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Help building a crack system for a climbing wall please

Original Post
Chris Rice · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Jan 2013 · Points: 55

I’m the guy who runs the nonprofit wall that all you wonderful people sent your used shoes etc to (thanks once again). I’ve decided to add on (will do the building myself) a “crack board system” to the climbing wall for the kids to learn on (won’t hurt me either ). I have a design in mind that will have several sizes incorporated but wanted to get ideas from others who might have built one their self or climbed on one made from wood (a commercial system isn’t in the budget (my personal pocket)). Not asking for anything but advice – leave the wood bare – coat it with something (what?) – any and all help and/or ideas appreciated. Kids and adult fingers – kid and adult hands – kids and adult fists should do it I think. Adjustable doesn’t seem to be popular from the limited reading I have found – no one ever seems to adjust them. Thanks in advance.

RWC · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Sep 2008 · Points: 0

Bondo mixed with sand

Healyje · · PDX · Joined Jan 2006 · Points: 422
KevinCO · · Loveland, CO · Joined Mar 2006 · Points: 60

I used 2x10s with all thread for adjustability. At the top I put a galvanized pipe all the through to increase the holding power of the ropes. For a surface like real rock, bull nose cultured stone glued on with PL Premium, wet both surfaces with water and be very generous with the glue. Then clamp or weight the rock while the glue is setting.

I have it set up leaning, which makes it harder. The edges of the stone can be used as a face climb.

Superclimber · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Mar 2009 · Points: 1,310

^That is totally fucken awesome!^

mountainhick · · Black Hawk, CO · Joined Mar 2009 · Points: 120

Mine is coated with Utah red sand embedded in epoxy. The result is sharp enough that I use coarse sandpaper to take off some of the crystaline sharpness. Works great, but epoxy can be expensive. Latex deck paint with sand mixed in also works.

JNE · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Apr 2006 · Points: 2,110

I have seen this done both with just boards with the cracks in between and also with square or rectangular pillars made out of 2x6's (or 2x8's or 2x10's) and plywood.

I made my cracks out of framed 2x6 pillars and put a 3/4" plywood backing that is reinforced by flat 2x4's, and they run 9' with no supports except at the top and bottom, and they have no flex. The backing accounts for a lot of that lack of flex.

The wall I saw made out of just boards had no backing of any kind and had a fixed spacer every two feet or so, and the cracks still flexed about 1/8" when you jammed them. I think a backing would have alleviated the flex significantly.

As for texture, I would recommend hobby sand mixed into flax exterior acrylic latex paint. Get the really fine hobby sand and the texture will be like wingate sandstone, and the larger grained sand will be similar to Nicros texture paint.

Here is a picture of my wall: mountainproject.com/v/10930…

Hope that helps :)

Chris Rice · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Jan 2013 · Points: 55
JNE wrote:I have seen this done both with just boards with the cracks in between and also with square or rectangular pillars made out of 2x6's (or 2x8's or 2x10's) and plywood. I made my cracks out of framed 2x6 pillars and put a 3/4" plywood backing that is reinforced by flat 2x4's, and they run 9' with no supports except at the top and bottom, and they have no flex. The backing accounts for a lot of that lack of flex. The wall I saw made out of just boards had no backing of any kind and had a fixed spacer every two feet or so, and the cracks still flexed about 1/8" when you jammed them. I think a backing would have alleviated the flex significantly. As for texture, I would recommend hobby sand mixed into flax exterior acrylic latex paint. Get the really fine hobby sand and the texture will be like wingate sandstone, and the larger grained sand will be similar to Nicros texture paint. Here is a picture of my wall: mountainproject.com/v/10930… Hope that helps :)
Very nice - thanks!
Guideline #1: Don't be a jerk.

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