Drew Bergan // Newport, VA
When did you build your wall? Was it a “COVID baby”?
I built it in 2016. Someone at a local gym advertised a climbing wall for sale which included three sheets of plywood with T-nuts and some holds. I bought it and adapted it to fit in my garage.
How long did it take you to build and what did that time look like?
I put it up in one weekend. It’s a simple design so it was pretty easy to build. Having plywood with T-nuts already installed saved a lot of time!
Not including holds and padding, how much did it cost you to build? Any surprises there?
Less than $500.
What are you doing for padding?
I had an old spring mattress which wasn’t great although it worked. One day a friend mentioned he had a “defective” memory foam mattress he needed to get rid of so I grabbed it! Memory foam makes an awesome pad.
What was your primary incentive for the wall? Did anything in particular inspire your wall design?
The nearest climbing gym is about 45 minute drive from my house and it can be a lot longer in traffic.
What would you do differently?
Get a bigger garage with higher ceilings.
