Introduction
You are in the market for a doorway pull up bar. You may have had one before. The quality may have been questionable, the fit in the doorway may not have been great, and it may have damaged your door trim. Sound familiar?
You want to get a new pull up bar. You may be renting and want to avoid door trim damage. You are not sure which bars fit in which doors. So…
How do you properly measure a doorway for a pull up bar?
How will you know if the pull up bar will fit?
Are there pull up bars available that won’t damage your door trim?
We aim to answer these questions and more in this blog post. Note you can also watch a video with this content on Youtube.
To get a pull up bar that will fit and will not damage the door trim, you need to measure your doorway. This should be done prior to your purchase, so you can compare with the pull up bar manufacturer’s specifications. Most companies will provide this information.
There are three main door elements that need to be measured:
doorway opening
wall width
trim width / thickness
Let’s start with selecting a doorway.
Selecting a doorway for a pull up bar
It is highly recommended that you choose an interior doorway. Bedrooms and bathrooms are good choices since they typically will be standard size. Closets work well too, even though they are narrower than the aforementioned. Exterior door ways should be avoided since they will have thicker walls, plus you would probably have to remove when not in use.
The direction of door swing will also affect which doorway you choose for your pull up bar. Most pull up bars, including ours, are installed opposite the door hinges / side of the door. Consider this on how you want to work out in your home.
Finally, in tight hallways, you want to be sure there is enough side room for the pull up bar. The bottom bar of the FitBar FP-2 Doorway Pull Up Bar is 33.5 inches wide and can be biased to one side if needed. Other bars may not have this capability. The top bar for the FP-2 is 38.5” wide - perfect for wide grip pull ups.
Doorway Opening Measurement
This is the opening you walk though and is the horizontal measurement. It does not include the rectangular stop mounted in the center of the opening. A standard interior doorway in the United States is typically 32 to 34 inches wide. An ADA-compliant doorway is 36” wide, to allow passage of a wheel chair – this may be too wide for most pull up bars. The FP-2 is good for doorways 24 to 34 inches wide.
Use a tape measure to measure the opening from one side to the other.
Wall Width Measurement
This is the width of the wall, and it is dependent on what was used to construct the wall. Most interior walls in the United States are constructed of 2 x 4 studs. The 4-inch dimension actually measures 3-1/2 inches. Add 1/2-inch for drywall each side, and your typical wall is 4-1/2 inches wide. If it is a load baring wall with 2 x 6 stud construction and1/2-inch drywall, the wall should measure 6-1/2 inches. The FP-2 will fit walls up to 6-1/2 inches thick.
Use a tape measure to measure the opening from one side to the other. Do not include the trim thickness.
Trim Measurement
For pull up bars, the integrity of the top door trim, where the hooks rest, is important. It needs to be sound and have ample nails holding it in. You can give it a test pull with your fingers to be sure it can handle the load – it should not move when pulled down.
Assuming you have verified the trim integrity, it is time to measure. There are 2 measurements: trim thickness and trim width.
Trim thickness is the distance from the wall to the outside edge of the trim. Use a tape measure. It should be anywhere from 1/2 to 3/4 inches. Some custom trim may be thicker (and wider).
Trim width is the outermost edge of the trim to the doorway opening. The trim may stop 1/16 inch or so from the opening. Typical trim width is 2-1/2 to 3-1/2 inches, although these days custom homes may have extra tall trim which may prevent a pull up bar installation. The FP-2 Doorway Pull Up Bar can handle door trim up to 4-3/4 inch wide.
Choosing a Pull Up Bar
Once you have collected the above measurements, it is time to go shopping! Make sure whoever you buy from they provide the recommended doorway minimum / maximum dimensions for their product. For the FP-2, we make it clear on the limitations.
Another consideration regarding doorway pull up bar fit: is the pull up bar adjustable? If it is, the bar can be adjusted to the doorway, ie, thinner walls can have a tighter fit. This is desirable. For non-adjustable pull up bars, IT MAY FIT, HOWEVER, THE INSTALLATION MAY NOT BE OPTIMUM. This refers to the top bar not being as high as it could be relative to an adjustable pull up bar since it rotates down toward the ground further than if it could be adjusted. It may also increase the load on the trim.
Finally, you want to avoid door trim damage. This is achieved by a good-fitting pull up bar that distributes the load at the trim interfaces with larger areas / soft materials. You also want a pull up bar that does not leave a mark from the soft materials. The FP-2 has these features! Large non-marking rubber interfaces at the trim!!
Installing a pull up bar
So… you have measured, you have purchased, it has been delivered, and you ready to install your pull up bar! Follow the installation instructions, and consider the measurements you have taken. Make sure the trim is sound. Ensure the back hooks are properly seated and the front bar pads are centered / touching the trim.
Now it is time for the test it out. Keep your feet below you. Give it a test pull, make sure it doesn’t move and feels solid.
Long -term usage
If you are keeping your pull up bar in your doorway, always do a test pull before you start working out / doing pull ups. And keep your feet below you, always! You want to be sure a family member did not knock the bar, or remove / re-install without you knowing.
Closing
There are many options for pull up bars these days, from inexpensive to premium. Make sure you measure your doorway to be sure you buy the right pull up bar. Consider the door location, dimensions, and how amenable you are to marks on the trim. If you are looking for a premium, adjustable pull up bar that does not damage or leave marks on the trim, consider the FitBar FP-2 Doorway Pull up Bar.
