Questions on building a climbing wall

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20th August 2007, 05:15 PM
patrick

Questions on building a climbing wall

Hi I'm building an inclined indoor climbing wall in a shed 'out the back'.

I am looking for info on span distances for beams. The beams will span 4.2 meters at about 35 degress from horizontal. They will carry the load of framing in 100x50 hardwood framing and 3 and a half sheets of 17mm ply. The live load will be one adult. Say 100kgs to be safe. The lower end of the beam is going to be anchored to a concrete pad. The upper end will be attached to a transverse beam. I am thinking of about 250 x 50 as a minimum for the inclined beam. Any thoughts that are based on reasonable experience.
22nd August 2007, 12:10 PM
Dirty Doogie

I would expect 250 x 50 spaced at 900 centres would be ample to carry the weight.

I havent worked on a climbing wall but I helped out on a waterwall for a foyer.

That wall was a 20 degree from vertical incline and had fairly heavy bushrock slices stuck to it. In that case they used 150 x 75 hwd soldiers (beams) at 600 centres then attached 100 x 50 hwd whalers (horizontal timbers) - over that was 17mm ply which was sprayed with epoxy resin and fibreglass glue and lumps of bush rock embedded in the glue.

The wall was 5.4 mteres tall and had a spillway at the top that cascaded wall down the face. we used to joke that it would make a very good "underwater climbing wall".

The epoxy and fibreglass glue stuck the rock onto the ply like you wouldnt believe. Eack piece of rock stuck that way easily held a guys weight. It took a large jackhammer to dislodge the rocks again.

Doog
23rd August 2007, 11:51 PM
demuire

My ex-housemates and I built a climbing wall under our old house. I don't remember the exact dimensions etc, but here are some photos if it's of any help:

http://fookseung.fotki.com/climbing-...ding_the_wall/
24th August 2007, 12:17 AM
dennford

Quote:

Originally Posted by demuire

My ex-housemates and I built a climbing wall under our old house. I don't remember the exact dimensions etc, but here are some photos if it's of any help:

http://fookseung.fotki.com/climbing-...ding_the_wall/

Wow as an ex climbing instructor (age and arthritis have slowed me up - I first learned to climb in the days of hemp ropes and hemp waist bands rather than a harness) I loved those pic's overhangs are for hard men (or women).

Denn