How to Make a Freestanding Doorway Pullup Bar

Measure the doorway’s inside and determine the open width available inside the frame. Measuring the frame’ width inside your doorway reveals the doorway area’s thickness. Lastly, measure the trim’s height at the door’s top.

Measure and cut one PVC piece 2 inches shorter than the doorway’s width measurement for the actual pull-up bar. Push a T-connector onto each end of this bar as your main pull-up bar with the stem of the T shape facing away from the bar. Push the 6-inch long PVC pieces onto the T-connectors’ other sides and cap the open ends.

Measure and cut two PVC pieces to the doorframe’s thickness plus 2 inches. Push each of these pieces into the open stems of the T-connectors already attached to the pull-up bar. Cap the other end of these pieces with elbow connectors with the elbows curving upwards.

Measure and cut PVC two pieces the door trim’s height plus 3 inches. Push these pieces into the elbow connectors’ upward-facing openings. Set the remaining elbow units on the ends of these pieces with the openings facing in toward one another.

Cut a piece of PVC to the length of the doorway's width measurement minus 6 inches. Push the remaining T-connectors onto this piece’s ends and face the stems perpendicular to the pipe. Push the four remaining 2-inch long PVC pieces into the T-connectors’ open ends on the sides and stems. Attach caps to the 2-inch pieces that stick out from the T’s stems.

Position this unit in between the open elbow connectors from the previously connected pull-up bar unit. Adjust the T-connectors so that the 2-inch pieces that are capped face toward the pull-up bar.

Make note of how the finished unit looks and mark a line around pipes where they connect. Remove each piece, one at a time, apply PVC cement to the outside and inside of pieces as needed and press them back together to seal. Allow the cement to cure for as long as recommended by the manufacturer before use, as drying times vary.