Installing a wall mounted pull up bar onto thermalite blocks?

[Justchris17]

I’m planning on installing a wall mounted pull up bar onto my garage wall but the problem is it’s thermalite and I’m always dubious about fixing to this material. I’m looking at approx 120kg with me and the bar combined.

My plan is to screw 2 pieces of timber floor to ceiling using dewalt DFM3450300 (gastebon) fixings and coach screws into Center of each block on each side then bolt the bar to the timber. Is my plan sound or doomed for failure?

The fixings are apparently good for 40kg each so that should cover the weight I’m just worried about it pulling out or damaging the wall.

[dewaltdisney]

I always think these bars are a potential avenue to disaster, you see plenty of fails on YouTube. Having said this if you think about the loading carefully, which is mostly downward, and some outward, your idea of fixing the bar to timber supports which in turn are fixed to the wall should see this loading addressed. The timber will need to be thick and wide enough to take the bar screw fittings as this mounting will see most of the force on its way to ground.

You have bought the bar now but I think a scaffold pole transverse fixed across two walls of the garage gives a dual point loading on each wall spreading the load evenly. Just a thought.

DWD

[Justchris17]

I always think these bars are a potential avenue to disaster, you see plenty of fails on YouTube. Having said this if you think about the loading carefully, which is mostly downward, and some outward, your idea of fixing the bar to timber supports which in turn are fixed to the wall should see this loading addressed. The timber will need to be thick and wide enough to take the bar screw fittings as this mounting will see most of the force on its way to ground.

You have bought the bar now but I think a scaffold pole transverse fixed across two walls of the garage gives a dual point loading on each wall spreading the load evenly. Just a thought.

DWD

Thanks for you reply, yeah I’m trying to avoid disaster haha.

I did think of scaffold pole actually but one side is stud partition and other is thermalise (integral garage) and it would need to be 5m aswel as that’s the width which is pretty long so decided for single wall mount hopefully the lesser of all evils. I’ve also thought about using joists but I have I-joists and not keen on hanging load on the bottom flange

[stevei]

I imagine the thermalite blocks would be the inner leaf of a cavity wall. Using toggle bolts, you could replace the bolts with threaded bar and use these to secure the floor to ceiling timbers, the toggles going through the blocks and into the cavity.

[Justchris17]

I imagine the thermalite blocks would be the inner leaf of a cavity wall. Using toggle bolts, you could replace the bolts with threaded bar and use these to secure the floor to ceiling timbers, the toggles going through the blocks and into the cavity.

Yes the thermalise is the inner skin it’s a single 100mm skin thermalite wall then cavity/external brick. Not wanting to touch external brickwork.

As in toggles do you mean the same type that’s used on plasterboard? Never come across toggles for thermalite?

[Justchris17]

I imagine the thermalite blocks would be the inner leaf of a cavity wall. Using toggle bolts, you could replace the bolts with threaded bar and use these to secure the floor to ceiling timbers, the toggles going through the blocks and into the cavity.

Hi mate do you have any more info or links to toggle bolts you referenced? Is it just standard plasterboard ones?

[dewaltdisney]

Another way might be to resin-fix the timber wall support fixings https://www.screwfix.com/c/screws-nails ... esinfixing. You use threaded rods which are resin fixed into the block. The resin will provide a good anchor into the wall rather than any rawlplug type fitting. The problem that would worry me would be the softness of thermalite blocks that are designed for downward loading but are quite weak for face loading. I once read about a kid who rigged up a rope between two external walls in an alley to use as a swing. He sat on the rope and caused a number of bricks to be pulled from the wall which fell and killed him. I always think of that when I refer to lateral force potential such as this. I would be inclined to fabricate the whole thing as a stand-alone. See https://www.pipestock.com/key-clamp-han ... bow-90-128 two of these and five sections of pipe. Two A shape sides and a cross for pull ups.

DWD

[Justchris17]

Another way might be to resin-fix the timber wall support fixings <span class="skimlinks-unlinked">https://www.screwfix.com/c/screws-nails ... xing</span>. You use threaded rods which are resin fixed into the block. The resin will provide a good anchor into the wall rather than any rawlplug type fitting. The problem that would worry me would be the softness of thermalite blocks that are designed for downward loading but are quite weak for face loading. I once read about a kid who rigged up a rope between two external walls in an alley to use as a swing. He sat on the rope and caused a number of bricks to be pulled from the wall which fell and killed him. I always think of that when I refer to lateral force potential such as this. I would be inclined to fabricate the whole thing as a stand-alone. See <span class="skimlinks-unlinked">https://www.pipestock.com/key-clamp-han ... -128</span> two of these and five sections of pipe. Two A shape sides and a cross for pull ups.

DWD

With regards to the lateral force do you think it would help to bolt a large bit of plywood to spread the lateral force against the wall and then add a floor to ceiling timber onto plywood for the downward force? Would that eliminate or reduce this hazard a lot?

[dewaltdisney]

I am sorry to a bit negative about this, I was thinking of what could go wrong rather than right. I suspect that some four by two secured with resin fixed threaded rod is about as far as you can go. Of course if you are 8 stone the load and stress is different to someone who is 16 stone doing pull ups. The load is amplified by the variable pull up movement. I fitted some ladder hooks to thermal blocks in my son's garage and the casual use of those saw the hooks become loose and one came out over time. Good luck with it I am sure others on here will have a view.

DWD

[stevei]

Hi mate do you have any more info or links to toggle bolts you referenced? Is it just standard plasterboard ones?
[/quote]

Sorry for being late getting back to you. The 'toggles' I meant are the gravity ones. It's not something I have tried, but thought it worth a go for your situation. As you have thermalite the cavity will be clear, not stuffed with insulation so the toggles will open.