While most home owners love the idea of relaxing in their backyard on a hammock, the job of selecting the correct hammock can be challenging. Hammocks come in many different sizes and construction types, each of which are suited for different uses. For example, hammocks could be made of cotton, polyester or canvas. While the cotton hammock is usually suited best for indoor use and occasional outdoor use, the polyester hammock will stand up to almost any weather conditions with no problem. The cotton rope hammock is generally the most popular although the rope does not wear well over time if exposed to harsh weather. Personally speaking, I've always found the polyester hammocks can be uncomfortable on hot summer days. While the rope hammocks permit good air flow over your entire body.

The shopper also wants to consider the space available for the new hammock. If planning for use on a porch, you could consider the new style hammock chairs or swings. Although the hammock chairs are not as comfortable as traditional rope hammocks, they offer the ease of hanging from a single rope and take up much less space. All true hammock chairs and swings are made to be hung from an overhead support. In most cases a porch roof beam or overhang should be perfect. But as popularity of these types of hammocks have grown, some manufacturers have created stand-alone hanging systems which enable you to move your hammock chair or swing onto a patio. Swings and chairs are also more stable and might be a good option for use by children or the elderly.

If your deck is large enough, you might consider using a full size hammock installed in a hammock stand. Hammock stands might be made of wood or steel. The wood hammock stands offer stylish look and contributes to the overall appearance of your hammock. The drawback as you might expect is generally the wood hammock stand is more expensive then steel. It is usually easy to find a package deal which includes a hammock and stand. This of course makes the selection process a bit easier.