DIY Concrete Dumbbells - Complete Guide!

Learn how to make a full set of DIY concrete dumbbells to build out your home gym. Give yourself the gift of gains this holiday season!
Materials used:
(5) 80 lb. Bags of Concrete - $32
(48) 6 inch bolts - $30
(1) 10 ft. of 1 Inch PVC Pipe - $7
(1) 5 Gallon Mixing Bucket - $4
(2) 8 inch diameter buckets - $8
(Optional) Eggbeater Mixer - $18
(Optional) 4 ft. Corrugated Steel Mesh - $10
Resources:
Calculate the volume of a tube - www.calculator.net/volume-cal...
Concrete volume weight calculator - www.inchcalculator.com/concre...
Dumbbell stand - $75
TinkerCAD plans: www.tinkercad.com/things/5J2x...
This is a simple 3D printing browser CAD editor. Just convert cm to inches.
Cut list:
2x6 - (3) 53" - Bottom shelf
2x6 - (3) 57" - Bottom shelf
2x6 - (2) 28" (Or whatever your height preference)
2x4 - (8) 16.5" (45 degree cuts at ends - looks nicer) - Shelf braces
2x4 - (4) 8" - Legs touching ground
1x2 - (2) 16.5" - Top shelf edge guards
1x4 - (1) 53" - Bottom shelf weight lip
1x4 - (1) 54" - Top shelf weight lip
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Contact: [e-mail]

[@TheShowgunofHarlem]

Nice video man. A few pointers to make the process easier... - Always wait a minimum of 48 hours to pull from mold. 24 isn't long enough. - Try using steel tube, not pvc... it's obviously much stronger, and won't flex with fast motion or higher weight. But, whatever tube you do use, always fill them up with concrete also. - To make the concrete pop out of the mold easier, spray the mold with silicone lubricant first. - To center the handle, use the cap that comes with the bucket and cut a hole, OR use a plywood jig. This takes out the guess work of where center is, AND keeps it from slightly moving off center when curing.

[@knowitall8799]

All fantastic ideas! The silicone spray would be a lifesaver for 50 lb dumbbells and up. The PVC was more of a convenience choice, it's easier to cut and is way more rigid than I thought it would be. No bend at all even with the 60s. If you're making much heavier, I imagine some electrical conduit would be a solid choice.

[@teamcq9204]

All great tips.

[@stephenthompson1338]

Electrical conduit?not a solid choice at all,what about some1"solid bar.not hard to cut with a cheap zip cut wheel on a grinder,and even that is a compromise as it should be cold rolled hardened steel to prevent bending,but since you can't really throw concrete dumbbells around too much anyway it probably won't be an issue.you can't just choose a material because it's easy to cut,why not use some cardboard tube than?it cuts with some craft scissors which is about the only tool you seem qualified to use,just don't run with them and I would suggest eye protection

[@djphillyc]

i love this video and i love this comentary, i was thinking the same thing with the bucket cap/lid. @know it all, i also think that you should add to the video details the exact amounts of concrete to pour for each weight along with showing us the process, becase i think that part might be a deterrent, or at the very least intimidating for some.

[@alexlucero_c1]

@@knowitall8799 Hello, Good video, I would like to know how many liters is the bucket, Thank you

[@lindap.5921]

Honestly- I came back to this video for reference. It's so cool that you attached the volume calculating tool + the Concrete Weight Calculator. 5 Stars !

[@knowitall8799]

Glad it was helpful!

[@jaimenazaryan860]

@@knowitall8799 are these numbers ,poundS or kilogramms ?

[@maximum-oversaiyan]

10/10, concretely informative.

[@roshandhali5987]

Good one😂🤣

[@boxoffisa]

You cemented it right. That’s a solid analysis. Very concrete observation.

[@user-zc2ks7pd3d]

Thats a very solid observation

[@MadeUpUserNem]

Hard use of words

[@Jagg94]

Hard to disagree

[@Teo_Diakor]

Those 2 sites you suggest really saved me a lot of trouble and work and experiments with the molds i bought. Thanks a lot for the help!!!

[@arunkumarsajjan8525]

U r really great ,because you understand the problem and you helped to make our dream dumbbells you really deserve a subscriber😎🙏🏆👍

[@amitchell4206]

That’s what a I call a concrete video! 😂👍🏻

[@tanrezaei491]

Super cool. Been wanting to make some dumbbells for outdoor use that I can just leave outside. This will fit the bill just right. To get it centered you could have built a centering jig with a piece of wood but you did a great job just eyeballing it. I'm impressed how well they turned out. I really doubt the mesh is necessary for this application but it was easy enough to put it. What I'm surprised by is that your pvc ends didn't stick out of the ends of the dumbbell at all. I thought you'd see the edges a bit.

[@livinglifecustom4558]

Great video, very accurate. Definately giving this a go

[@peedey77]

I made some great weights thanks to your help. This was an awesome video :)

[@knowitall8799]

Glad to hear it!

[@painisvergina3693]

Thanks for posting this, best method I've seen im doing this

[@peymany.a5071]

Thank You that was awesome i'm going to make some...

[@awemanyfit]

Nice video. You explained it well. I want to start making concrete dumbells and selling. Metal dumbells are so expensive in my country. If I make concrete and sell it for quater or half the price I'll make a lot of good money

[@King-walo]

We need more guys like him

[@teamcq9204]

Awesome video. With the pandemic going on, iron weights are SUPER expensive at the moment.

[@thesouthafricanlad7446]

Great video. Very informative

[@seankerr1268]

Gonna give it a try today. If my weights are uneven I will drill holes in the heavier ones to balance them. Also gonna cover them with liquid rubber. Leaving some breathing area. But this will keep mess down.

[@roadstar499]

Getting buckets perfectly level is the key.so take a 4x4 completely flat wood...then add shims underneath so it is perfecly level..use a 2 foot plus level...so unless buckets are damaged they will be level ..also if same bucket is used you could make up some gigs so handles stayed perfectly centered and no fuss with tape or checking distance would be required...great tips...

[@beachfiredude]

Right on thanks

[@carlbenedictbais7422]

Really helped me alot! I made the plate loaded dumbbells first but they are really time consumin and very unstable so switching here.

[@PracticalBibleStudies]

This is a solid video.

[@DavidSantos-ix1hu]

I would strongly recomend using steel handles if you can find some, I bought a bunch at lowes had then cut it to length I needed bought a bunch of rebar and steel net , some electric tape for the handles. My plan is to cut holes, weld in the rebar, then add mesh on both under the rebar and over for bigger weights. Made one looks beautiful, I think ima chisel the numbers in and add paint.

[@KooYang]

Very informative video!

[@ellipticalgamer311]

Thanks been looking on KZbin on how to 3d print them but I’ll probably do this instead very helpful

[@hynferno]

Just love them...

[@ghuruba88]

Thank for the video

[@javkthong7113]

Great vid 👍

[@davidmatheis7260]

Great video thank you

[@jairomartinez3025]

Eres de los pocos, que hacen estos pesos excelente 😎😎😎

[@BRUTUSPLAC]

Spray release agent along the inside off the bucket to remoisten the plastic of the bucket, wait 30 seconds or so and dumbbell head will pop out

[@animationscreations3589]

Thanks man

[@tud-music]

13:45 “you don’t wanna tap it too hard to put pressure on any one particular spot” *bangs the shit out of it two seconds later*

[@aricunono6272]

Great vid. Use burnt motor oil on walls of bucket for release.

[@blankblank2345]

thanks

[@Lovingisnecessary]

You don't need to be a perfectionist when you do this. You just have to make sure you are doing it close to right and economically.

[@RealCarlWheezer]

Yeah and if your worried about the weights not being accurate just switch weights each set to prevent muscular imbalance

[@Iamricksanchez]

Bravo on the video, buddy! Don't forget, you can achieve a more polished look and prevent slipping by wrapping the PVC with electrical tape.

[@jp3mcpherson]

Add some steel shot so they aren’t so big and cumbersome.

[@JoseNunez-gx3gk]

Noice thanks man

[@jeffmurnahan]

Awesome

[@pillowmclovin1253]

13:45 not too much pressure... 5 secs later

[@knowitall8799]

The 60's gave me way more difficulty than any of the others because there's so much more surface area contacting the inside of the bucket. What you don't see is the 10 minutes of tapping between those shots, the broken pieces of wood, and the move to a bigger hammer... Would definitely recommend some kind of release agent for 50s and 60s

[@youngshqipe8571]

Hahahahhahahahahhahahahhahaa

[@tonytuesday8339]

Awesome video! I was just thinking maybe fill your handles first and take the weight into consideration the handles won't fill the same every time!

[@artbyoge_yt4877]

You’ve gained one subscriber 👍🏾

[@artbyoge_yt4877]

Also how do or did you build your dumb bell racks

[@knowitall8799]

There's a 3D model design in the video description. Check it out for dimensions and cuts. It's a 3D printer mock-up website but just think of each unit as an inch. Cut list: 2x6 - (3) 53" - Bottom shelf 2x6 - (3) 57" - Bottom shelf 2x6 - (2) 28" (Or whatever your height preference) 2x4 - (8) 16.5" (45 degree cuts at ends - looks nicer) - Shelf braces 2x4 - (4) 8" - Legs touching ground 1x2 - (2) 16.5" - Top shelf edge guards 1x4 - (1) 53" - Bottom shelf weight lip 1x4 - (1) 54" - Top shelf weight lip

[@BRUTUSPLAC]

easier to put 4 small screws at 3 / 6 /9 /12 Oclock and use old shoe strings to keep pvc pipe square

[@gianmarcoastudillonery1966]

Excellent video and amazing work. It is very informative and helped me a lot to do my weights. You inspire me and I like the fact that I have the budget to deal with. Thank you very much for your work. could you teach how to make a cheap barbell please?

[@0ptimal]

Cool

[@iamb2348]

You could add scrap metal / lead to the concrete to make heavier dumbells.

[@zoksss5323]

Yes

[@henchgamer6996]

Very interesting.. I'm seriously considering doing this but I'm the most undiy guy around

[@knowitall8799]

You can do it!

[@alexandrinaevertonsantanas5728]

arquiteto dos halteres....parabens !!! mas como faço para deixar a parte do cano onde segura mais forte ... posso colocar concreto por dentro do cano ??? com um ferro fino que encaixe por dentro , assim tornando o concreto mais forte ???

[@sidckg5530]

Woow bro i thought only we Indians make concrete dumbbells but i was wrong ...god job

[@youngshqipe8571]

lmao

[@DavidSantos-ix1hu]

Good stuff cheaper then a cheap set of dumbells, thry go about 90 for the horrid ones and about 500 for good ones so its a nice deal .

[@chimenesalexander]

Parabéns! Ficaram ótimos!

[@stianj.asgautsen9180]

Where did buy the 8 ich in diameter buckets , its hard to find in my country

[@raqeemaldabbagh698]

The reason why I will make my own dumbbells is that I can’t even buy dumbbells in my country only 10kg max available or I have to go to the gym and I live far away from the city I have been in the gym 3 months now but yeah my gym costs 50$ a month also gas ⛽️ costs me way more then 50$ so yah i guess I will make my own dumbbells

[@-eMpTy-]

Interesting. I've been looking into die casting plates out of an Zinc alloy called ZA-8. As the name suggests, it contains 8% aluminum which gives increases strength and hardness. Zamak 5, another Zinc alloy, would technically be better but might be harder to source than raw zinc and aluminum. The benefit of using it over just aluminum and concrete is the density (6.3 g/cm³ vs 2.7/cm³, concrete has 2.3g/cm³), but the crucial point is the relatively low melting temperature of only ~380°C compared to the ~1200°C of cast iron. Which makes it easy to use propane or an electric foundry for melting it down and handling and also would allow me to use an diy steel crucible. Will have to do some more research and calculations tho.

[@tonyg.8688]

Did you ever get around to testing this out? I’m interested in the results

[@-eMpTy-]

@@tonyg.8688 Sadly not. But on paper it should work just fine.

[@mosesgtz.h.7014]

One idea to make those dumbells smaller would be adding pieces of metal, anyways those look great.

[@ivanabdullaev859]

Hi ! Thnx for the sharing. Is that weight on the dumbbells specified in kilograms or pounds? thanks

[@kingbiibii]

Its 2023. I use my Meta & A.I for my planning

[@thehobbyguy]

Great work.. but only problem is they are way to big in size.. I'd just add some steel in the concrete just to make them usable

[@sonnymylovesosweat]

Grinder it to take out the weight off

[@GymBullie]

Amazing video they came out great ..... but for further reference wen u going up it not level it’s plumb

[@knowitall8799]

One piece of knowledge closer to knowing it all!

[@jamesthorne222]

I’ve measured the sand and cement mix dry to the weight I want the dumbbell. Once the water has evaporated I’m hoping it’ll be very close to the same weight.

[@professored7169]

Pretty much will be, but it will be heavier, because when you add water to the concrete it chemically bonds to the lime so it will never leave, the extra water will evaporate, but concrete soaks water like a sponge, so if it's humid than the concrete will soak the water from the air

[@miguelterrero6577]

How about a video on your dumbbell rack......I mean I’m putting the cart before the horse cause I need to make the dumbbells first but do you have a video for the rack they’re sitting on?

[@knowitall8799]

I don't have a video of the making of the rack, but there's a cut-list and a viewable CAD design in the video description. Thought it might be too specific to the fit of the dumbbells for a video.

[@cloudstrife778]

Are those 1/4 inch x 20 x6 bolts? Also, if not will that work for this?

[@randomrandom5740]

if it's hard to level, why not make dumbbell plates instead of whole dumbbells?

[@emelyflores3818]

Porque los discos funcionan para todo el cuerpo y las mancuernas lo hacen para los brazos principal cuando es pesado

[@rubenbond6942]

Tenias que ponerle aceite al balde y salía solo el disco.

[@badhonebrahim7707]

not separating the concrete from the bucket gives you extra protection and longevity

[@Catastrofius]

I am surprised that you are not putting some sort of release agent on the bucket in order to more easily separate it from the concrete.

[@runninescape09]

bro i done this before that shit was a mess and fun

[@fiddysic]

Do these work as good as regular dumbbells?

[@rclewis01]

1 inch pvc is 1.315 inches at the outside.

[@thomasbagshaw-jones5011]

Hi how long will the concrete dumbbells last

[@serahlesuma6351]

just curious, how do you make your cement mix? is it just straight cement and water, or do you add other stuff in it?

[@knowitall8799]

I used Quikrete High Strength bags. You can purchase bags with fiberglass in the mix to strengthen and help resist cracks.

[@KyleCorwith]

Is pvc pipe really going to support that though?

[@JamesPhillipsOfficial]

For heaviest dumbell design, using a lathe and tree stump, create 1 piece fillable wood dumbell, the handle is carved out integrally and with hollow bucket either side, fill with lead shot, then add a face plate, then weigh it would do the video if i was able lol i cant own a lathe atm it would be very messy, lots of waste, but an unbeatable diy dumbell imo

[@youngshqipe8571]

Thanks for the advice

[@87AndreasW]

should have used a single rolled meshed cylinder instead of single pieces of mesh.

[@HaIsKuL]

Could you spray it with Flex Seal to make it more durable?

[@knowitall8799]

Yes, it would make them more durable and keep dust from falling off the rough edges.

[@CHEF.ELEMENT]

You’re a genius

[@phinhager6509]

PVC is strong enough?

[@Juanau79]

Just grab some gritty sand paper and un smoothie handles a bit! Great job tho!

[@johncassidy897]

Are the 60s and up to big to curl and do certain exercises with? Thanks

[@knowitall8799]

The 60s are as heavy as I'd go with an 8" diameter bucket. They're slightly larger than comfortable, but I'm able to press them without issue. I imagine curls would be a little clumsy with them, I'll have to let you know when I'm able to curl them haha.

[@Marco-fl3qp]

How many bags of concrete and pvc pipe did you use for all those dumbbells at the end of the video? Did you use all 5 bags of concrete to make all those dumbbells?

[@knowitall8799]

Depends on what bags you get. In total there are 430 lbs of dumbbells there. If you get 80 lb. bags, you'd need 6.

[@lucky5th2]

Why not suspend the concrete from the ceiling?

[@tistosify]

Put the link please

[@ActionsDoneByGodMix]

Did you use a 5 litre bucket?

[@tamiajackson]

I'm wondering how long this will last.. wouldn't the PVC break??? Forgive me I don't know much about these things..

[@MassachusettsTrainVideos1136]

Use a steel pipe

[@Travvylifts]

how did you make the dumbbell rack?

[@beereugenics1592]

He posted the link in the description section.

[@masoomatma1990]

Dumbels for hulk

[@cristianosilva8675]

Pesos lindos !! Gostaria que os meus fossem assim;)

[@ikiamediciones]

El PVC SE ROMPERÁ POR EL PESO DE LOS CILINDROS DE CONCRETO.

[@riffdex]

Be honest - how many times has your cat knocked the dumbbells off the rack? 😂

[@applejuice281]

the flintstone's gym

[@BRUTUSPLAC]

SPRAY buckets with PAM or store brand

[@maxchipchase9447]

When doing the other half of a dumbbell how are you getting the Top half to sit perfectly in the wet cement and not sink?

[@maxchipchase9447]

Otherwise everything seems perfect and well described to do tomorrow

[@knowitall8799]

The handle sinks all the way to the bottom. The end result is what you see on the rack. You'll see a faint ring where the PVC pipe is on the outer edge.

[@NoWayJoseNotToday]

1

[@rocket_bros4710]

How do you know the amount of water you’re supposed to put in

[@davidliftsheavycircles]

I actually built 10-80s based off his videos. It says how much water to add on the concrete when you buy it. That being said when you do that it comes out a lot more like a paste then a liquid and when it dries it turns out very bumpy/sharp on the top part that faces your hands. Ive actually cut myself with that. So add more water then it tells you so you get a nice smooth outcome on top. Just add a little water at a time. Its not hard to get it right by adding a little at a time. Go more watery then less, and make sure to oil your buckets beforehand

[@DanteLikesRock]

@@davidliftsheavycircles more water makes them easier to break. Would not recommend.

[@technicallovejap]

If they fall may break apart..thats the issue

[@makan_gobyos]

This kg or lb ?

[@Mitrasto22]

weight in Kg?

[@JesusHerrera-rv7gf]

What did you use for the lower weight dumbbells

[@knowitall8799]

The same 8 inch diameter bucket for all of them

[@Kevin-rb8um]

@@knowitall8799 I cant find 8 inch diameter buckets anywhere. Can you tell me where you bought them?

[@solventtrapdotcom6676]

Why not make then hexagonal or some such?

[@knowitall8799]

The buckets are a cheap mold that's readily available for anyone to purchase and replicate these dumbbells if they'd like. But you can make them whatever shape you'd like if you find a mold or want to make one.

[@stevenkimani3927]

Next time just pour hot water on the bucket and it slides out smooth

[@maxchipchase9447]

Did you use postcrete and water as the mix?

[@knowitall8799]

I used Quikrete concrete mix

[@BRUTUSPLAC]

www.homedepot.com/p/Quikrete-50-lbs-5000-PSI-Concrete-Mix-100750/311757092?source=shoppingads&locale=en-US&mtc=Shopping-B-F_D22-G-D22-22_9_CONCRETE-Generic-NA-Feed-LIA-NA-NA-&cm_mmc=Shopping-B-F_D22-G-D22-22_9_CONCRETE-Generic-NA-Feed-LIA-NA-NA--71700000045600364-58700004679444416-92700039576811663&gclid=CjwKCAiAxp-ABhALEiwAXm6IyS_LNedT-kUJUcQa51v6Rxv5IV4QJoul4IqDNzOOAVldpoM5aEarQhoC4E0QAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds