Making your own weightlifting platform

There are many DIY instructions, videos, blog posts, and articles about making deadlift platforms and Olympic lift platforms. I just made my own recently following a couple of instructions and plans I found on the internet. I had found in my research that a lot of these instructions and plans were close to identical. After making my own, I think that there are some basic things that the majority of the instructions out there could improve upon or in this case, eliminate and simplify. These are the main items I find unnecessary and do not add value to the project.

• Gluing the plywood layers is moot- This serves no real purpose. In all instances I found that they glue the plywood together, they still fasten the layers together using screws, which should always be done because glue cannot compensate for eliminating screws. Furthermore, gluing them adds to the cost, requires more tools such as clamps, and adds significant time to the project with no real benefit (glue cure time). Another detriment is that it prevents future disassembly of the platform, which may sound like it isn’t a big deal, but I ended up taking mine apart several times to move it, even though I assembled it right in the spot where I was going to use it.

• 3 layers of plywood is overkill - 2 layers is plenty to protect the floor underneath and still not make the platform unmovable. The more plywood layers there are, the heavier it will be; it isn't rocket science. However, removing just one layer of plywood and leaving it at just two layers is the difference between easily moving it around and repositioning it, to not being able to move it without disassembling it.

• There were not a whole lot articles or posts out there explaining the difference between a deadlift platform and an Olympic platform.

• Deadlift platforms are for deadlifts, heavy rows, high pulls, etc. They do not need to be long at all- 4 feet is good. The bar goes straight up and comes back down a short distance so there is not much opportunity for the bar to travel forward and back very far, even on failed lifts. This is why a 4 foot length is more than adequate for a deadlift platform.

• Olympic lift platforms however, travel a very long distance, as far as overhead, so they have a greater opportunity to move forward and backward, whether it be because of a lift with poor form, a failed lift, or simply a large amount of bounce when the loaded bar hits the floor. In this case, 4 feet may work, however it really is not ideal nor safe for Olympic lifts. Instead, an 8 foot length is more ideal and a lot safer for doing Olympic lifts.

Plywood comes in 4 foot long by 8 foot wide 3/4 inch thick pieces in many different kinds that very from low quality particle board to high quality maple or oak (you will need maple or oak plywood for this project). You can find these at Home Depot, Lowe's, etc. I do not own a whole wood shop full of tools so I did my best to avoid cutting and sanding wood outside the hardware store because of that, and I also avoided it simply to save time. Below I have the drawings for a deadlift platform and an Olympic platform. The main difference, is that deadlift platform is 4 feet shorter than the Olympic platform. The deadlift platform requires one piece of plywood to be cut at the hardware store (Home Depot and Lowe's will do it for free before you take it to the cash register and pay for it). The Olympic lift platform only needs (3) 4x8 pieces so nothing should need to be cut. Position the plywood pieces in two layers where the 1st layer is perpendicular to the 2nd layer (orient them 90° from each other).

The rubber stall mats, also known as horse stall mats, come in 4 foot by 6 foot by 3/4 inch thick pieces, and 4 foot by 4 foot by 3/4 inch thick pieces at your local Tractor Supply Co. If you have never heard of this chain, Google it to find where your nearest location is. You will have to cut these mats to the necessary sizes using a long box cutter blade or a reciprocating saw.

The screws should be large enough to have a large Philips head slot to be able to add enough torque to get the screw tight and subflush to the surface without slipping and stripping your screws. You don’t want the screw heads all protruding out above the surface of the platform so that they are a hazard. I bought a box of 50 screws and used them all. I did not include screw locations on the drawings, but put the screws on the perimeter or the edges of the plywood and stall mats. At a minimum, fasten the corners and the midpoints between the corners . I recommend standing on the location you are screwing when fastening the plywood together to make sure it is flat against the plywood underneath and that it is not warping or lifting to ensure the whole platform ends up nice and flat throughout without any high spots. I recommend piloting the holes first so that the screw goes in easily and straight. Without piloting the holes the screws end up at angles and heads end up subflush on the platform surface.

Keep in mind that lifting platforms are intended to protect concrete foundations, floors, barbells and free weights. They do little to reduce noise. For that I recommend getting some crash pads. Also note, that rubber tile flooring DOES NOT protect flooring from weightlifting in any way nor does it protect equipment. It only serves as an overall noise dampener in a gym/workout space, and it provides a soft surface to reduce fatigue and the effect of impact on joints.