Homemade Steel Pull Up Bar Ideas

Pull-ups are one of the best exercises you can do to keep your back and shoulders strong. While they can be difficult to do, they tend to build muscle quickly. If you want to be able to do pull-ups at home, there are a handful of inexpensive possibilities for incorporating either a permanent or a moveable pull-up bar at various points in and around your home.

  1. Backyard Permanent Bar

    • For a permanent backyard pull-up bar, purchase galvanized plumbing pipe, threaded galvanized elbow pipes and concrete from your local home improvement store. Thread the elbows onto the longer galvanized pipe, and then connect a shorter length of galvanized pipe between them to create a U-shape. Dig two holes in the ground, and then plant the galvanized pipes in the ground with the concrete to create a sturdy outdoor pull-up bar. For the perfect size bar, make certain that the horizontal bar is at least 6 inches above your reach so that you jump to reach it.

    Backyard Temporary Bar

    • Purchase a 3-foot long length of galvanized pipe, two bolts with two nuts and two lengths of medium-duty chain. The idea is that you will loop the chains over a tree branch, and then connect the pipe to the chains. Use an electric drill to drill a hole into each end of the pipe to accommodate the bolt that will hold the chain in place. Pull-ups will be more difficult with this type of bar because it is not fully stationary. This will, however, help work your back's smaller muscles, as well as the larger ones.

    Indoor Permanent Bar

    • If you have a home gym and want to incorporate a pull-up bar into the ceiling, you can do so by tapping into the wood beams that support your roof or the floor above your gym. To do this, purchase three lengths of threaded pipe. The horizontal bar should be at least 3 feet long, while the two vertical pipes should be 2 feet long. You also need to purchase two threaded galvanized pipe mounting plates, two threaded pipe elbows and four lag screws. Pipe mounting plates look a little like ceramic light fixtures. Construct the pipes into a U-shape with the pipe mounting plates on each of the ends of the U, and then fasten the mounting plates to the ceiling beams with the lag screws.

    Indoor Temporary Bar

    • An indoor pull-up bar can be constructed as a temporary fixture in a door frame. First, have a length of pipe cut 5 inches wider than the width of your door frame. Next, use a drill that is the size of your pipe to drill a hole into the door frame 6 feet from the ground on both sides. There are framing studs located behind the door frame on which it is mounted. You'll want to drill through these for the most secure anchoring point. When you're ready to use the bar, slide it into one hole, then align it with the other hole and insert it in so that the bar is in both holes. Remember to remove the bar before closing the door.