UKC

I am building a bouldering wall in my garage. It's timber frame with plywood boards. Should I paint the boards? What sort of paint gives the most durable/best finish? Should I texture the paint? I came across one company on line which sells specialist paint to climbing walls, is that OTT for a garage project? Any advice or other tips gratefully received. Thanks.

In reply to Jay83:

I guess whether you want to texture it (put sand in?) depends on whether you want to be able to smear on it or only use the holds?

In reply to Neil Williams:

I do want to smear.  

In reply to Jay83:

How steep is it. 

In reply to Jay83:

I don't think texture is great as it'll wear your shoes out. If it's a (presumably overhanging) bouldering wall, you won't be smearing in the conventional way. If you do, it'll typically be agressive leg drags up the wall from the trailing leg (don't know the word for it, but it propels you up in the opposite direction) and you wouldn't need or want texture.

Moreover, if the footholds are really small, slippery and inconvenient, they constantly force you to place your feet carefully which I'll take as a cumulative training positive.

I used outdoor paint on my plywood as it's in the garden, but I guess in the garage anything will work.

Edit; that's all assuming overhanging!

One more thing, I drilled my t-nut holes in an offset grid fashion (star pattern), and slightly wish I'd just done them as a straight grid pattern (square pattern).

In reply to webbo:

I have a 15 degree section and a 30 degree section.

In reply to Jay83:

Painting is a waste of time and money unless you want it to look pretty. Leave it bare, you won't be smearing. 

In reply to Jay83:

I presume that’s overhanging. If so I doubt you be smearing on the 30 degree board unless it’s covered in jugs..

In reply to MischaHY:

That’s certainly pragmatic, but over the years, the home walls I’ve seen which have been the most successful in terms of regular long-term use have been well lit, clean, heatable and painted to keep the place bright or ‘pretty’. Not functional, but anything which makes the place more attractive when you don’t want to make the effort is a positive.

In reply to Jay83:

Coo Var Suregrip if you want the proper stuff.

You can probably buy a fair few screw-ons for the same money.

In reply to Crazylegs:

I used Coo Var Suregrip on our verti and 15 degree wall and also on the bottom 1/4 of our 30 degree moonboard. I probably didn't need it on the moonboard but it was the colour of the design so it worked OK. 

The top half we use an epoxy based gloss floor paint so you don't scrap your hands up when making dynamic moves. 

I wouldn't recommend texture at 30 degree but at 15 degrees I would say it's optional. Bear in mind that the coovar textured paint takes about two to three weeks to cure properly without constant heat and ventilation. Don't add holds in this time unless you want them to stick. The same probably goes for epoxy based paints. If you're really keen to get going, skip the paint until you can have a few weeks without using the board or paint one board at a time while the other one is being used. 

In reply to Jay83:

I'd leave it bare or paint it for ascetics. 

Fancy friction paint is quite expensive some systems are a pain in the arse for non-horizontal surfaces. Previously I've used various sand + glue concoctions  but lately I've been using ready cement based pre-mixed tile adhesive - it makes a fine grit like texture, it sticks to pretty much anything, it's tough, finger and boot friendly, cheap and goes a long way. I just smear a thin layer on using a paint scraper where I need it (usually on home made volumes and holds, sanded off cuts make good holds and a smear of this stuff gives you a nice dual texture hold).

In reply to Jay83:

Thanks everyone, some great advice there. I am torn between leaving it functional and trying to make it look super nice. 

In reply to Jay83:

I think it also depends on the quality of your ply. Mine had lots of knots in and was generally a bit shoddy (all I could get my hands on in lockdown). I ended up painting it in some Zinnser exterior white paint. Not only made it look better but also gave a nice smooth finish which is much kinder on my tips. If I was starting over I would definitely still paint it.

In reply to Jay83:

Leave it functional and unpainted and decide later.  Get climbing first (most likely you'll realise it doesn't matter, you can't be bothered because you're actually climbing and that's the point and that you like the natural look). You can always dab tile adhesive later where you need, dries overnight.

In reply to Jay83:

Inside, leave it unpainted.  Something quite nice about bare wood tainted with rubber and chalk.  Like a badge of honour that its actually getting used properly and not just a symbol that someone built themselves a wall and it looks pretty

In reply to Jay83:

If you want colour and some texture, PVA it and then apply Sandtex. Gives you some friction and it's not too expensive.

In reply to Jay83:

I would definitely paint. I've built two now and was toying with the idea of leaving them bare, but it's amazing how much difference a lock of paint makes. Sure it's not essential, but as other have said, generally the training areas that are accessible, well lit, inviting and clean, tend to get used. I'd also leave the texture off. It's not necessary.

In reply to kwoods:

What spacing? 😊 

In reply to Jay83:

My wall is now nearing completion and the wood (18mm ply) actually looks really good, so I have decided not to piant it. However does the wood need treating/varnish? 

I have taken the point about bright and colourful, so I am putting up flood lights, painting the walls of the garage and getting clourful mats.

Thanks again. I am new to this build you own stuff.

In reply to Jay83:in my garage i built a small boulder wall where i glued photos /pictures which i cut out of old climber magazines when pics were dry i then proceeded to screw and bolt on the holds that i had and continue adding to the wall as i get or make more holds. it is presently approx 14 feet wide 7ft6 tall and a  20 degree angle which can be climbed on both sides ie 20 degree overhang or 20 degree sloper  needless to say the sloping side have got very small feet and hand holds and the overhang has better holds including 2 x 12inch hand cracks which can be used as full hand jams or lay backing i am currently trying to create "routes " to climb and can only manage 2 out the 6 different coloured routes that i have set  although i am 61 

In reply to Jay83:

Definitely makes a difference - you climb differently if you can smear off the wall.   TCA in Glasgow has low friction walls, Ratho has good friction and if you are used to climbing at Ratho you find your tricks don't work at TCA.

If you use sand to get friction be careful about how coarse it is.  If its too coarse every time an arm brushes over it you'll lose skin!

In reply to Jay83:

Indoors it doesn't need any treatment - it will go a little darker over time and accumulate rubber smears but this won't change if you varnish it. 

If you use OSB then that is worth painting (with dilute PVA) to seal the surface.

Outdoors it is definitely worth painting otherwise the ply will get wet and turn to mush regardless of how posh it is. Cheap fence paint (or more expensive exterior wood sealant) keeps the wet off and lets it breath.