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Climbing holds on your house wall?

33 replies

cockles · 14/10/2008 14:30

Can't think where to put this one! But has anyone tried putting climbing holds for your kids on your house (brick) wall? I think ds (pushing 3) would love it; I was thinking more bouldering style (so you climb sideways not very far up); is it doable? It's a victorian brick terrace if that's relevant. Or maybe inside would be better but our walls are dodgy.

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Kathyis6incheshigh · 14/10/2008 14:37

How cool would that be!
Sorry, no helpful advice, just, wow!

pookamoo · 14/10/2008 14:38

I reckon yes definitely doable.
DH plans to do this on our house. Inside and out if he gets his way!

cockles · 14/10/2008 14:42

probably would wreck the house's value - or increase it do you think?

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CaptainKarvol · 14/10/2008 14:44

Fantastic idea. Have also considered putting them inside! If you live in an area with lots of climbers (Peaks, Lakes etc) I bet it would increase the house value too

pookamoo · 14/10/2008 16:11

I don't think it would affect the value any more than, say, putting a garden trellis up, because you just have to fill the holes when you take the hold off. For a little one's bouldering area, it would only be a small space anyway. Do you have a garage? You could put them on the outside of that, or a garden wall, instead, then you're not drilling into the house itself.

TheFallenMadonna · 14/10/2008 16:14

DS's school has these on the wall of the buiding. He loves it.

NorbertDentressangle · 14/10/2008 16:14

They have this on an outside garden wall at the DC's school.Its very popular!

forevercleaning · 14/10/2008 16:15

what about the burglars though?

sagacious · 14/10/2008 16:17

I was thinking possible security risk (of they could climb up to higher non secured windows same as foverever cleaning.

Plus would imagine you'd need to sort out a soft landing area

Pookamoo's garage idea is a good one

sagacious · 14/10/2008 16:18

Does sound like a fun idea though (sorry I sound a real old grouch in my 1st post)

mablemurple · 14/10/2008 16:18

Are you mad? If your 3 year old could climb up them, then so could burglars!! If you've got room in the garden, get one of those swing sets with a climbing wall attachment.

Overmydeadbody · 14/10/2008 16:21

not mad at all.

What you want is a traversing wall. There are lots of companies who do this, or you can just buy the bolt-on holds, and the bolts and do it yourself.

Overmydeadbody · 14/10/2008 16:21

it doesn't have to go high murplemaple

Overmydeadbody · 14/10/2008 16:22

You want something like this school traversing wall

barking · 14/10/2008 16:23

My dc3 loves climbing, he climbed up the side of our house last night using string around the wilndow frame. He lost his footing and had a bad fall landing on his back, luckily just bruising - but thought it worth mentioning.

Of course children should be allowed to take risks, but I would think about his age and whether you could make a soft landing - mattresses for example?

Overmydeadbody · 14/10/2008 16:23

more

They are very expensive though, have you considered the cost of it, compared with a more traditional climbing frame? Or are you loaded?

Overmydeadbody · 14/10/2008 16:25

I would personally recommend you put it indoors though, if you are serious about it. It would all be mounted on a frame, not just drilled straight into your walls, so wouldn't devalue your property, plus your DCs would get to use it all year round.

beansmum · 14/10/2008 16:31

I wouldn't worry about safety, it wouldn't be high and if you WERE worried you could buy a bouldering mat (expensive though) or some other kind of foam mat thingy.

cockles · 14/10/2008 16:37

No I'm not mad, I wouldn't put it high enough for burglars to get in any more than they could standing on our garden chair! Yes, a traversing wall is what I meant, thanks!
If I had a garage I'd use it - but like most Victorian terraces, we don't. And outdoor space is very limited hence climbing frames no good (also no grass). No I'm not loaded - am thinking around £50 for a range of holds - there are lots of sites offering them.

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bikerunski · 14/10/2008 17:09

I did this on a Victorian terrace for a teenager (me) about 20 years ago! All sorts of holds available from climbing shops now.

mabanana · 14/10/2008 17:12

you want your two year old to climb your house wall? Really? So he can fall off again?

Twiglett · 14/10/2008 17:16

I think it's a great idea .. would they be in your garden (ie outside of your house but in an enclosed space) or on the street-side .. if on the street you might have issues with council

why shouldn't a 3 year old climb a horizontal wall .. you'd be surprised what they're capable of mabana

Twiglett · 14/10/2008 17:16

na

mabanana · 14/10/2008 17:52

I am all too aware of what three year olds are capable of. My youngest is three and climbs like a sodding mountain goat and has no fear whatsoever. But I wouldn't let any two year old climb a completely sheer house wall with concrete underneath it, and I certainly wouldn't try to tinker with my house wall to make it possible. If you want your child to climb, take him to the park.

mabanana · 14/10/2008 17:54

Ok, if it was like the traversing wall (ie low down) that might be OK, but surely your house walls don't have long stretches of interrupted brick on which to fix one?