Build a Bouldering Wall

When the entrance fee to the climbing centre was getting too expensive, I decided I should build my own wall. Also, I get to train on finger strength and endurance right in my own room :D

My room had a beam emerging from the ceiling of one wall. I wanted to lean my bouldering wall against that and the opposite wall, by attaching another beam to the opposite wall, to hit a 25 degree angle.

The first image shows the original room, and the second shows the room with the added beam.

I started with sketching on paper and finalised the design with SketchUp Pro. Measurements had to be spot on with the right fit. Wall angles can be calculated and visualised from Sketchup.

As for the frame - the thicker the wood, the strong the frame.

The wall consisted of two layers:

• Frame
  • Made from meranti timber, a locally sourced wood.
  • Spans and supports the entire bouldering wall.
  • Rectangular shape, with criss-crosses running through the middle.
• Plywood Surface
  • Handholds will be screwed onto this layer.

Found a local wood shop and bought:

• Timber Frame
  
  • 4 pieces of 10 ft long wood (2 in X 3in)
  • 6 pieces of 6 ft long (2in X 3in)
• Plywood Surface
  • 2 pieces of 6ft X 4ft Plywood (18mm thickness)
  • 1 piece of 6ft X 2ft Plywood (18mm thickness)

Tools:

• Hand drill
• Electric saw
• Electric Sander
• Hammer
• Alan keys for fastening handholds
• L shaped brackets to fasten wooden frame
• Screw, nuts and bolts, nails

Handholds: 108 Metolius (purchased online at http://www.metoliusclimbing.com)

L-shaped brackets were used to attach the pieces of wood.

These are the holes for the handholds to be screwed through. You'll need to know the dimensions of the handholds' screws to know the hole drilling size.

I also spaced the holes, roughly an equal distance apart.

I attached a beam to the wall primarily to elevate the bouldering wall, and get it at the right angle.

Since it would also support the wall, it had to be strong. So I drilled into the concrete walls for strength, and attached a piece of solid timber to it. For reinforcement, I propped the beam above three pieces of solid wood that ran from ground to beam.

I don't have a picture of this, but all you've got to do is to screw down the ply surface to the frame - and voila, that's essentially your bouldering wall (without the handholds of course!).