I'm planning to mount a gym rack in my garage by attaching a 2x6 flat board horizontally across my studs, which are spaced 16 inches on center. I have already marked out the studs. The board will go over 1.5 inches of drywall, totaling around 3 inches of material before reaching the 2x4 stud. This means the lag bolt will only penetrate about 2 inches into the stud. I'm using 5-inch lag bolts for this. I also plan to use 2.5-inch lag bolts (3/8 inch) to attach the rack to the 2x6. Does anyone think this will work, or is the bolt penetration enough? Would love to hear any thoughts or suggestions. Thanks!
1 Answer
Instead of using a 2x6, why not mount the gym rack directly to the wall? If your gym rack's holes don’t align with your studs, consider using a sheet of 3/4-inch plywood cut to size—it's a sturdier option. Just use quality 3- to 3.5-inch framing wood screws to secure it. A sheet of plywood costs around $75, and you can use leftovers for other projects in your garage!
I get that the frame holes might not match up, but I think the plywood would provide a more stable foundation for the rack. Just my two cents!
Yeah, I'm also hesitant about just using screws and plywood to support all that weight. Wouldn't want anything coming loose!