Home Garden

How to Hang a Bar From a Ceiling

Many pull-up bars hang 7 to 7 1/2 feet from the floor and should be installed in 8-to-9-foot ceilings; however, some are designed for lower ceilings. Although many bars will accommodate up to 375 lbs., your ceiling drywall or sheetrock will not. When installing a bar in your ceiling, you must screw it into a structure strong enough to support your weight.

Things You'll Need

  • Stud finder
  • Measuring tape
  • Electric drill
  • 3/16 inch bit, 3 inches long
  • 3/8 inch drill adapter and socket
Show More

Instructions

    • 1

      Place a stud finder flat against the ceiling. Move it from left to right until you find a joist. Then use it to find the center of each joist.

    • 2

      Mark the center of at least two parallel joists. Joists are 16 inches apart. Many pull-up bars are 32 inches wide, so you can use every other joist.

    • 3

      Find a spot on the joists that is at least 3 inches away from any wall.

    • 4

      Place the stud mount flat against the ceiling. Use a pencil to mark the bolt holes. Then drill 3/16-inch pilot holes into the joist with an electric drill; make sure the bit is 3 inches long.

    • 5

      Drive lag bolts -- or toggle bolts if the stud is metal -- into the predrilled holes with the electric drill using the 3/8 inch adapter and appropriate size socket.

    • 6

      Slip a washer over each bolt. Insert each bolt into the corresponding hole on the pull-up bar and drive the bolt into the predrilled hole with a drill.