Can a foamie wall support a hammock?

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Can a foamie wall support a hammock?

Postby little green pea » Mon Sep 05, 2016 7:18 pm

I'm just starting flooring right now on a foamie standy build. And I'm already thinking several steps ahead. Eventually when I get to the interior I'd like to build a hammock loft (like the ones in the old Scotty's). It would be used by kids currently under 50lbs.

This is a 6' 8" wide exterior, 6' 4" interior width, 6' interior height, 11' exterior length... by the time it's christened we might be calling it the Jolly Green Giant instead of the Little Green Pea. ;)

The original design I had in mind was for a twin over full bunk, but I like the simplicity of a hammock loft instead. Less weight, less material costs, removable, etc...

The walls will be two inch extruded foam with 1/8" luan skin on the inside. I will complete the inside skin before attaching walls to the floor using a key method like mikeschn did.

I do plan on spars but was not planning on any sort of skeleton for the walls. There will be plenty of wall to wall support supplied by a berth, galley, fridge/closet, full size bed.

When I was going the bunk route I planned on building a proper bunk with the weight transferred direct to the frame of the floor, but I don't know what type of sheer force a hammock would put on a foamie wall. Will a luan skin over 2" foam hold a hammock? I'm imagining Flanges or metal closet brackets, not the plastic kind and metal bars or birch closet rods. Can I glue and screw the brackets directly into the luan and foam and expect it to hold, or will it require a bunch of reinforcing that would be the equivalent of just building a proper bunk? If I embed a 2"x2" piece of board into the foam beneath where the brackets will attach, running the width of the hammock, will that be enough combined with the luan to support the hammock?

Sorry for the indirect questioning, I'm struggling to put together something more concise

Has anyone tried this? I apologize if there is already a thread discussing this specific question, I did try to search and don't see it.
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Re: Can a foamie wall support a hammock?

Postby ghcoe » Mon Sep 05, 2016 8:50 pm

I feel it would be way too weak for hammock. If you are going to have spars in the roof I would just run a solid support from the floor to the roof spar. Something that would be strong enough to support the weight of the occupied hammocks.
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Re: Can a foamie wall support a hammock?

Postby OP827 » Tue Sep 06, 2016 6:18 pm

Hammock may look simple, but in a foamie you are basically looking at a standalone type of setup and foam or even traditional trailer framing does not provide such solid and heavy framing to take the great force that hammock creates. Google "standalone hammock" and see what kind of framing is made for those.
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Re: Can a foamie wall support a hammock?

Postby KCStudly » Tue Sep 06, 2016 9:16 pm

I have used anchor blocks throughout my hybrid wall construction with the only full height blocking being where the bulkhead ties into the walls.

My first impression was that you wanted to hang a rope suspended hammock, and that the tension placed on the inner skins would not be good.

Then when you clarified that it would be more of a stretcher pole supported affair that becomes less of a concern.

What are you planning for the outer skin, canvas or...?

I'd be tempted to say that it could work with just blocking if you pin the ends of the the stretcher poles to the brackets (rather than just resting them into saddle perches).

Of course the surefire way would be to embed wood columns/framing/posts into the walls, but I have to tell you that my walls are extremely sturdy (5mm ply inside/1-1/2 blue foam/2 plies 6oz FG/epoxy, overall dimensions are 64 wide x 9'-8" long x ~50 tall, so smaller/stiffer, but it can give you some idea).

Screwing into thin ply and foam with no blocking is not recommended; the screws just won't have enough to bite into.
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Re: Can a foamie wall support a hammock?

Postby Don L. » Mon Sep 19, 2016 6:57 pm

I considered a hammock for the bunk in mine but went with a regular bunk type bed, mostly because I can use it for a shelf when my kid is not along.

Even then a bunk needs support so after the trailer walls and ceilings and cabinets were in I attached a horizontal 1x3 ledger across wall, supported in the corner with a 1x4 and at the other end it attached to the cabinet.
I still used these screw in type anchors and adhesive/caulk to help hold the ledgers and supports and cabinets to the foam walls. So far so good. For a hammock you might use a 2x4 ledger since it needs to not only support weight but resist the pull of the hammock.
The screw in anchors were also glued in with gorilla glue which helps.
I didn't set any wood into the foam for anchor points because I didn't want to spend the time. I'll try to get a picture up if that helps.
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