I recently got the below ceiling-mounted pull-up bar that installs into joists with 3" lag bolts. Unfortunately, my joists run perpendicular to the direction that I want to install this bar, so I need to find a solution that will allow me to install the bar securely other than directly into joists.
I am hoping to avoid sistering in a couple 2×8 boards because that means cutting, patching, texturing, and painting drywall. Is there a poor man's solution that doesn't involve any of that?
I do have a 16" x 48" x 3/4" board that I could install along the joists and then install the pull-up bar into that. However, the instructions insist that the bar be installed into joists with the 3" lag bolts, but is that really necessary to bear the load of a 190-pound person?
Any creative solutions welcome.
Edit: I should add that, if I did use my 3/4" board solution, I would be able to drive two of the four screws into the joists because of the overlap of the edge (minus 3/4" of depth, of course), but the other two would be secured into the board itself.
Update: Not my best work, but it's installed and appears to hold my body weight so far.
Best Answer
This shouldn't be a big ordeal - just get a 2x6 and cut it so that it spans at least 2 joists when oriented in the direction you want the pullup bar (perpendicular). Use lag bolts to secure the 2x6 to the joists, then use more lag bolts to secure the pullup bar to your 2x6.
If that seems to have too much flex for you (I doubt it), you can always double up the 2x6's and use longer lag bolts to attach them to the ceiling.
Oh, also, 2x4s might work fine, but the mounting holes for your bar seemed too wide for that.