How to attach climbing holds to the climbing wall? What hardware is needed to attach a climbing hold?

To answer this question, first of all, we should know: there are 2 types of holds, bolts-on, and screw-on.

  1. So what is a screw-on climbing hold?  Well, those holds are designed for plywood walls and attach using wood screws.
    screw-on climbing hold

    screw-on climbing hold

  2. What is a bolt-on climbing hold? Instead of using wood screws, an M10 or 3/8”-16 bolt would be needed, meanwhile, A T-Nuts is used at the back of the plywood, then you could screw the bolts into the T-Nuts.
    Bolt-on climbing hold

    Bolt-on climbing hold

For most climbing wall projects today, this is a more popular method to attach the climbing holds.

Now let’s make a summary of the hardware list that you would need for both types of holds.

  1. Screw-on holds.
  • Wood screws. We highly recommend countersunk head star VBA wood screw(It also be called Torx Head wood screw).
    VBA-Torx-Head-wood-screw-for-climbing-holds_RMC

    VBA-Torx-Head-wood-screw-for-climbing-holds_RMC

Why? Because if would bring many benefits to you.

  • 6 point drive of the Star is random, which means it is easier to enter the driver into the screw head. So time would be saved especially for a big project.
  • StarDrive can take handle more torque than Square Drives and are therefore more resistant to ‘camming’.
  • This makes drivers last longer. Also easier if removal necessary.

The most common sizes we would use are as below:

M4x30, M4x40, M4x50, M4x60, M4x70, M5x30, M5x40, M5x50, M5x60, M5x70.

We have full ranges of those sizes, contact with our sales: sales@rmcindustry.com if you would like to get more information.

  1. Bolt-on Holds. For bolt-on holds, hardware list as below:
  • 3/8”-16 or M10 Bolts, there are socket head cap screw, pan head screw, countersunk head screw. The socket head type is the most common one you would find in climbing wall projects. The length varies from 30mm to 200mm, suitable for different holds design and plywood thickness.

Different type of bolts used to attach climbing holds to climbing wall

Different type of bolts used to attach climbing holds to the climbing wall

Bolt-on-climbing-holds-a-socket-head-cap-screw-is-used

Bolt-on-climbing-holds-a-socket-head-cap-screw-is-used

  • A flat washer or customized washer. Most climbing holds brands have their washer design. We do supply some of them also.

  • M10-Socket-head-cap-screw-T-Nuts-washer-used-to-attach-a-climbing-hold

      M10-Socket-head-cap-screw-T-Nuts-washer-used-to-attach-a-climbing-hold
  • T-Nuts.  The T-Nuts are inserted into the back of climbing plywood actually. We need to screw the bolts into the T-Nuts thus make a stable attachment. The tensile strength of the T-Nuts is a key quality point. T-Nuts produced by us pass all related pull-out tests by our clients. The rectangular base T-Nuts pass EN12572 tests.
  • M10-Rectangular-Base-T-Nutsround-base-T-Nuts-pronged-T-Nuts-for-climbing-Wall

    M10-Rectangular-Base-T-Nutsround-base-T-Nuts-pronged-T-Nuts-for-climbing-Wall