Sports DIY Guide: How to Build a Football Chute

A football chute is a training tool for defensive and offensive linemen. The frame of the chute is made of PVC or metal, but both achieve the same end result: train players to stay low and maintain power and control over opponents. Follow these steps, and you, too, can build your own Football Chute using PVC Pipe and Fittings:

4 – 1-1/2” 3-Ways
8 – 1-1/2” 4-Ways
12 – 1-1/2” 90 Degree Elbows
12 – 42” Lengths of 1-1/2” PVC pipe (Vertical Pipes)
10 – 48” Lengths of 1-1/2” PVC pipe (Width of Chute)
12 – 60” Lengths of 1-1/2” PVC pipe (Depth of Chute)
Solvent Cement and Primer

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It’s likely that your pipe didn’t come pre-cut, so you’ll need to cut your 1-1/2” PVC Pipe down to the desired lengths, which are 12 at 42”, 10 at 48”, and 12 at 60”. We’re using common lengths used in manufactured football chutes. With the proper tools, you can easily modify the lengths to fit your needs and the average size of your football players. Once your pipe is cut to the correct length, you can assemble the chute.

Step 1: Take 6 of the 60” long pipes, add a 90 degree elbow to each end with the open ends of the 90 degree elbows pointing the same direction.

Step 2: In the open ends of each 90 degree elbows insert the 42” long pipes. (You should now have 6 U-shape pieces.)

Step 3: Take the 8, 4-way fittings and place them on the open end of the 42” long pipes sot that two open ends are facing each other, and 2 open ends are horizontal.

Step 4: Take the 4, 3-way fittings and place them on the remaining open ends of the 42” long pipes so that one open end is parallel to the 60” pipe.

Step 5: Take 1 of the remaining 60” long pipes to connect 2 of the 3-ways fittings. This should create a square. Repeat this step with the other 2, 3-way fittings so that the remaining open end of the 3-way fittings are pointing towards each other.

Step 6: Take 1 of the remaining 60” long pipes to connect 2 of the 4-way fittings. This should create a square. Repeat this two times. (You should now have 6 “squares”.)

Step 7: Take 6 of the 48” long pipes and connect the 4-way fittings together, keeping the 90 degree elbows on the ground. (Your chute is starting to take shape.)

Step 8: Take 4 of the 48” long pipes and insert them into the open ends of the 4-ways.

Step 9: Insert the open end of the 48” long pipe in the open end of the 3-way fittings to complete the assembly of the chute.

Now, you should have five channels for players to line up in. If you want this structure to be permanent, paste primer and solvent cement around each pipe and fitting connection. You can assemble the football chute without cement or primer for ease of disassembly.

Using PVC pipe and fittings to make your football chute is not only cost effective, but it is safer than metal or even wood chutes. PVC is light weight yet durable; therefore, if a player hits their head or another body part, there will likely be less harm endured compared to a collision with a chute made from metal framing.

In this design, we left the top of the chute open, which was done on purpose. If a play pops up too quickly, their head or helmet won’t come in contact with anything, but they will likely find themselves trapped within the confines of the chute. You can add a top to this design by using pipe clamps to secure wood to the top or apply self-tapping screws and stretching fabric over the open tops as a barrier.