Building your own rock climbing wall allows you to improve both skill and strength. It allows you to take on more challenging climbs sooner and enjoy the thrill of rock climbing anytime.
Choosing Your Wall Type
Depending on the type of wall you want to build, the steps will differ. Start with the easiest steps and work up to the hardest. Find a rock you would like to use as a starting point for your wall. Use any rock you like, not too hard or easy.
My basement ceiling is only 7 feet (2.15 meters) high. I have more space in length and width, about 13 feet (4 meters) each. I was thinking a simple 45/50 degree wall for training. Is it worth building such a wall?
Step-by-Step Construction
Building a home climbing wall requires time and money, but allows you to improve your climbing skills anytime. Follow these steps:
- Design the wall
- Build a frame
- Paint the plywood
- Drill holes
- Set the T-nuts
- Attach the plywood
- Set the holds
- Start climbing
While bouldering is fun, not everyone lives near a site. Consider building a bouldering wall at home. All you need is a location, a good wall setup, grips, and a rig. The total cost depends on the height you want and complexity of your design.
Building backyard climbing walls will be a larger part of the US climbing industry. Home walls present an intersection of problems requiring innovation and creative solutions. There’s a lot to think about, but I’m excited to see this part of the industry evolve.
Many DIYers will be able to build a very basic, but good enough adjustable climbing wall at a much lower cost than a professional option. It’s not rocket science, just make it happen! We talked about it then decided to just get in the car and head to Home Depot to figure it out. Once we took that step, everything else fell into place quickly.
Cost and Materials
You should make a proper plan and list material costs and quantities. We recommend using minimum 17 mm structural plywood sheets of 2400 x 1200 mm for your wall. Depending on complexity and issues, walls cost $30-$40 per square foot. Yes, you can begin climbing at 40! The 165-meter CopenHill dam features the world’s tallest artificial climbing face.
Once done, sand and paint your wall. Finally, add non-toxic resin holds. An 8-10ft kids’ wall should be 2ft above their height for traverse climbing. This prevents boredom. Angled walls add excitement to a family-friendly home bouldering gym. Here, space was limited by trees. Additionally, waterproofing was required because it is outdoors. Logistics dictate specifics. Design your wall to use full plywood sheets. Use 18mm Marine Ply for outdoor walls. It comes in 2.44m x 1.22m sheets.
Take into account the height and width you want. Common places are garages, buildings, and basements. Dry climates allow outdoor spaces. I selected a large shop’s back corner. This allowed relatively high walls without plumbing or garage restrictions. Corners tie walls together, increasing strength. Basements and garages may have unused space.
Building a kid’s climbing wall gets them active and imaginative. Check out these helpful tips to get started and keep the fun going! First, assemble the essentials: holds, nuts, screws, drill, saw, hammer, lumber, and tape.
Depending on the function of your home wall, factor in space for mobility, safe falling, and usefulness. Consider: garage, loft if falling won’t disturb below, garden paired with tent and fire, hallway cross.