UKC

(3D models are the Imgur links at the bottom)

 I'm suffering from withdrawal from climbing during isolation but don't have many tools (only a drill and saw) or much money (or experience) to build a home wall. I don't have much experience building structures out of wood but after thinking of as many out of the box ideas as I could, this is the best one I have come up with so far.

I needed the wall to be completely safe, very stable on my slightly uneven ground, not break the bank and be able to live in my garden, covered by a tarp when it rains. This is the best one I've come up with. I put together this quick model of my idea so my brother could visualise it and was hoping to get some feedback from more experienced builders . Would this work? is there a problem I'm not seeing?

My initial idea is to have it be 3600mm (about 12 foot) long and 1200mm wide (about 4 foot) at a 65-degree overhang, constructed out of treated C24 45mm by 145mm (2x6inch) planks. there would be a 3600mm plank lengthways every 150mm (6 inches) with a brace every 1200mm. the holds would be drilled into the side of the planks, or between 2 planks, examples of this can be seen in the model. or the planks themselves, including the braces every 4 feet could be used. 

a regular woody would be difficult for me because I priced up an 8-foot by 12-foot woody at over £500 (too much). I think an 8 foot by 8 foot wouldn't be much fun, and I don't have any way to cut plywood so would need to work within the given sizes (4 foot by 8 foot). I think it would be outside of my skill range and price range to build a waterproof, T-nutted 12 foot tall woody that was actually stable and completely safe. I don't own any bouldering pads and would be using bed mattresses as pads so I don't like the idea of going up high, but with this build the highest point of the wall would be around my head or a little higher.

But this build would cost more like £250 using good wood. Not to mention anything that was built high wouldn't be that stable as I don't have any completely flat ground, it's all a little bumpy. plus it needs to live outside, and the timber I can get is already treated for outside use. I'll be moving next year, so I wanted it to be dismantlable and transportable too.

I thought about adding the plywood to this build but realised, why remove the natural holds created by the planks, why not just add more planks and put holds on them?

I'd use screw-on holds and make my own wooden holds out of sanded down wood and bannister handrails and such so T-nuts for the holds wouldn't be needed. I figure I could make pinches and crimps no problem. I just need something to tide me over till my climbing gym re-opens, but that would also be fun after that.

https://imgur.com/YoHsFci
https://imgur.com/2x2FNEt 
 

Have you seen the fb group on home build climbing walls? 

There is an interesting thread on there debating using decking timber rather than ply for outdoor walls. At first glance it makes a lot of sense. Easier to work with, les chance of injury manipulating it. Mount the length horizontally and you will have a plethora of poor foot holds on the ribs and chamfers.

that's awesome! I just had a big scroll through but couldn't find the discussion you're talking about. Great page though. if it's not too much trouble, would you mind linking the discussion you mentioned?

https://m.facebook.com/groups/526138960814145?view=permalink&id=2948462...

I reckon you are using a lot more wood than you need and could use smaller than (45x145/2"by6") for the long timbers especially as you are supporting them every 1200mm. Wood is strong!

Would make it cheaper/quicker/easier to build. 

That's what I want to hear! I'm going to do a trial run by getting a couple different planks and attaching them at one end to a tree and the other dug a bit into the ground and hang/climb on them to see how strong they are as well

Not built a climbing wall myself, but based on doing some other wooden structures:

I agree with the other comment that the long timbers forming the roof look to be thicker than they need to be.

It could do with less rectangles and more triangles, so it is stronger against going parallelogram (in both horizontal directions). Not necessarily just for strength, but also for stiffness.

If the long beams down the sides aren't for climbing on, they could slope the other way, so combined with the top and bottom beams they would make a Z shape.  I would also add X bracing to the bottom end opening, and to the top end if it's not going to be in the way.

Where you can't add cross bracing, consider a 30-50cm piece cut at 45 degrees both ends and inserted into the corner as a brace. You could also consider metal reinforcing plates of various types or forms, they are usually surprisingly cheap.

Take care about how you join the timbers. Some orientations will be stronger/stiffer than others (such as resting a horizontal on top of a vertical rather than screwing it to the side). Also, it will be easier to add bracing to some types of joint than others.

Make sure you have good padding.  Also think about any V shaped gaps between timbers, where an outstretched arm could get trapped as you fall, and pad them out or add a horizontal in the bottom to make it into more of a U shape.

Really? If you can't work out how to do this with a handsaw, do you really have the competence to make your wall in your own words  "completely safe"

My thoughts on your design, move the horizontal members above the vertical ones and you have the basics of an awesome crack machine.

A handsaw is about 6 quid. And that's fine to cut sheets. My circular saw cost 30 quid from b&q and will save you time. 

As other have said. Too much wood behind the actual climbing surface. 600 centres would be fine. Cross brace where your vertical supports are and the span will only be 600 too so could get away with 2 by 4. The ply will add to rigidity when you sheath it. Try and go 18mm if you can.

It also looks like it might wrack (rack?) a bit. Need some diagonals somewhere to avoid this. Maybe at the 'top' furthest away from the kickboard where you would walk under from.

65 degrees is f*cking steep. Make sure you get huge holds. 

Tbh a finger board would do you just as well, how may moves are you really going to get from sitting on this thing? 

Do you actually want to have a very steep roof? It doesn't look like a very good climbing surface to me unless you're into very niche climbing. With all the framing at floor level there's lots to break an arm on. I just don't see what it's supposed to be for really, doesn't look like climbing as I know it. Also the timbers are hugely oversized and over-spec, at that size they only need support at the ends but I would pick more appropriate wood.

If you want a stable shape for uneven ground go for three points of contact well spaced out.

Plywood is easy to cut with a cheap panel saw. Plywood walls really don't need heavy backing frames, they're only really bendy in flat sheets so can be stiffened by making the surface 3d. Even flat 18mm ply really doesn't need much support if you're willing to put up with some flex. OSB is cheaper than ply (shuttering ply is a sometimes frustrating compromise), less strong, will need more framing. Roofing felt or tyvek is pretty cheap, there's really no need to spend £500 on it.

jk

I don't know what sort of grade you climb at but that's very steep. Are you intending to climb things that steep outside? If not then a smaller less steep wall might be more useful.