worry about the excess weight. It can save on space if you are on a trip with your family because two people can share one hammock. 

  1. Compact and flexible 

A paracord is the lightest but strongest rope in the world. You can see a hammock with lots of rope but if you hold it you find it is the lightest hammock. A paracord hammock is also compact because you can easily remove the spreader bar and fold it into small luggage. 

  1. It has grip 

Sleeping in a hammock is somehow tricky because you can slide out of it if the fabric is too soft and smooth. But for the paracord hammock, it has a lot of grip that keeps you in place the whole time. The paracord also provides a good grip with the tree or post you are hanging the hammock. Ordinary ropes can slide down due to bodyweight but the paracord has enough grip to hold you.

  1. Come in different sizes and colors

For the fabric hammock, the larger the hammock the more vulnerable it is to tear. But for a paracord, you can even make a square hammock of eight feet by eight feet. Some manufacturers nowadays use the double-twisting technique to make huge and strong paracord hammocks.

Paracord hammocks are the most beautiful hammocks because they are made with different rope colors. You can combine different colors bringing out a very unique hammock that stands out on your patio. You can also mix and match the hammock color with your patio furniture color making your patio look elegant. 

  1. Easy to clean 

With the use of a soft hand brush and ordinary detergent, you can clean the paracord hammock. Add ordinary detergent in a bucket of clean water and shake until bubbles form. Pour the soapy water on the hammock as you scrub. Use bleach or alcohol to remove stubborn stains. Rinse with clean water and allow it to dry. It does not hold water like the fabric hammock. 

Conclusion 

For a three feet by eight feet hammock you need about 3,000 feet of paracord rope. Actually, 2700 feet will be enough but the extra 300 feet is for the extras like the hanging strands and the netting allowance. The procedure above is time-consuming and you need another person to help you so that you can finish in 12 hours. Â