Table of Content
This is a great option, providing protection for your panels along with the ability to really customize your creation. Make it match the room, mimic real rock, or paint a mural… It’s your call. You do want to select something highly durable, we recommend using an epoxy paint with a primer base if you really want it to last.
These elements will not only make your wall more challenging, but they’ll also add some visual interest. Also, ensure that any exposed screw heads are covered with chicken wire to prevent injury. WikiHow is a “wiki,” similar to Wikipedia, which means that many of our articles are co-written by multiple authors.
How to Build a Climbing Wall
If you don’t feel like building a climbing wall from scratch, you can purchase a home climbing wall kit. These kits have everything you need to build a climbing wall, including the plywood, framing, holds, and chalk. If you want to be able to remove the climbing holds, you’ll need to install nylon anchors. These allow you to unscrew the holds from the wall without damaging the plywood. If you’re planning on adding more challenging features like an overhang or a crack, you’ll need to install additional supports before attaching the holds. For example, if you’re adding an overhang, you’ll need to install a horizontal 2×4 across the top of the frame to provide extra support.
You can add sand to produce texture just like we mentioned in the previous section. If you are still having issues, the next option is to screw the hold in place. Most climbing holds have a hold already placed in it for this purpose, but you can drill your own if needed. Be sure to countersink it if you do, this reduces the risk of cracking your hold and ensures the screw head isn’t protruding. Screwing the hold in place does make an additional, often unsightly hole in your wall. For most indoor climbing walls, black oxide finished bolt is the industry standard.
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You may also consider adding features like ledges or ramps to make your wall more challenging. Have fun, and invite friendsto try your new backyard climbing wall. Choose the direction of your wall.The direction of your wall will be determined by the sunlight your backyard gets throughout the day. If your backyard gets a lot of sun, you might consider building a south-facing wall so that climbers can climb in the shade during the hottest hours of the day.
That is of course if they actually throw away their offcuts, as foam is very, very expensive. Using at least 10 gauge wood-screws that are twice the thickness of your plywood or more, attach your plywood to your frame from the bottom up. Screw density should be approximately every 20 cm or more along the outside edge of the plywood and along any internal studs. If you will be texturing or painting your wall, you can do this first and paint every sheet of plywood you think you will need. If you use 17mm plywood it is also possible to paint the wall as the last step. If you use a roller to paint the wall, it is unlikely you will get paint in the t-nut threads if you are careful.
Why build a climbing wall?
This balance is important to us to stay in shape for both sports. We moved away from Seattle and out to North Bend to be closer to the mountains at the end of 2020. With the move, we are about 45 minutes away from all of the climbing gyms in the Seattle and Bellevue area. Assemble the boards into an outline of what you want the wall to look like. Lay the boards on the floor in the shape of your wall so the narrow edges of the boards are face up. Use either a nail gun or hammer where the planks meet and place at least 2 nails at each intersection.
A spray wall is a popular training tool and allows you to make up routes in the moment. A spray wall is a great way to maximize the potential climbs on your home wall; however, it can be overwhelming to set a wall full of climbing holds. Regardless of which grade you select, use ¾” thick sheeting. This size is the thinnest, lightest, and cheapest sheeting that is still strong enough for a home bouldering wall.
STAGE TWO: PHYSICAL PREPARATION + BUILDING
It’s not a simple task, but you can build a climbing wall at home and the joys definitely outlive a slice of bread. Here are a few tips I learned from my experience that might help to get you started. Quarantine life has definitely helped a lot of us get to those long-neglected projects around the house.
If you're really worried about it, you can always build a freestanding climbing structure. You need space behind the plywood for the bolts to poke through. For that reason, we mount it on furring strips (1 x 2-inch pieces of lumber) rather than directly to the drywall. One method for increasing the functional life of marine boards is to include them in your wall structure. If the wall is positioned outside, you should expect the bolts to rust with time.
This is a simple, clean, and very effective option you will see employed by setters quite often. There’s not much more frustrating than having a climbing hold spin out on you mid-route. This is a common problem with bolted holds, but there are several ways to prevent it. Each hold is different, and you will need to check the bolt on each hold you pair it with. Seat the bolt in the hold and check that the threads extend at least 3/4” past the base of the hold, and that it does not extend past the threaded portion of the bolt.
You may have the necessary tools but find that you will need specific add-ons. For example, we needed to purchase a specific drill bit compatible with t-nut anchors that wasn’t included in the standard drill bit kit we had. When budgeting, include the cost of materials but don’t forget all the additional expenses.
Choose the wall you’ll use for climbing and mark the area you want to cover. How much you want to cover depends on the size of your climbers. Toddlers would be happy with less space, for example, than teenagers. A wall of foot chip climbing holds on our home climbing wall. Both lumber and plywood are typically available in standard sizes. You can use these dimensions as the basis for your wall design to simplify building.
Plenty of large handholds and footholds make the climb easier, so be generous. Most climbers like a wall with a variety of holds to practice. To ensure you create a thorough material list, double check that you’ve thought through how all pieces will fit together, be supported, and secured.
Tools & Materials
For outdoor walls we recommend the use of Marine Ply, which is the highest grade. As standard the ply will come in sheets of 2.44m x 1.22m (8' x 4'). A personal climbing wall in your home, garage or basement, which does not alter the structure of the existing facility, most likely will not require a building permit. You will need a building permit if the work you are planning requires renovating, remodeling, changing bearing walls, or new building at your home. Redundancy, or building in backups, is also a very good habit to develop when building a critical system. It is seen all over rock climbing, for example, the use of two bolted chains at the top of most sport routes.
Since you went to the trouble of hammering in about 80 t-nuts per sheet of plywood, you can also change your wall by moving the holds around. Pictures below are examples of timber frame and plywood climbing walls. A purpose-built timber frame & plywood climbing wall can be as straight forward or as complex as you like. To build any wall, the steps will generally remain the same. Below is a rough outline of where to start and things to keep in mind.
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