Outdoor climbing walls should last more than ten years.
It is a waste of time and money if your climbing wall lasts only one or two years.
Some ways can help you ensure the high durability of the outdoor climbing wall.
You can protect and weatherproof your outdoor climbing walls using the ten ways we will discuss in this article.
10 Ways to Protect and Weatherproof Your Outdoor Climbing Wall
This is a list of our favorite ways to protect and weatherproof your outdoor climbing wall.
1. Making Wall With Weather-Resistant Material
Most people think they should protect their climbing walls after construction.
It is not true because you need to take steps to protect your climbing wall before the start of construction.
You can select weather-resistant materials to construct the wall to enhance its durability.
Wood is an essential part of the climbing wall.
There are different types of wood for the climbing walls.
You can identify the best types of wood by checking its durability, stiffness, water resistance, and strength.
Getting wood with low strength is dangerous for the climber because the wall may break from the drilling points on the wood.
Wall can crack when the climber is climbing it.
It can cause severe accidents.
Wood with low stiffness can bend in some areas.
It will increase the chances of wall damage.
Water resistance is the most crucial aspect of the wood for the climbing wall.
Water can enter pores on the climbing wall if it is not water resistant.
Wall will break faster due to water damage.
2. Use Rust Resistant Metal Hardware
You cannot make an outdoor climbing wall from wood only because you need to connect wood parts with metal.
Metal will hold the wood pieces with the wall.
There are different types of metal materials.
You can get galvanized and non-galvanized metals.
Galvanized metals will not get rust.
Rust can weaken the metal.
You have to replace it early due to metal rusting.
Zinc is responsible for protecting metal from rust.
If you want to protect your metal hardware for a long time, it is better to use stainless steel.
It gives better protection from rust.
Cost is another factor to consider when building an outdoor climbing wall.
Using stainless steel hardware can increase the cost of climbing wall construction.
You will need bolts, brackets, nuts, and nails.
You can balance the cost and durability by using galvanized metal hardware.
It will last long enough to match the life of the wood material.
3. Build the Climbing Wall Above the Ground
It is unsuitable for building a climbing wall in a depressed area.
You do not need to learn about wood materials to know water can damage the wood.
Water from rain or pool can go to the areas of depression.
If you dip wood in the water for a long time, it will damage the wood material.
You can keep the climbing wall safe from this damage by keeping it above the ground.
You can also select an elevated area to build the climbing wall.
Water will not accumulate in this area.
One way to keep the wall above the ground is to construct a pad below the climbing wall.
When you cannot do both, it is better to channel water to another location.
Building a preferential way for the water will prevent the wall from accumulating in a specific area under the climbing wall.
It will help you prevent water damage and keep the climbing wall intact for a long time.
4. Keep It in a Safe Area
Water is not the only damaging agent in the outdoor area.
Insects and animals can also damage the climbing wall.
Most animals and insects make their homes near a tree.
If you build a climbing wall near the tree, insects will also come to this wood.
Animals can make holes in the wood.
Termite is one of the notorious insects that can damage all types of wood materials.
They will eat the climbing wall from the inside without showing signs of damage on the surface.
They will reduce the wall’s durability.
It can also increase the chances of accidents.
Tree roots can grow below the wood sheet.
It will put more pressure on the wood leading to wood breaking.
5. Wood Staining
If you want your wall to look amazing and make a protective layer on it, you can use the wood staining procedures.
There are different ways to protect your climbing wall by making a protective layer on it.
Some apply varnish on the wood to protect it from environmental damage.
Varnish will protect the surface only.
It does not penetrate the deep layers of the wood.
You can get staining material from the market that can protect your wood from water and UV rays damage.
Varnish does not protect the wood from damaging agents that can penetrate the deeper layers.
6. Wall Edge and Hole Sealing
Most people only care about the wall surface.
They forget to cover the edges of the wood.
Forgetting about the wall edges will increase the speed of wall deterioration.
People also forget about the holes they make for holds when you weatherproof outdoor climbing walls.
It is better to protect wall edges and holes before fixing the climbing hold on the climbing wall.
You can use varnish or polyurethane to cover these areas.
Woodwall staining material can also work in these places.
It will also make the wall edges appealing.
7. Climbing Wall Painting
Painting is not only to make your climbing wall look nice.
There are many other functions of climbing wall paint.
Paint can reflect UV rays from the climbing wall due to specific reflecting material.
Some paint materials can prevent water from entering the deeper layers of the wood.
The climbing wall will not appear like wood when you paint it.
It will also stop insect and animal attacks on the climbing wall.
Some paints will work better than staining because it covers the wood wall well.
Some experts recommend mixing paint with sand.
It will give texture to the climbing wall and make it more durable.
8. Back Panel Installation
You will not find back panel installation instructions in most online tutorials to build climbing walls.
Back panel installation is crucial for the durability of the climbing wall.
It can enhance the life of the climbing walls by many years.
Most home climbing walls are according to the wall structure behind them.
It promotes water accumulation between the wood and the wall.
When you put the back panel, water does not accumulate between the wall and the wood.
You can seal the wood from behind to protect the entire wood sheet.
9. Construct a Shelter
You can make a small shelter on the climbing wall because it is enough to protect it for a long time.
You can make a shelter like a carport.
It is unsuitable to spend a lot of money on the wall shelter because you can spend money on improving the climbing wall material.
You can protect it from the wind by making shelter on the three sides.
You can get pre-constructed wall shelter from the market.
This shelter is also expensive.
You should consider your budget before selecting a pre-constructed wall shelter.
10. Fixing Cover to Prevent Direct Water Fall
There are many options to cover the climbing wall from falling water.
You can put a drape on the wall to prevent water from falling on the wall directly.
It may not look good but keep most parts of the wall dry.
It is hard to cover the entire wall with the help of a drape because it covers the top area better.
You need to use water-resistant material to make the wall because this measure does not stop moisture from entering the wall.
It is an inexpensive way to keep your wall dry.
You can do it if you are unwilling to spend more money to protect your climbing wall from the water.
You can save money from shelter construction with this method of wall protection.
