How to Make Plastic Rock Walls

Rock-climbing walls are popping up all over the place as a lucrative business as well as an enjoyable sport. Rock-climbing enthusiasts visit the walls as a way to hone their skills and stay in shape during inclement weather and passersby stop in to "try something new" or just to experience the thrill of climbing and rappelling. Many climbers and business owners alike want to know how to construct these walls in order to start their own gym. The construction of plastic rock climbing walls is actually not that difficult and can be mastered by any novice carpenter.

Things You'll Need

  • 3/4" plywood
  • 2" x 4" lumber
  • Screws
  • Circular saw
  • Screw gun
  • Drill
  • Putty knife
  • Car body putty
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Instructions

    • 1

      Begin by designing your rock wall around the existing structure of the building in which you will be constructing this project. It is helpful if there are exposed rafters in the structure, as you can then use the 2" x 4" lumber to build supports from the rafters to the floor. Build the frame of your climbing wall using the 2" x 4" lumber. As an example, we will assume you are building a 4-foot wide by 8-foot tall wall. Build a rectangular frame from the 2" by 4" lumber and screw in crosspieces ever 2 feet along the length of the frame.

    • 2

      Lay a 4-foot-by-8-foot sheet of the 3/4-inch plywood on top of the frame and screw down tight. Firmly mount the wall to a set of braces that you have either screwed into an existing wall or to the exposed rafters. You can vary the angle of the wall depending on how difficult you want it to be to climb. Once the wood wall is mounted, it is time to layer the plastic on top of the wall surface.

    • 3

      Mix the recommended ratio of body putty in a container and use a putty knife to spread a 1/2-inch layer of body putty onto the wall. Move slowly and evenly cover the entire wall surface, as once this hardens it will become your plastic climbing wall surface. Allow the putty to completely cure on the wall (around 48 hours). Use the drill to drill 8 vertical lines of holes spaced at one foot intervals on the wall. These holes serve as locations to screw climbing holds into. Purchase commercially available climbing holds and begin setting up your own routes on your brand new plastic climbing wall.