Daniel L. Smith // Dayton, OH
When did you build your wall?
March 2019 until now! It continues to grow. I just held a birthday party for it on the 29th of April with a giant box of holds as a birthday present.
How long did it take you to build?
The first wall, a 30 degree angle, took about 2 weeks on and off. I only used/had hand tools. The second wall, a 15 degree probably took a week with hand tools. The third wall was quick because it is vertical.
Not including holds and padding, how much did it cost you to build?
I’d estimate $750. The texture is certainly a hidden cost at around $50 per gallon.
Did anything in particular inspire your wall design?
I had to design it around the other aspects of the gym. My wife competes in powerlifting and we wanted to make sure we’d have plenty of room to carry out squats, bench, deadlift, etc. I decided on 30° for the first wall to help with training. The 15° wall is a little easier but still provides a challenging surface. The vertical wall is more for slabs. With all three combined, I have more than 24 ft of wall to work with. I chose a design that included a 90° bend so that I could expand this further to include panels for the ceiling (coming soon!) and volumes two periodically change up the geometry.
What was the most difficult aspect of the design and build?
The initial 30 degree wall was the most challenging. I went with super beefy 2x8s. Wrapping my mind around how to cut the hangers was hard at first but it became pretty easy in the end. Everything came together nice and square.
What would you do differently?
I hadn’t considered how the 30° and 15° walls would join. Because of that, I had spaced the angled joists on the far left and far right such that the 4×8 sheets of plywood were centered. Instead, because of the difference in angle between the two walls, I should have made the joist flush with the wall. Now I’ve got a gap between the walls that I’m not sure what to do with.
What is your favorite aspect?
Now that I have a right angle in there, I’d say that. I have a lot of length to work with now for longer routes. Like I mentioned before, I can extend to the ceiling and create some complex routes that work between the different angles and volumes.
Any words of wisdom to aspiring homewallers?
Don’t try and create Mount Rushmore on your first try. Go with simple angled walls and purchase or build large volumes to change up the geometry. Static surfaces get boring.
Do you have any connection to climbing brands or gyms?
No, but shout out to the best gym in Ohio, The Urban Krag! I grew up in that neighborhood and having it in walking distance certainly influenced my interest in climbing.
