DIY Home Chinup Bar

Chinups work your arms and shoulders.

A chinup is an exercise that works the latissimus dorsi and bicep, helping you to gain upper body strength. If you don't have the time or money for a gym membership, you can build your own chinup bar using basic plumbing parts and some lumber. This chinup bar will be positioned over a doorway, giving your legs room to swing back and forth if they need to. All of the required materials are available at your local hardware store.

Things You'll Need

• 2-by-8-inch board, 42 inches long
• Saw
• 4-inch steel pipe nipples, 2
• Steel flanges, 2
• Steel elbow joints, 2
• 3-foot double-threaded steel pipe
• Pencil
• Drill
• Stud finder
• 4-inch wood screws
• Screwdriver
• 2-inch wood screws

Instructions

1. Screw two 4-inch steel pipe nipples into two flanges. These and all pipes and fittings should have a three-quarter inch diameter.

2. Screw an elbow joint onto the other end of each nipple.

3. Screw the other ends of the elbow joints onto a 3-foot double-threaded pipe, with both flanges pointing the same direction.

4. Place the finished chinup bar onto the board. Center it and mark the locations of the screw holes with a pencil.

5. Drill a one-sixteenth inch pilot hole into the board at each pencil mark.

6. Use a stud finder to locate the wall studs above a doorway.

7. Place the board onto the wall above the door and mark the stud positions on it.

8. Drill three one-sixteenth inch pilot holes through the board for each wall stud, evenly spaced. Drill matching pilot holes into the wall studs.

9. Screw the board to the wall with 4-inch wood screws through the second set of pilot holes.

10. Screw the chinup bar to the board through the first set of pilot holes with 2-inch wood screws.