Apartment with aluminum studs...how to hangboard?

Hey what's everyone doing to mount their hangboards in those crappy apartments with aluminum studs??  Original plan was to mount hangboard onto (2) 48" 2x6's and screw those into 3 studs at 16"OC above his doorway. However, then we realized the studs was aluminum.  Seems like a toggle bolt might work here but then might we bend the studs and flex the drywall out??  Maybe we should sheet the wall above the door frame with 3/4" board first to beef it up?  We have some 200 pound climbers here, so we need something that can handle the dynamic loads.  

This is old industrial building that was partitioned into high class apartments a few years back.  The ceiling is concrete, like 12' high and has various holes from 1/2"- 3/4-1" where it appears the old water or electrical lines ran, maybe some ideas there...?

Asking for a friend.

One of my old buddies mounted his hang board to a portable pull-up bar that you hang in doorways. it worked rather well! took a little jerry rigging, but isn't too complicated.

Irreverent Bastardwrote:

One of my old buddies mounted his hang board to a portable pull-up bar that you hang in doorways. it worked rather well! took a little jerry rigging, but isn't too complicated.

Good idea.  That's what he has been using until now so it'll be easy to take a look. Thanks.  

If you have a hammer drill (can also rent for cheap) it would be pretty quick and easy to bolt a short length of 4x4 to the ceiling, using concrete anchors.  Then bolt some plywood and supports to limit flexing, and attach your HB at your desired height. If there are already holes in the ceiling I doubt your landlord will notice or care if you place a couple more.

The sheet metal studs are typically steel and are definitely flimsier than wood  2x4s.   Rather than using drywall screws which don’t tap into the steel well buy metal fasteners (purpose made screws) which are made for the metal studs.  The area above and on either side of a door is typically built with more framing.  Use a magnet to find the metal studs behind the drywall and use your metal fasteners to attach 3/8s or 5/8s plywood to the studs above the door so that the plywood rest on the top of the door frame.  The door frame can carry a lot of weight. Attach the hang board to the plywood.

When you hang, avoid swinging. 

Live Perchedwrote:

The sheet metal studs are typically steel and are definitely flimsier than wood  2x4s.   Rather than using drywall screws which don’t tap into the steel well buy metal fasteners (purpose made screws) which are made for the metal studs.  The area above and on either side of a door is typically built with more framing.  Use a magnet to find the metal studs behind the drywall and use your metal fasteners to attach 3/8s or 5/8s plywood to the studs above the door so that the plywood rest on the top of the door frame.  The door frame can carry a lot of weight. Attach the hang board to the plywood.

When you hang, avoid swinging. 

This is kinda what I had in mind.  Use a 4’x4’ piece of 1/2” or 3/4” sheeting and attach to aluminum studs with some toggle bolts and plenty of metal fasteners.  Let’s hope it doesn’t rip out!

If you are allowed to drill into the resilient channels, using a 1/2" bit to drill through the resilient channel then using long toggle bolts works really well. Just make sure you're not drilling into the neighboring unit... This is how I have mounted my hangboards and bikes to the walls at my current place.

Carolinawrote:

This is kinda what I had in mind.  Use a 4’x4’ piece of 1/2” or 3/4” sheeting and attach to aluminum studs with some toggle bolts and plenty of metal fasteners.  Let’s hope it doesn’t rip out!

Aluminum is not magnetic so harder to find behind the wall.  High likelihood of multiple studs sistered on either side of the door frame.

The toggle bolts could do the job.  The steel studs are c shaped and are prone to deforming so drill a small hole first and increase the size until you can pass the toggle bolt through.

Good luck.  Post pictures when you get it up  

You could also just hang on the door jamb.

Irreverent Bastardwrote:

One of my old buddies mounted his hang board to a portable pull-up bar that you hang in doorways. it worked rather well! took a little jerry rigging, but isn't too complicated.

This is basically what I have done. One thing to watch out for is the deflection of the whole thing when it is loaded. I glued two bubble levels on the bottom of mine so that I could verify it's level when weight is applied.

Live Perchedwrote:

The sheet metal studs are typically steel and are definitely flimsier than wood  2x4s.   Rather than using drywall screws which don’t tap into the steel well buy metal fasteners (purpose made screws) which are made for the metal studs.  The area above and on either side of a door is typically built with more framing.  Use a magnet to find the metal studs behind the drywall and use your metal fasteners to attach 3/8s or 5/8s plywood to the studs above the door so that the plywood rest on the top of the door frame.  The door frame can carry a lot of weight. Attach the hang board to the plywood.

When you hang, avoid swinging. 

Do what this person said. 

Am a structural engineer and specify these kind of studs for (part of) my living. I'd be shocked if they were aluminum. Aluminum is more expensive and not as strong or stiff as cold-form steel. Never seen aluminum studs except in a hospital building where we couldn't have steel near some of the magnetic equipment. It was expensive. It would make zero sense for these to be aluminum. 

Use the magnet to find the studs, get a bunch of self-tapping steel screws (#8 or #10, at least 1 1/2" long), screw a piece of 3/8" or 1/2" plywood across the door frame, mount your hangboard to that. Make the plywood at least 10" wide (up and down) and long enough to go by the door edge by 3 to 4" each side. There will typically be (2) full-height studs on either side of the door. Put a few extra screws into these. 

drew Awrote:

Do what this person said. 

Am a structural engineer and specify these kind of studs for (part of) my living. I'd be shocked if they were aluminum. Aluminum is more expensive and not as strong or stiff as cold-form steel. Never seen aluminum studs except in a hospital building where we couldn't have steel near some of the magnetic equipment. It was expensive. It would make zero sense for these to be aluminum. 

Use the magnet to find the studs, get a bunch of self-tapping steel screws (#8 or #10, at least 1 1/2" long), screw a piece of 3/8" or 1/2" plywood across the door frame, mount your hangboard to that. Make the plywood at least 10" wide (up and down) and long enough to go by the door edge by 3 to 4" each side. There will typically be (2) full-height studs on either side of the door. Put a few extra screws into these. 

Dang, I guess some smart people do still live in Portland Oregon.  

Thanks Drew, this advice seems first class.  Will post some pictures when we get er up. 

Here’s my lazy setup. I usually stick a towel or something behind to make the backplate vertical. Board is attached with cord and carabiners for quick transition.