Building a DIY dip station is easier than it sounds. Plus, it is much cheaper than buying a decent quality product. However, to build your own DIY dip station and power tower, you must have some basic knowledge of carpentry and must know how to use the tools you may need during the process. If you are not experienced enough, you may end up making something frail and unstable. Such a DIY dip station may trip causing severe injuries. Nevertheless, if you still want to build your own dip station and power tower, I have listed some ideas that you may like.
💡 Quick Tip: Want to buy a dip station instead of experimenting with tools? Sportsroyals Power Tower is a top-rated product that I recommend. It is a multi-functional home gym equipment that can help you do various calisthenic exercises such as pushups, vertical knee raises, dips, pull-ups, etc.
Sportsroyals Power Tower
Build your own DIY dip bar using PVC
Working with PVC is easy. You don’t need any high-end tools. PVC is cheaper than wood so I recommend it for those who are on a budget or want something temporary until they are ready to invest in a power rack or power tower. Being lightweight and durable, the DIY PVC dip bar can be kept in an open gym or outdoors.
Is PVC strong enough for a diy dip station?
Yes, it is strong enough to hold more than 200 lbs of weight. You may use furniture-grade PVC, which is stronger than the regular PVC pipes available at home depot. Use pipes that are at least 1.5” thick. If you are a strong and heavy person, you may buy 2” ones.
📖 Related Article: If you often choose calisthenics over free weights and cardio, you might want to learn if you can do calisthenics every day without risking injury.
How can you make a wooden DIY dip station?
Wooden heavy-duty DIY dip stations are recommended for athletes and people who already have decent strength and stamina. Wooden home gym equipment are not as versatile and mobile as PVC ones. They need to be stored indoors. But, you can screw them to the floor for absolute stability. A wooden DIY dip station may cost you as much as a readymade power tower, so I don’t see any sense in making it. Plus, you must have the right tools and you must know how to use them safely. If not, you should buy one instead.
💡 Quick Tip: If you are looking for a low-cost but sturdy dip station for targeting your upper-body muscles, the Titan Fitness dip stand is a good option. It is heavy-duty, compact, and has a wide base for extra stability. The handles provide a good grip and the product is rated safe for up to 500 lbs. It costs less than $100, so why bother DIYing?
Titan Fitness dip stand
Risks associated with using a DIY dip station
During the Covid pandemic, many gym enthusiasts started building their home gym equipment. People have literally made dumbbells from concrete!
The primary reason people started DIYing is to save costs. That's because the sellers had exponentially increased the prices of home gym equipment. Thankfully, the prices have returned to normal again. It no longer makes sense to make numerous trips to home depot and spend hours in your garage just to save $50. Plus, you may end up spending more than what you had expected!
The dip stations sold by renowned brands are rigorously tested for safety of use. They come with their own weight limit. They are carefully designed to provide adequate stability even under pressure. There is no way you can test your DIY dip station for long-term safety. It may fail under pressure and I don’t need to explain what may happen if you fall while performing dips. I am not saying the zillions of YouTube videos and tutorials on making DIY dip stations are fake or unreliable. They are great but do you have enough experience and expertise to create something that you can trust, especially for performing rigorous workouts? Do you want to risk an injury or accident? I would rather use a bench in the park.
📖 Related Article: If you are looking for exercises that can help you build your triceps and biceps, you may be interested in our detailed guide on building prominent triceps and chest.
DIY dip station FAQs
How to increase the stability of your DIY dip station?
If your DIY dip station is slightly wobbly, you may add gussets to the frame. See the image above to understand what gussets are. You can make your own gussets using wood or buy readymade metal ones. The frame may feel wobbly if the parts are loose. Try tightening everything and see if it makes any difference.
What should be the dimension of a DIY dip station?
There is no standard height or width that you need to stick to. You can choose anything that suits your height. But, the readymade ones are usually 4 feet high, 30 inches wide, and 8 inches long.
💡 Quick Tip: If you are looking for a very basic dip stand for targeting your triceps and biceps, I strongly recommend Relife Rebuild Your Life Dip Station. You can adjust its height to suit your needs. It is a heavy-duty, highly stable dip stand. It is more reliable than a DIY dip station.
Relife Rebuild Your Life Dip Station
What is the difference between dip bars and dip stations?
Dip bars or stands are either standalone pieces that can be placed directly on the floor to perform dips and other tricep exercises or you may attach them to your squat rack. Dip stations are heavy-duty machines that can be used to do several calisthenic workouts. They are usually called power towers.
Wrap up
Although I am not in favor of DIYing home gym equipment if you successfully build a DIY dip station, do leave a comment or shoot me an email so I (and other readers) know my blog helped you. I have written several other workout guides, buying guides, how-to guides, body fat calculators, etc. to help you stay fit without hitting the gym. Good luck!
