Just because you’re thrifty doesn’t mean you don’t want the same things that others have. After all, why you would you pay fifty bucks or more for a hammock when you can make it for a fraction of that cost? You don’t have to have a collection of expensive materials, and costly netting, to make the perfect hammock. All you need is some tape!
Okay, you’re going to need a couple of other things to make the duct tape hammock but the bed itself is made completely of duct tape. Purchase a quality duct tape – now available in many colors at a home improvement store. In addition to the tape you’ll need a piece of PVC pipe, and a piece of rope. If you purchase the pipe at a large home improvement store they’ll cut it for free. The perfect size is 2″ in diameter. Just decide how wide you want the hammock to be and have two pipe pieces cut, each to that measurement.
Cut a long piece of rope in two (how long it is depends on where you’re tying it). With rope, pipe, and duct tape, you can build the hammock that will last you for many years. First, slide one piece of the rope through one piece of the pipe. Tie a large knot at each end of the pipe, so that the rope can’t slide out of it. Take the rope ends and tie them around a tree, post, or other solid object. Do the same to the other side so that you have both pipes threaded and tied to some sort of bases. You’ll find it easiest to make the duct tape hammock if you tie the ropes up high.
It’s really helpful to have someone who can hold the pipes, as needed, while you attach the duct tape. To begin, wrap the duct tape around the center area of the pipe, and leave many inches to spare, hanging off the end. Wrap those spare inches around the bottom of the pipe, and stick the tape to itself.
After the end of the tape is anchored, pull the tape to the opposite pipe, wrap the tape over the top, then bring the tape back to the first pipe. As you do, press the tape together so that it sticks to itself, from one end to the other. When you get back to the area where you started, tear the tape, and press it against itself. Continue making band after band of the tape, laying each band so that it slightly overlaps the previous one, and tear them off so that all the tears (or cuts) align – on the back.
It’s tricky to stick a really long piece of tape to itself. but you’ll find it a little easier if you get under the tape band, and scoot along on the ground as you reach up to stick the tape to itself. Take care to align the tape pieces perfectly and you’ll end up with a cheap hammock that is quite comfy.