Summer is associated with a number of pleasant backyard activities, from holding a cookout to roasting marshmallows over a fire pit. A hammock will allow you to relax in a tranquil area of the yard, and it is relatively inexpensive to purchase and set up.

While some hammocks come prepared with their own stand, others give you more leeway in terms of where you can put them. You'll simply need to find a couple of sturdy points and secure the hammock between them. However, you'll also want to make sure the hammock is assembled in such a way that it will be comfortable.

There are a few different suggestions for finding the appropriate distance between two points in setting up a hammock. Harry Sawyers, writing for Popular Mechanics, says most hammocks require 13 to 16 feet between points. Pawley's Island Hammocks, a company based in Greenville, North Carolina, says the space between points should generally be about 18 to 24 inches more than the length of the hammock itself.

The hammock will touch the ground if the two hanging points are too close together, so the only way to solve this issue is to make do with a smaller hammock. If the points are a little too far apart, it might be possible to extend the length of the hammock.

Vila says the hammock can be lengthened with extra rope or chain, but that it shouldn't be extended more than 18 inches on either end to reduce the risk of the hammock ripping. Some hammocks have spreader bars to help keep a hammock open and taut.

Height is also an important consideration when putting up a hammock. Pawley's Island Hammock suggests that a height of four feet is adequate for most hammocks. A higher height might be necessary to prevent longer hammocks hung between shorter distances from sagging too far, although you'll eventually reach a point where the hammock will bow enough to be uncomfortable.

Hanging a hammock between two trees is a popular option, and it lets you set up in a shady spot. Hardwoods such as oak and maple are preferable to softwoods or trees with trunk diameters less than six inches across, which may not be able to support you once you climb into the hammock.

If the trees on your property are located too far apart or otherwise not able to support a hammock, you can consider a few other options as well. It's possible to use a building, porch column, or custom installed post as an anchor point.

One option for securing a hammock to a tree is to drill a hole and put in the hanging hook. Sawyers says the hole for a four-inch eyebolt should be one-eighth to three-sixteenths of an inch wide.

While this method generally will not harm the tree, it will leave some ugly holes behind if you decide to take down the hammock. Pawley's Island Hammocks says tree straps are a preferable method for hanging a hammock between trees, since they are easily adjustable and let you easily move the hammock from place to place.

The hammock might seem a little tight when you first try it out, but the ropes will loosen and stretch farther over time. While this will eventually cause you to get a little too close to the ground while in the hammock, you can shorten the ropes or chains holding up the hammock to make it tauter.