jasonluther

Thanks!I haven’t removed concrete, just thin asphalt. That was a lot of work, and I imagine breaking up the concrete would be even more work!As long as there’s a path for water to drain, it will drain. I would guess that the main issue with leaving the concrete will be the time it takes to drain after a rain storm. When I started digging for my court, I started with the shallow/low end and dug toward the high side, and digging got tough. If you are removing the soil that was under the driveway, it will be very compacted. Building up will be less dirt removal, but will require more fill and frame materials. Good luck!Jason

The court looks great! I am not a landscaping expert, but having less drainage capacity should just mean a longer wait time to play after heavy rain. I didn't do anything scientific to calculate how big the drainage layer is on my court.

It does not keep critters out, I'm afraid.

That’s amazing!

Thanks for the comment. I will try to word that more clearly. My wall definitely needs (and has) secure attachment to the basement wall. I was contrasting it with a more elaborate climbing wall with overhangs that might need more complex attachments to the ceiling and walls. But you are absolutely right.

Thanks for your comment. I added a note to the photo. For padding, we use sofa cushions. I think that's ok for our wall and climbers, but I don't want to suggest that it will work for anyone else. Our other safety concern is keeping the surrounding area clear of obstacles before anyone climbs. Everyone needs to think through their own situation carefully to decide what safety measures should be taken for any project.

Thank you for the comment! I did not consider that. I'll add a note about that to the writeup. My air handler is in an unconditioned attic, and the house has no insulation, so I will add that to the list of my A/C woes...

It's been up almost 3 years. The decorative top boards are warping, but I think they're also protecting the top 2x4s pretty well. The 2x4s seem to be in good shape, and I haven't have trouble removing the panels.