[hibernated]

First up I'm new, so hello! 

I've only been bouldering twice, so by no means a serious boulderer. Who knows in future though! 

There isn't a wall near me that I can easily get too, and I had the late night idea yesterday of building a temporary wall in my garden. Now I've slept on it and still think it's a fantastic idea I'm gonna go for it.

Problem is, I don't have much cash. Around £100 is really all I can spend (I know it's not alot for a wall). Intending to make it out of treated pine as it's not too expensive for the frame, and that isn't really a problem. What is a problem is the panelling.

My plan was to use plywood, drill a grid of holes in and carve handholds from offcuts of pine. But I've since found out plywood is waaay pricey.  I was thinking 18" in 1.22x1.22m panels with 100x50mm pine supporting it on all 4 edges and a 50x50mm pine strut horizontally across the middle... but this isn't going to be financially viable when a 1.22x1.22m panel is £18 at that thickness. Was my guess of 18" about right, or can I get away with something thinner.

Thanks alot for any replies :D

Hibernated.

[chicane]

Have a look at this ---> http://www.metoliusclimbing.com/pdf/How-to-Build-a-Home-Bouldering-Wall.pdf

and google it there is loads of info around...

Good luck

Matt

[slackline]

Yeah, there's a "bit" of info in these forums, you just need to look in the right place 

[rginns]

Firstly 

Do a search on here there's been loads of stuff on wall building in the past,

I think R-man on here has made a fairly makeshift wall in his garden - have you got any existing structures (trees etc) you may be able to save money by anchoring to these / use chains somehow.
Unfortunately plywood is relatively expensive and you may just thave to fork out... failing that, beg, borrow or steal some.

[Krank]

you could save more money and try to use one of these while you wait.

http://ukbouldering.com/board/index.php/topic,7530.0.html

[dave]

I knew a guy who made a wall with scrounged plywood from a building site for fuck all. OK it won't be top grade but cheggers can't be boozers.

[hibernated]

Wow, thanks for quick responses!

I have looked through a lot of this stuff already (was browsing here yesterday), but will keep looking back at them as I design the wall, it's specific things I wanted to find out here really.

What thickness of plywood will support weight?
Is CDX plywood (one of two grades I found at wood cutting place) good enough for building an outside wall, or do I need to get the more expensive WBP stuff?

Unfortunately no, I don't have anything to hang it on.

Thanks again for replies

[Tris]

Like you I went to B&Q to find some plywood and thought no fucking way at that price... it's like £20 per foot or something daft.

I then found some plywood that was part of some palette/crate things. I would go checking round industrial estates and see if you can spot any discarded wood. My outside board cost me about £70. £50 of that was the holds The rest was on outdoor paint and bolts/screws.

[Bubba]

Marine Plywood would be ideal for outdoors but it's pretty expensive - no reason why you can't treat normal plywood though.

I used 12mm thickness but i'm a right chubba. If you're skinny 9mm might do. Either ways, you would normally batten it at the rear to provide strength and to stop the whole thing flexing too much.

[hibernated]

Scrounging isn't a half bad idea, had a massive flood of building going on here recently but seems to have all gone now. I'll have a look over the weekend maybe. 

Still after the answers to my questions though... Is CDX ok? It's £22 a sheet so would save me £7 a square metre...

[Bubba]

I think you'd want WBP tbh.

Have a look at these: WBP    CDX

WBP would be much more weather resistant.

[Andy B]

I used 12mm thickness but i'm a right chubba. If you're skinny 9mm might do.

Was that not really bendy? I've only ever used 18mm. A cheaper and less bendy alternative to ply is flooring grade tongue and groove chip board in 8' by 2' boards. If it's C grade (bathroom and kitchen stuff) it will be a bit damp resistant, but probobably not enough for an outside wall. If you have any space indoors at all I would suggest that a smaller indoor wall will be much more useful than any size of outdoor wall.

[Tris]

Marine Plywood would be ideal for outdoors but it's pretty expensive - no reason why you can't treat normal plywood though.

That's what I did with the wood I found (treat it I mean - just used shed/fence treatment) here is a pic of it finished:

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2747/4080865052_f6aae796e8_b.jpg

[Bubba]

Was that not really bendy? I've only ever used 18mm.

I may well be confusing 9mm/12mm with 12mm/18mm

here is a pic of it finished:

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2747/4080865052_f6aae796e8_b.jpg

Very slick 

[account_inactive]

I've taken down my old workshop wall and have a load of marine ply panels with t-nuts already in place.  PM me for a price innit

I also have wood for the structure.  You could make a fence!

[dave]

Was that not really bendy? I've only ever used 18mm.

I may well be confusing 9mm/12mm with 12mm/18mm

here is a pic of it finished:

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2747/4080865052_f6aae796e8_b.jpg

Very slick 

18mm is 3/4" which is normal for cellar boards. 12mm is 1/2", can be ok on less steep walls if well supported at a push. 9mm only if you're paulB's ethiopian half brother.

[Bubba]

9mm only if you're paulB's ethiopian half brother.

People are always saying that about me.

[hibernated]

Thanks for all the replies guys. The links you sent were very insightful Bubba, looks like I'm sticking with the pricey wood! >.<

Cool wall Tris!  Wish I was able to fix mine to the side of the house. I've got to get it free standing on grass 

Thinking this idea may not get off the ground if I can't find a good source somewhere!  Still, I'll keep looking! :D

[Tris]

Very slick 

Cheers - it would get some use if it ever stops frickin raining!  (downside of an outside training wall)

[Tris]

Cool wall Tris!  Wish I was able to fix mine to the side of the house. I've got to get it free standing on grass 

Thanks, free standing - sounds like it's going to have be on the large side with lots of wood?

Maybe Dylan could be your knight in shining armour? check his post above...

[hibernated]

I have done, hopefully will be but we shall see what happens. I'm in uni on Monday and they have a timber shop so I will see what they are charging there too... Will update if I find anything...

[rginns]

good luck old chap

[Jim]

9mm only if you're paulB's ethiopian half brother.

He's that thin he's 2D.

seriously tho if you've only been twice, it might be worth going a few more times before you build a wall.
Any timber recycling places near you? look em up - well cheap innit. Practically fook all.
Failing that befriend someone who works in a timber yard

[dave]

Failing that befriend someone who works in a timber yard

that's the way scouse would play it.

[badong]

look out for building work/skips.

those wooden wall/fence things they construct round larger building sites are an ideal sauce of ply but you need to ask when they're being taken down obviously. Galleries can be surprisingly good sauces of wood/boards as they often change the layout of the spaces with stud walls or section parts off for for showing projections or what have you. They don't have the space to store stuff once its dismantled and each project is usually funded by the arts council or what have you so the gallery isn't out of pocket when they chuck it out. just check when an exhibition ends and approach them near the time. careful its not plaster board though as that's next to useless.