Vertical Climbing Wall Plans

DISCLAIMER
THIS CLIMBING WALL GUIDE IS PRESENTED AS A SAMPLE PLAN ONLY. IT IS NOT
INTENDED TO BE RELIED UPON AS YOUR SOLE SOURCE OF INFORMATION RE-
GARDING ROCK CLIMBING WALL PLANS.

THE WRITER OF THIS INDOOR CLIMBING WALL PLAN IS NOT AN ENGINEER, AR-
CHITECT, OR CARPENTER. THE KNOWLEDGE CONTAINED HEREIN IS BASED
SOLELY UPON PERSONAL EXPERIENCE.

Bouldering and climbing walls are very heavy. The structure that supports the wall
must be strong enough to support the dead load (the weight of the climbing wall
itself) and live loads (the climbers). The dead load alone will come to several hun-
dred pounds. Live loads vary not only by the weight of the climbers, but also by the
momentary forces caused by the climbing moves. These forces can be several times
the weight of the climber. The support system, whether a pre-existing structure or
one built specifically for the rock climbing wall, must be capable of supporting the
maximum combined stresses. Consult an engineer, and be absolutely certain that
your structure will support the loads that will be imposed on it.

Warning: Climbing and training for climbing is inherently dangerous and carries with
it a significant risk of personal injury or death. The writer of this guide does not
recommend that anyone participate in any activity described or referenced within
this website (threeballclimbing.com) unless they first obtain qualified professional
and personal instruction, are knowledgeable about the risks involved, and are will-
ing to personally assume all responsibility associated with those risks.
WHERE DO I
BUILD?

The first thing to con-

sider when building a
climbing wall is the loca-
tion. Where is the best
place to build? Do you
build indoor or outdoor,
garage or living room,
corner of the room or
right in the middle?

Should I build it indoor,

or outdoor?

An indoor climbing wall

can be used year-round
and will always be a
comfortable temperature.
You won't have to worry about the wood weathering in the rain and sun. You don't have to worry
about rusty bolts, or buying stainless steel bolts. You won't have to tighten each hold every day
due to loosening caused by temperature changes. This can become a real hassle, especially if
you have a lot of holds. No one wants to spend the first 30 minutes of their session tightening
bolts. Holds bolted to an outdoor wall are more likely to spin if you do not tighten them before
each session.

This guide will provide sample plans to

build an 8’ x8’ indoor rock climbing wall.
TOOLS NEEDED
* Electric Drill
* Philips head drill bit
* 7/16" Wood boring bit
* 7/32" or 3/16” Drill bit
* Power Miter Saw or hand held framing saw.
The Miter saw is best, but the framing saw will work too.
* Measuring tape at least 96 inches long.
* Bubble Level at least 24” long.
* Chalk line or 4’- 8’ foot straight edge
* Framing pencil or marker
* Electronic Stud finder
* 3 Foot by 5 foot work table. Any table close
to this size will do. The more space the better.
* Ear plugs
* Safety glasses
 SUPPLIES NEEDED
Nominal size vs. actual size of building materials:

The designated dimensions of lumber is not its' true size. Lumber is designated by
its' nominal value, or the size of the lumber before it is planed down to its' finished
size. be sure to use the actual size when you are planning your walls dimensions.

For example, as you can see in the table below, a 2"x4" actually measures 1 1/2"
by 3 1/2". For plywood, nominal size and actual size are the same.

NOMINAL SIZE ACTUAL SIZE

2"x4" 1 1/2"x 3 1/2"
2"x6" 1 1/2"x 5 1/2"
2"x8" 1 1/2"x 7 1/2"
2"x10" 1 1/2"x 9 1/2"

* (2) - 4' x 8' x 3/4" sheets of plywood

* (9) - 96" (96 inches long) 2"x4"s
* (100) 3/8-16 T-nuts per 4x8 sheet of plywood.
For a 8’ x 8’ wall you’ll need (200) T-nuts.
* 2lb box of 3 1/2 #8 DeckMate screws
* 2lb box of 2" #8 DeckMate screws

* One sheet 80 grit sandpaper (optional)

* If you are using 4 prong t-nuts you'll also
need One tube Barges All Purpose Cement.
You need this to glue the t-nuts to the back
of the wall. Any glue that bonds to both
metal and wood will do.
* Round Base t-nuts do not require glue.
* You can get just about everything from Lowes
Or Home Depot except for the t-nuts.

Purchase T-nuts
 Getting Started

The first thing you will want to do is read through this entire guide and consult an engineer
to make sure your wall will be safe to climb on and that your existing structure is suited to
supporting the climbing wall. The writer of this guide is not an engineer.

When you are ready to get started,

find the studs in the wall you have
selected to use as the anchor for the
climbing wall.

Grab the stud finder and start sweep-

ing it back and forth across the dry-
wall until you find the studs.

Mark the left edge, the right edge,

and the center of each stud. You
should find them running vertically
about every 18 or 24 inches. Most
stud finders can tell the difference be-
tween a wood stud and an electrical
wire, so pay attention the the signals.
Take your time! Finding the center of the
studs is important if you want your wall to
be stable. Mark each stud at the base of
the wall and about 4 feet up and 7 feet up.

When you have marked 5 or more vertical

running studs, measure the distance be-
tween the center of each stud. They
should be somewhere between 18 and 24
inches apart.

Using a chalk-line or straight edge to con-

nect the center points of the studs you
have marked. In this example we used a
straight 2x4. Be careful with chalk. Most
of it is permanent and there is NO KNOWN
WAY TO REMOVE IT. Do not spill it on the
carpet. If you do, DO NOT VACUUM IT UP!
The vacuum will spread it and make it
worse.

Once you’ve got your straight edge or

chalk line lined up with the center points,
snap the line, or draw a line connecting the
points.
Once you’ve got all
your center points
marked, grab one of
your 96” studs and
lay it on the floor at
the base of the wall.
Try to get it centered
across the lines you
have marked on the
wall. If the stud ex-
tends past the left
side by 3 inches, it
should also extend
past the right side by
3 inches.
Mark the stud at each point
where the the lines on the
wall meet the stud. Before
you move the stud, right an
“R” on the right side of it,
and an “L” on the left side.
This will help you line it up
again when you come back
after drilling, or if you get in-
terrupted.

Now use your drill and 3/16”

drill bit to drill two holes at
each point you have marked.
These holes should line up
with the marks you have
drawn on the wall.

After the holes are drilled,

bring the stud back to the
wall and match the lines on
the wall with the marks on
the stud.

This stud will become your

first ‘anchor stud”. Grab
your bubble level, your drill,
the #2 philips drill bit and
one 3 1/2” screw for each
hole.
Place your bubble level on top of the stud as shown above. Lift one end of the stud until
the bubble is centered between the two lines. Most floors are not perfectly level. If you
had to lift the left side of the stud to get it level, the left side is the low side. Once you
determine which is the high side grab your drill and phillips drill bit and put one 3 1/2”
screw through one of the pre-drilled holes in the stud and into your wall on the high side
of the stud.

Now go back to the low side and lift the stud until it is level again. When you’ve got it
just right, drive a screw into this side. If you’ve got it level, the rest will be easy! Once
its level, fasten the stud to the wall using your 3 1/2” screws, and the remaining pre-
drilled holes.

If a screw never stops spinning, or the stud doesn't get pulled tight against the wall, then
you have probably missed the stud. These screws absolutely must be anchored in the
studs.
Once the first anchor stud is in place, grab your 8ft straight edge, or the straight-
est 2x4 you have and place it next to the anchor stud as shown in the picture be-
low. Use the bubble level to make sure it is level, and mark where the inside
edge of the stud meets the wall. This line will serve as a guide to help you line
up the remaining anchor studs.

Next put down the stud and level for a minute. The quickest way to put in the
remaining studs is by using spacers. Grab one of your studs and the measuring
tape. Mark this piece at 14 1/2”. You’ll need two of these at exactly the same
length. In this example we used a miter saw and stopper to cut both pieces at
the same length.
 If you’re second piece is
a little longer or a little
shorter, try to cut a 3rd
piece.

Grab the two pieces that are the

closest to each other in length
and set them on the ends of the
anchor stud you have fastened
to the wall.

Next grab your level and a 8’

stud. Set the stud on the spac-
ers and line up the edge of it
with the guide-line you just
made on the wall.
Find the lines on the wall that
mark the center of the studs, and
Mark points on the stud that
match up with them just like you
did with the first anchor stud.
Drill two holes with the 3/16” drill
but at each point just like you did
before.
 Put the stud back in place
sitting on top the spacers,
and make sure the edge of
it is lined up with the guide-
line. Put the level on top
the stud and make sure it is
right. If it is level go ahead
and fasten the stud to the
wall using the 3 1/2”
screws.

If it is not level, put one

screw in the high side, and
lift the low side until it is
level. Once it is level, put
a screw in the low side to
hold it in place and drive in
the rest of the screws.

Now you pull out the spacers and repeat this process until all your anchor studs
are in place! When you are done, Your wall should look something like this:
If you are using 4x8 or 4x4
panels, grab one and set it
against the anchor studs. Mark
the wall at the same height as
the top edge of the panel.

Once you’ve got that line marked

all the way across, grab a stud,
mark it, drill your holes and fas-
ten it to the wall right over this
line. This stud will help keep
your panels from overlapping
when you put them up.
 Now it is time to mark the plywood so you can drill your anchor points in the
right places.. You will need your measuring tape, a pencil and your chalk line or
straight edge. We usually space them 7 inches across and 7 inches up. A 7" x

1. Starting from the top left pull your measuring
tape all the way across the plywood the long
way to the bottom. Mark the first point at 3
inches. Next add 7" for the rest of the marks.
Mark at 10", then 17" etc. Keep going until
you've marked the entire length.
2. Next start from the top right and
pull the tape down to the bottom right.
Repeat the same markings. 3", 10",
17", 24" etc.

Now Grab your Chalk Line or

straight edge...
3. Next connect the dots with a line. You'll need your chalk-line or a straight
edge. Draw a line from the left 3" mark across to right 3" mark. Repeat this step
for each pair of marks going across the top and bottom of the plywood. Once
you've got all your horizontal lines drawn you can start on the vertical lines.

Once your horizontal lines are drawn your sheet should look something like this:
 Next measure from the top right to the top left and mark it 3”, 10”, 17”, 24” etc.

Measure from the bottom right to the bottom left and mark it 3”, 10”, 17”, 24” etc.

Now match up and mark your vertical lines just like you did with the horizontal lines.
 You can repeat this procedure for marking additional sheets of plywood. If
you prefer, you can place the marked sheet exactly over the second sheet,
and drive in a couple screws to keep them perfectly lined up before you start
drilling holes.

Once you’ve got your grid

finished, and your panels
are stacked up and screwed
together, grab your 7/16”
wood boring bit and start
drilling holes!

Drill one hole at each point

where the lines intersect.
Do your best to keep the
drill perpendicular to the
wood. In addition, be careful
not to push too hard. You
want the bit to cut through the wood, not break through.
You are getting close now!

If you want to paint, now is the time

to do it!

Once all the holes are drilled, and your

paint is dry, grab your t-nuts. For this wall
we used round base t-nuts since they are
so much easier to install, and more secure.

If you are using 4 prong t-nuts,

check out our installation instructions online
here:
Install 4 prong t-nuts
 Push the t-nuts into the holes
you have drilled. Don’t worry if
they don’t go all the way down
right away.

Once you get them all lined up,

grab a hammer and lightly tap
them into place.

Now all you have to do is fasten all the screws in all the t-nuts. Make sure
you put screws in all 3 holes. If you skip a hole it will prevent the t-nut from
sitting perpendicular to the wall and will make it difficult to fasten climbing
holds in the future.
 T-nuts finished!

I don’t know about you, but I get pretty

excited when I get to this point!

Take your first panel over to the anchor

studs and line up the high side with the
edge of the panel. Now take your 3/16”
drill bit and drill one hole in each of the
top corners of the panel. These holes
should be about 3/4 of an inch down
from the top edge of the panel. Do not
drill through the anchor stud, just drill
through the plywood.
Replace the 3/16” bit with the philips bit and fasten the plywood to the anchor stud
on the high side with a 2” screw. Next grab the level and place it on top of the ply-
wood. Lift the low side until the top of the panel is level. When it is level, fasten
what was the low side to the anchor stud.
Place your second panel next to the first. Now take your 3/16” drill bit and drill one
hole in each of the top corners of the panel. Replace the 3/16” bit with the philips bit.

Next grab the level and place it on top of the plywood. Lift the low side until the top
of the panel is level. Make sure that the two panels are the same height when you
push them together. Also, make sure that there is no space between the two panels.
When it is level, fasten the top corners to the anchor stud. Pre-drill and fasten 3 more
screws along the top edge of the panels. Make sure the screws go into the middle of
the bottom half of the anchor stud.
Rest the stud on the screws, pre-drill your holes using the 3/16” drill bit. Don’t
drill into the anchor stud, just through the plywood. You want to have a total of
10 holes for this first anchor stud going across the two four foot panels. One
near the edge on each side, and 3 in the middle of each panel.

When you’ve got these ten holes drilled for the first anchor stud, move up to the
the next one. Rest the stud across the next set of 3 1/2” screws and repeat the
process.

When you’ve got these first to panels pre-drilled, go ahead and fasten the panels
to the anchor studs using the 2” screws. Remove the 3 1/2” screws that you
were resting the straight edge stud on and replace them with 2” screws. Screw
them all the way in just like the rest of the screws.

Now you can grab your third 4’x4’ panel or your 2nd 4’ x 8’ panel, put it on top
of your first panel and repeat the entire process.
The 3rd and 4th panels should be much easier. Since you already made sure the
first two were level, all you have to do is set them on top, and make sure
the edges line up properly.

When you’ve got everything screwed in nice and tight, your wall
should look something like this:
Now it’s time to fasten your climb-
ing holds! We just fastened a few
as an example. For young children
we recommend installing at least
one hold per square foot: For an
8x8 wall you’ll need about 64
climbing holds.
If you will be bouldering, one hold per
square foot is a good start, but you’ll
probably want to add new holds on a regu-
lar basis. Check out our Monthly Grips
program for a constant supply of new
grips!
Three Ball Climbing LLC.
939 S. 48th st. ste 213
Tempe, AZ 85281
480-334-4646

threeballclimbing@yahoo.com

www.threeballclimbing.com
Three Ball Climbing