How to Build an Indoor Rock Wall : Step-by-Step Guide

If you’re looking to create an exciting indoor rock wall at home, you’re in for a rewarding DIY project that brings fun, fitness, and adventure indoors. Building an indoor climbing wall on an inside wall is a great way to maximize unused space and create an active play area for the whole family. Whether you’re an experienced climber or a beginner, this guide will walk you through the entire process, including the necessary tools and materials for each step.

This was one of the most creative, big pieces we have attacked together (excluding the full demo of the last house lol). We definitely hit some road bumps, but we were able to use the mistakes to our advantage and except for the fact I will tell you upfront, you would never guess in the end there was some improvising along the way!

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Step 1: Choose the Right Location and Plan Your Wall

The first step is to choose the right location for your rock wall. If you’re installing it on an exterior wall like we did, you’ll want to ensure the wall is structurally sound, preferably on a concrete or brick surface, which will provide the strength and support needed to hold the climbing holds. We unfortunately were not so lucky to have either previously mounted surface, so we opted to build an additional wall frame to allow for the 2×4 worth of space between the actual wall & the plywood climbing wall.

Tools for Planning:

Measuring Tape: Measure the dimensions of the wall area. You can use any tape measure you have lying around. We chose to use our laser tape measure that we use for literally everything. I am not a tool person, but this has been well worth the investment over time.
Stud Finder: Use this to locate studs in the wall if necessary*.
Pencil and Level: Mark where you want the climbing holds, ensuring they’re aligned using a level. Again, a tool well worth the investment in our household is our laser level – this saves us “hold it still!” arguments in our house & that is worth it in my book.

Tip: Plan the wall’s height and width based on your space, leaving enough room around the area for safety mats or crash pads. A height of around 8-10 feet is typical for an indoor rock wall in homes.

Step 2: Select Your Plywood and Climbing Holds

Once you’ve chosen the location, you’ll need to install plywood panels onto the exterior wall. These panels will serve as the base to which you’ll attach the climbing holds. Use 3/4-inch thick plywood sheets for durability and stability. We chose to build a wall frame that we covered with plywood so that we did not anchor the holds into the actual wall in our house. We did this with the thought if we ever took it down, there would be less visible damage to have to repair.

Tools and Materials for Installation:

3/4-inch Plywood Sheets: Standard 4×8 plywood panels from our local hardware store
Circular Saw: To cut the plywood to fit your wall space and spare blades if necessary
Drill with Driver Bits: For screwing the plywood into the wall.
Wood Screws (3 inches): Use these to securely attach the plywood to the studs or wall anchors. We had these on hand, but they can also be found at local hardware stores.

Tip: Sand the edges of your plywood after cutting to prevent splinters. Pre-drill holes for the climbing holds before attaching the plywood to the wall for easier installation later.

Step 3: Mount the Plywood to the Exterior Wall

Now it’s time to install the plywood onto the wall. For this step, you’ll attach the plywood directly to the studs if you’re building over drywall or if you build the additional exterior frame, like we did. If you’re mounting to a concrete or brick wall, you’ll need to use anchors to secure the plywood.

Tools and Materials for Mounting:

Stud Finder (if mounting on a framed wall): Locate and mark the studs.
Masonry Drill Bit (if mounting on concrete or brick): Use a masonry bit to drill anchor holes.
Wall Anchors or Concrete Anchors: Choose anchors rated for heavy loads, like Tapcon Concrete Anchors, for mounting into brick or concrete.
Impact Driver: To drive the screws or anchors into the wall.

Steps for Stud Mounting:

Find the studs behind the drywall.
Attach the plywood directly into the studs using 3-inch wood screws, spaced about every 12 inches.

Richard is always down for a project like this thankfully. We had that light switch we wanted to have hidden as well as not damage the walls directly in the event we ever wanted to remove or move this fun piece.

Steps for Concrete/Brick Mounting:

Drill pilot holes into the brick or concrete using the masonry drill bit.
Insert the concrete anchors and use the impact driver to secure the plywood sheets.

Step 4: Install T-Nuts for Climbing Holds

T-nuts are metal nuts embedded into the plywood to allow easy attachment and reattachment of climbing holds. These are crucial for creating a modular rock wall where you can change the route over time. NOTE: all the necessary hardware came included with the holds that we purchased that I have linked below. If you choose alternate holds, just double check you have what you need before you get started!

Tools and Materials for T-Nut Installation:

T-Nuts: Get 3/8-inch T-nuts, which are standard for most climbing holds.
Hammer: To insert the T-nuts into the plywood.
Drill with Spade Bit: Use a 7/16-inch bit to drill holes for the T-nuts (or whatever will fit your holds).

Steps:

Drill holes into the plywood in a grid pattern, spacing them 8-12 inches apart OR put them in wherever you believe will work with your design plan – just remember the tiny humans that will be trying to climb this when choosing spacing.
Insert the T-nuts from the back of the plywood and hammer them into place. Make sure they sit flush to the plywood to allow the bolts for the holds to thread properly.

Step 5: Attach the Climbing Holds

Once the T-nuts are installed, it’s time to attach the climbing holds. You can purchase holds in various shapes, sizes, and difficulty levels, depending on who will be using the wall. We were really pleased with the ease and included instructions/hardware with the holds we purchased. We also opted to purchase 2 packs of the holds just to give the wall more options.

Tools and Materials for Attaching Holds:

Climbing Holds: Buy a set that includes the necessary mounting
Hex Head Bolts: Use 3/8-inch bolts, which are typically included with climbing holds.

Steps:

Thread the bolts through the climbing holds and into the T-nuts.
Use the Allen wrench to securely tighten the holds.

Tip: Start with an easier setup if the wall is for children or beginners by spacing larger holds closer together. You can adjust the difficulty by switching out holds or changing their layout.

Step 6: Ensure Safety

Safety is crucial when building a climbing wall. Ensure that there is enough padding or crash mats under the wall to cushion falls. You can purchase crash pads designed for bouldering or use gym mats. We have a Nugget Couch in our house that we place at the base of the wall, but we have also purchased the below set up that we use as a backup for jumping off the rock wall.

Our kids find jumping down from the wall just as fun, if not MORE fun than climbing the wall… I HIGHLY recommend investing in a crash pad of sorts.

Safety Gear and Materials:

Crash Pads or Foam Mats: Place these under the climbing area to protect climbers from injury.
Helmet (Optional): For beginners, especially kids, using a helmet can add extra protection.

Step 7: Customize and Enjoy Your Climbing Wall

Now that your climbing wall is installed, you can customize it by adding different types of holds, setting new routes, or even painting the wall for a personalized look. You can also install accessories like hang boards or rope ladders to expand the climbing experience in the future if you have the space!

We wanted to paint a rather “complex” (aka not one singular color) design on our wall, so we did this portion prior to installing the rock wall on the indoor wall. This is totally up to you. Just be sure that you orient your design/painting the correct way – you wouldn’t want to go install the wall only to realize you painted half the mural upside-down and must redo it………. I promise.

We also chose to paint the plywood a base coat of white – this was just to stick to using what we had available. Knowing there were lighter blues and yellows, we thought white would provide a better base for more vibrant colors.

Also, you will see a trend – my friends are the absolute best. Here is Steph, taking time out of her busy life to hang and help paint things in a messy garage.

Customization Tools:

Paint: Add a custom color or design to your plywood! Here is where you get to have fun! We used paint we had around the house from painting the interior bedrooms, etc when we moved in. It worked perfectly for us!
Tape: I wanted precision lines, so we tried the sharp line painters tape – it did not disappoint!
Paint Brushes: We used what we had on hand from painting the entire house – these brushes were super easy to clean and I liked how they applied the paint we were using.
Route-Setting Tape: Mark different climbing routes for added challenges. We didn’t want to do this, but the choice is yours!

Fun Tip: I thought it would be fun if the “mountains & snow” in our mural matched the glow in the dark holds. The room gets a lot of natural light which would allow the wall to ‘charge’ if you will. I used glow paint and hand painted over all of the white myself (as you will most likely be able to tell, I did this quickly ha) to add a surprise touch. The kids love turning out the lights to enjoy the wall in its glowing glory! Plus parents remember – the kids love that IT GLOWS, not that it is “perfect” – this was a great lesson in loosing up for me I must admit.

Final Thoughts

Building an indoor rock wall was fun and rewarding project that has offered our home endless hours of climbing and jumping fun. By following these steps and using the recommended tools, you’ll have a sturdy, functional climbing wall ready for action in no time. Whether you’re setting up for family fun or personal training, your new rock wall will bring adventure right into your home.

Now, grab your tools and get creating!