How To Build A Rock Climbing Wall
By: Ryan Coisson
Building a rock climbing wall can be a great way to get a workout and prepare yourself for climbing before going out to do the real thing. Many climbers use their home rock-climbing wall to build strength and practice new moves. Home walls are also great for power training because you can go back and climb some more after you have recovered. There are four steps to building a rock-climbing wall.
First step
Planning your rock climbing wall. During this step you will decide exactly what you want out of your rock climbing wall. Do you want the wall inside or outside? What shapes, features and size do you want your wall to be? You will also want to begin drawing out the type of wall you want and begin to develop an estimate of how much your wall is going to cost.
Second step
Designing your wall. During the design you will begin to calculate exactly how much the wall will cost and exactly what supplies you will need. The technicalities will also be worked out here. You will begin to figure your specific cut angles, your framework, joints and other important features of your wall. You will also need to clear any technical problems that may arise. Here you will need to decide what kind of effects the elements will have on your wall if it is outside. Will your wall suffer from being rained or snowed on? One way to sustain the life of your wall is to use marine board. This is more expensive but if you live in a rainy area, you will find the board to be well worth it.
Third step
The fun part of building your wall. If you enjoy building this will be the best part of building your home rock-climbing wall. The reality of your wall will slowly come to life through this process.
Fourth step
Is the finishing of the wall. We’re not quite cranking the holds on just yet, but we’re getting close. This phase involves the finishing of the wall surface, paint, and applying texture. You will also need to consider what your fallzone is going to be. Are you going to have padding such as mattresses or gym pads? Or would you like to go more natural such as soft wood chips that are used on playgrounds.
After your wall has been finished, you can begin to crank your holds on and build your routes. If the wall is outside, be prepared for your bolts to rust over. If you don’t plan on rearranging holds very often, you will typically not have much to worry about. If you do want to move holds around, it may be difficult unscrew them once they have become rusted. You can also find holds pretty cheap if you hit your local wall climbing gyms. Many times they replace their old holds and will give you or sell you their old holds at a pretty low price. You may also be able to find holds from manufacturers that are clearing out old styles.
Once you get your wall up, you will be excited and climb everyday. There will come a time when you get used to the wall and it’s not as thrilling as it was once before. Keep yourself motivated by adding to the wall and developing new routes. The more challenges you can give yourself the more apt you are to continue training on your wall.
About the Author:
Ryan Coisson is the founder of http://www.rock-climbing-for-life.com