furring-strips-for-climbing-walls | Atomik Climbing Holds

A Furring Strip is a piece of wood that protects your plywood panel from a flat surface. An example would be an interior room that has drywall. Since you cannot attach climbing holds directly on top of the drywall, you must introduce a 3/4" sheet of plywood. For climbing holds that connect with a 3/8" Allen Head Socket Cap Bolt and T-nut, the bolt must pass through the T-nut and often protrudes beyond the T-nut. The Furring Strip creates the space behind the plywood panel for the extra length of the bolt to pass.

The minimum furring strip could be a 1 x 2, which is a nominal measurement. It measures 3/4" x 1-1/2". The issue with small furring strips of that size is splitting. Hence, the way we go about it is to use a #6 COUNTERSINK on the furring strips ensuring that the screw used passes through the furring strip, through the drywall, and a minimum of 1" into the wall stud. We use a #6 countersink so that we can get full purchase of the threads on the screw.

If using a #10 Countersink, be sure to draw the pilot hole bit back to 3/4" to 1" protruding from the head of the countersink. The pilot hole that a #10 drills is 3/16" which is too big for a #8 or #9 Structural Screw.

Length of Screw to Attach 1 x 2 (3/4" x 1-1/2") Furring Strips

The math to attach the strips is 3/4" thick furring strip + 1/2" drywall + 1" of the screw into the stud = 2-1/4" but 2-1/2" works too. If you are the overkill kind of builder and want to go 3" be sure there is no electrical or plumbing in that wall. You can hit the electrical wire (Romex) in the wall or the plumbing. Electricians and Plumbers try to run their work in the center of the 2 x 4 wall. However, they are human, and they can wander to either side.

Length of Screw to Attach 2 x 4 (1-1/2" x 3-1/2") Furring Strips

You can rip the 2 x 4 down. Using the original 1-1/2", you can rip the 3-1/2" side down to 2".

Location of Screws on the Furring Strips

The main thing to consider is when you have attached the furring strip and are laying the panel on top, to avoid having the furring strip attachment screws in the exact locations as the panel screws.

Yes, you can pass a panel screw from the panel into the wall stud. This requires a new level of planning.

Location of the Furring Strips

Before you place the furring strips on the wall, ensure they do not line up on a row of T-nuts. Otherwise, the climbing wall panel won't lay flat. Some solutions can be quick fixes, but they are not as good as pre-planning. If you have a t-nut landing on a furring, DO NOT try drilling the furring strips through the t-nut hole. If you have ever played the game Operation, touching the sides of a t-nut will ruin it. Instead, click HERE for the safest solution.

Spacing of the Furring Strips

The minimum amount of furring strips is a 24"/2-foot spacing.

Attaching the Panel to the Furring Strips

The length of screw to attach to the furring strips needs to be 3/4" for the panel + the total thickness of the furring strips. It is okay for your screw to pass through the furring and into the drywall behind. Just be sure that the screws you use to attach the panels pass entirely through the furring strip.

Orientation of the Furring Strips

When attaching furring strips to a residential wall, it is easiest to run the furring strips horizontal so that you can land your attachment screws on as many of the studs in the wall as possible. If the sides of the panels and/or the tops of the panels are exposed, we recommend capping those areas with furring strips so that hands cannot get behind the panel.

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