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Home woody project

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Richie.w · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Mar 2013 · Points: 0

Hey everyone.

I love all the home walls that I have seen here and figured this would be a great place to get some feedback. I am in the planing stages of my home outdoor wall. I am planing on the wall being 12 foot wide 8-10 feet high with a 70 degree roof that will be 12 feet wide and 8 feet deep. I am building this wall for beginner to intermediate climbers. I have a few questions so here they are.

1. what do you think the vert wall angle should be? Straight vert or give it a angle of say 10 or 15 or 30 degree pitch?

2. I would like to have the wall to be 10 feet of climbing surface so if it was straight vert then it would be 10 feet to the top and if I give it a little angle it would be a little lower (top of the wall to base of the roof). Now with the roof having a 70 degree angle over 8 feet it will rise the highest part of the wall to the ground at about 12 and a half feet. Is that too high for a roof? I will have some crash pad's.

3. I have seen a ton of home woody's here and noticed them being framed out of 2x4's with 3/4 cdx ply. Is a 2x4 wall strong enough not to have too much flex and be safe?

I am sure I will have some other questions along the way and just want to say thank's for all your feedback in advance.

Andy Librande · · Denver, CO · Joined Nov 2005 · Points: 1,880
Richie.w wrote:Hey everyone. I love all the home walls that I have seen here and figured this would be a great place to get some feedback. I am in the planing stages of my home outdoor wall. I am planing on the wall being 12 foot wide 8-10 feet high with a 70 degree roof that will be 12 feet wide and 8 feet deep. I am building this wall for beginner to intermediate climbers. I have a few questions so here they are. 1. what do you think the vert wall angle should be? Straight vert or give it a angle of say 10 or 15 or 30 degree pitch? 2. I would like to have the wall to be 10 feet of climbing surface so if it was straight vert then it would be 10 feet to the top and if I give it a little angle it would be a little lower (top of the wall to base of the roof). Now with the roof having a 70 degree angle over 8 feet it will rise the highest part of the wall to the ground at about 12 and a half feet. Is that too high for a roof? I will have some crash pad's. 3. I have seen a ton of home woody's here and noticed them being framed out of 2x4's with 3/4 cdx ply. Is a 2x4 wall strong enough not to have too much flex and be safe? I am sure I will have some other questions along the way and just want to say thank's for all your feedback in advance.
First off hopefully you have seen this thread: mountainproject.com/v/gener…

Read everything in there lots of suggestions.

Here is my outdoor home wall (and click around for lots of other helpful info): andylibrande.com/homeclimbi…

My wall is almost identical to your proposal, except the roof is only 6 feet long and the bottom is 8 ft.

Answers to your questions:

1: 20-30 degree overhang leading to a roof is ideal. Vertical is boring.

2. Ending at 12-16 ft is good. Finding old mattresses are usually pretty easy to supplement crash pads if needed.

3. 2x4 works, but I suggest the outer frames being 2x6. The upper-cross beams across the front of the 12 ft span on the roof will need to be beefy as the middle will sag significantly.

Last comment, 8 ft long roof is pretty bug and will be hard for beginner climbers. If I would rebuild my wall I would make the bottom section 12 ft long at 30 degrees and still keep the 6ft roof. Even at 6ft all beginners have to be on massive jugs and they will still struggle with feet and are fully stretched to hit final ending jugs.
Richie.w · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Mar 2013 · Points: 0

Thank's for the info Andy. On your wall did you frame it with 2x4's spaced on 16 or 12 inch's. Thank's Andy.

jellybean · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Feb 2013 · Points: 0

Richie, the 70 degree angle would be funner and safer if it didn't begin at 8 ft. My woody is 60 degrees and has a 1 ft. kicker and headboard and is twelve feet long and works great IMO. Route setting and types of holds will dictate the level of difficulty more than angle. My studs are 24" O.C. and there is no flex.

J. Stark · · Iowa · Joined Oct 2010 · Points: 649

Vertical walls can be good for training slab technique, but you need to be REALLY masochistic when selecting holds and setting routes. Make the hands small and the feet slopey.

If a vert wall is set too easily, it will be boring and pointless. My two cents.

Reginald McChufferton · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Sep 2012 · Points: 0

If you used OSB to make your climbing wall you really have no business posting your two cents in this thread.

And Richie, there's about a million and one threads on this very subject. The search function. Find it. Use it. Love it.

J. Stark · · Iowa · Joined Oct 2010 · Points: 649

Live and learn, Reginald. I advise against it's use in the photo comments on my page. Those panels were among the first I put up years ago. That being said, they've held up better than I expected. And I'm a heavy climber!

I've got a new 12' section of 30 degree going in that will definitely be 3/4" plywood.

Richie.w · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Mar 2013 · Points: 0

Thank's everyone.

I know there is a search function and I have used it. In almost every thread I find it does not get into any real detail on framing and how there wall has lasted. I am very curious on how much flex you get out of a 2 x 4 wall and what distance the framing is spaced at.

Keith Perry · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Sep 2010 · Points: 10

We used 2x6's 16 on center with 3/4 tounge and groove ply and its solid after ten years of use and will be for many more to come.

Richie.w · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Mar 2013 · Points: 0

thanks keith.

Reginald McChufferton · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Sep 2012 · Points: 0
Richie.w wrote: In almost every thread I find it does not get into any real detail on framing and how there wall has lasted.
Richie, if you're trying to learn high school shop class level carpentry skills on MP you are in for some serious frustration. Might I suggest sending your query to Bob Villa? Perhaps they'll be interested enough to start a new reality show. This Old Wall with Norm and Richie.

Richie.w wrote: I am very curious on how much flex you get out of a 2 x 4 wall and what distance the framing is spaced at.
If you're curious why don't you hang yourself from a 2x4 and see how much it flexes. Experiment and learn. Jeeezus. Are you afraid that the muscles you are trying to build will know the difference between rock and wood and will refuse to grow if there is a bit of flex? My home wall has as little framing behind it as possible. 3/4 ply is hella stout and I only added 2x material as I felt necessary to reinforce key areas. But my wall doesn't look so pretty and the OCD types always get a weird look on their face when they first see it. That goes away as soon as they get on it though!
Richie.w · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Mar 2013 · Points: 0

Wow Reginald you are a jack ass.

My indoor cave is framed by 2x6 16 on center with 3/4 cdx that has a 30 degree section, a 15 degree section and along with straight vert a 90 degree roof. Now when we talk about a wall that is going to be 12 foot wide and 18 feet of vert we are talking about some serious weight to experiment and learn with. Thats why I came here and asked. If I wanted to spend the money and build it the way it should (you know, the Bob Vila way) it would be built with 2x6 framing for the vert area and 2x8 for any roof sections with a minimum of 4x4 for the supports. Now if you build a wall that has too much flex in it it can cause a lot more stress onto the structure and possibly fail causing serious injury. So Reginald if you don't have anything informative to say how about you stay off this thread.

Thank's

Reginald McChufferton · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Sep 2012 · Points: 0
Richie.w wrote:Wow Reginald you are a jack ass. My indoor cave is framed by 2x6 16 on center with 3/4 cdx that has a 30 degree section, a 15 degree section and along with straight vert a 90 degree roof. Now when we talk about a wall that is going to be 12 foot wide and 18 feet of vert we are talking about some serious weight to experiment and learn with. Thats why I came here and asked. If I wanted to spend the money and build it the way it should (you know, the Bob Vila way) it would be built with 2x6 framing for the vert area and 2x8 for any roof sections with a minimum of 4x4 for the supports. Now if you build a wall that has too much flex in it it can cause a lot more stress onto the structure and possibly fail causing serious injury. So Reginald if you don't have anything informative to say how about you stay off this thread. Thank's
Excellent Richie! Sounds like you've got it all figured out then? I'm so impressed by your massive load. It might take, like, 4x4 s and stuff to support all that.

I wonder what's holding your ceiling up?
Dave006 · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Feb 2013 · Points: 0

Going off of three years of construction experience, I would advise you to go with 2x6s on 24 inch centers or 2x4s on 16 inch centers. Both are relatively equal in strength. 12 inch centers are unnecessary and expensive. I would also use 3/4 cdx plywood and not OSB. Although I'm sure many people have successfully used OSB on their personal walls, 3/4 cdx is stronger, lasts longer, and is used much more often at gyms.

Kevin Stricker · · Evergreen, CO · Joined Oct 2002 · Points: 1,197
Dave006 wrote:Going off of three years of construction experience, I would advise you to go with 2x6s on 24 inch centers or 2x4s on 16 inch centers. Both are relatively equal in strength. 12 inch centers are unnecessary and expensive. I would also use 3/4 cdx plywood and not OSB. Although I'm sure many people have successfully used OSB on their personal walls, 3/4 cdx is stronger, lasts longer, and is used much more often at gyms.

Dave,
While both of the above are used in vertical walls like you would use to build a house, neither would be that great for a large tall climbing wall. At 15 degrees or less I will use 2x6 or 2x4 if shorter than 8 feet(think hanging aretes over roofs). For anything over 8' tall and steeper than 15 degrees I like to step it up to 2x8 construction. Check out the very professional climbing wall primer from Metolius for more details.

Richie,
Wile your wall design sounds like it could be neat, I believe you would find a single 12' tall wall at 30degrees to be much more usable. Vertical and roof climbing are the least conducive to home training, it gets old really fast. Having the 70 degree roof that high off the deck is a bad idea. If you really want to have a roof consider having a 8' 45 degree wall capped by a 6' 15degree wall. Obtuse angles are always better training as your feet are going to be harder and you have the hard part close to the ground. Building a 2 angle wall is a lot more work, you need a bearing beam as your bottom plate for your upper section, this steps up the carpentry skills needed. Feel free to email me if you have any questions, I have been building walls for people for over 10 years.

Cheers,

Kevin
Richie.w · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Mar 2013 · Points: 0

Thanks guy's

Hey Kevin I really like the idea of the 45 degree to 15 degree angle. I think I have a 8 inch micro lam that I would use for my upper support. Im starting to think of doing 8 foot wide 30 degree section and a 4 foot section at 45 to 15.

Thank's again

Doug Lintz · · Kearney, NE · Joined Apr 2004 · Points: 1,196

I've built a number of home walls over the last 15 years using 2x4 on 16" center or 2x6 on 24" center, many of these with 40 or 50 degree overhangs and even roof sections with full sheets. None of them have demonstrated any kind of flex or instability. IMO 2x8 is overkill unless you already have the wood.

My current wall has a 10 foot section of 20 degree overhang framed with 12 foot 2x6's on 24" centers. It's very sturdy, however part of that comes from additional 2x4s connected from the climbing wall framing to the back wall of the barn. These beams also make it easier to climb around behind the wall for t-nut maintenance.

Guideline #1: Don't be a jerk.

General Climbing
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