I'm looking to mount hammock indoors using an indoor hammock hanging kit, and was wondering how I'd determine how much weight the wall studs or ceiling I attach this mounting kit into can bear.
The hanging kits come with a weight capacity limit, but that's for the kits themselves, and not what they're mounted into. Is there any way to determine how much weight the studs or ceiling can bear, short of putting [someone else's] weight on it and hoping for the best?
Best Answer
Some general comments:
Single point loads of 200lbs on a single stud (1/2 the rated full load, since you will use 2 anchors) is significant. Such a mounting would be dependant on securing the lag bolt near the center of the stud. That can be hard to do, even with a stud detector.
Wall connections: Exterior walls are much stronger than interior (partition) walls. Connections across a corner or across a room will be stronger than a single wall.
Ceiling connections: Connecting perpendicularly to the joists will be stronger than parallel to them (spanning several is discussed below).
Ceiling mounting may be complicated by double mounting to a single joist.
Some specific comments:
My suggestion is to have each attachment point span 2 studs or 2 joists. This would be simplest by connecting a cross member (such as 2x4 lumber). Make each support piece longer than the stud/joist spacing by 25% (so the screw holes have strength) Predrill and use 4 mounting (2 Each end) lag screws, make sure they are centered on each stud/joist and embedded sufficiently.
Then connect the hammock kit as directed.