How Much Does It Cost to Build a Rock Climbing Wall?

The cost of building a rock climbing wall will differ depending on the size and complexity of your design. Howbeit, a self-build climbing wall will cost around $50 and $500 per m2, while a bespoke hand built climbing wall starts at around $2000 including installation.

Surprisingly the major costs of a climbing wall aren’t always in the basic construction. Climbing walls often look like simple constructions – a bit of ply board bolted to the wall with a few holds screwed on.

However, add in holds, labor (or your time), and tools and you might be surprised at how quickly it can rack up. If you choose to go down the DIY route, it is necessary that you account for all the costs you will encounter to prevent unpleasant surprises. For most domestic scale gyms, the framework will take-up the bulk of the initial investment.

Also, depending on your budget and preferences, you can spend a huge amount on holds. Some polyester resin or polyurethane resin holds can set you back over $100 each and you’re going to require at least 50% more than you think! Howbeit, the good news is that you can build your hold collection over time and as you progress.

Another major cost to consider is flooring. Note that without ropes and belay devices, you will need some mats to cushion your impact when you fall. Even with these only being short falls; you’ll be surprised how much it hurts on a cruddy mat.

Note that the budget version is to get your hands on some carpet and old mattresses and then once you have saved, you can upgrade to some versatile bouldering mats – this way you can use them indoors and take them with you when you venture out.

There are few crucial factors that will influence the cost of building your rock climbing wall. Here are the most important ones.

Factors That Will Influence the Cost of Building a Rock Climbing Wall

1. Materials Used

• Plywood: This is the most cost effective and commonly used material for climbing walls.
• Glass Reinforced Plastic (GRP): This is a more flexible and costly material. It allows for more free forms and is water resistant as opposed to plywood. The price of GRP varies according to the complexity of the climbing wall’s style – Geome3x, 3D Curves or Rocktopia.

2. Location (Indoor vs. Outdoor)

Note that an outdoor climbing wall requires the use of more expensive materials such as hot dip galvanized steel, inox/stainless steel t-nuts and impregnated plywood or GRP, and this will influence your building cost.

3. Structure

• Attached to Existing Structure: Note that the standard price applies for buildings that allow load bearing steel structures to be attached at every 6 meters (approx. 20 ft) horizontally and vertically. Custom engineering is required if the building does not allow this, and additional charges may apply.
• Self-Standing Structure: This particular type of structure is used when the steel construction cannot be attached to the building’s columns or beams. Self-standing structures are heavier and more expensive. They impose a big load on the floor, and the foundations of the building may need reinforcement in some cases.
• Outdoor Structure: Outdoor climbing walls are more expensive not only because of the materials used for the panels but also because they require a bigger steel construction that can withstand wind and snow.

4. Colors

Standard Colours: Most rock climbing wall building companies offer 16 standard solid colors that allow for numerous color combinations at no extra cost. Colors that they do not have in stock will cost you a little extra.

Custom Paint: Also note that you can have a number of differently shaped colors on the same panel. This will indeed increase the cost of production but adds a more distinctive style to your climbing walls.

Custom Print: Note that UV printer allows for a wide range of custom colors and graphics, printing 32 sq.m (344 sq.ft) of climbing surface per hour! It is the most expensive option, but also the most creative one, as pretty much anything can be printed on the climbing wall’s surface.

5. Lights

There are different types of linear LED stripes that can be used to create cool design effects or to add some light in dark areas of your climbing wall. LED lighting is entirely optional and its price is calculated per linear meter/foot.

6. Number of Surfaces

Also, note that the number of different panels used to make up a climbing wall affects the total price. Big, simple panels come at a lower cost.

Boulders

• Category 1 (Base Price) – up to 30 surfaces per 100 sq.m.
• Category 2 (+8%) – 31 to 50 surfaces per 100 sq. m.
• Category 3 (+15%) – over 60 surfaces per 100 sq.m.

Rope Walls

• Category 1 (Base Price) – up to 15 surfaces per 100 sq.m. Climbing wall.
• Category 2 (+8%) – 16 to 30 surfaces per 100 sq. m
• Category 3 (+15%) – over 30 surfaces per 100 sq.m.

7. Number of T-Nuts

Have it in mind that the standard t-nut pattern has 36 t-nuts per sq. m (3.3 per sq. ft) for boulders and 25 t-nuts per sw.m. (2.3 Per sq.ft) for rope walls! Climbing walls with a higher t-nut density will cost slightly more.

8. Location

If the climbing gym’s location is within Europe, delivery is usually done by truck. The price varies based on the final location’s distance from Bulgaria, and is typically 2000 – 6000 EUR per truck. Climbing walls for gyms in North/South America, East Asia, Australia, or Africa are delivered in shipping containers, which usually costs 3000 – 5000 EUR per container.

9. Installation

This will depend on where you are in the world. For instance, a few countries may require a working visa for the technical crew, which would add a small additional cost. Also, the cost of flights and accommodation for the team of technicians depends on where the project is located, and the estimated assembly days.

Your technicians might want to hire at least one rent-a-car, fork lift, and scissor/boom lift during the climbing wall installation process.

The cost of renting these depends on the number of assembly days. If the climbing wall is located in a confined space or the floor slab has limited load capacity, they can assemble the climbing wall using scaffolding. However, this is slower and tends to increase the installation costs.

Keep in mind that the information above is meant to help you understand how the cost of installing your rock climbing wall, not to give you an exact calculation of your needed budget. If you are interested, contact any reliable technician of your choice and discuss design and payment options.