Metolius Hangboard Installation: Screws, Backboard, and Mounting Guide

For a broader overview of hangboard brands and what to buy, check our brand guide.

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Metolius Mounting Overview

All Metolius training boards, including the Simulator 3D, Project Board, Wood Grips II, and Contact Board, ship with mounting hardware, written instructions, and a training guide. The idea is that you can open the box and have everything you need.

Metolius strongly recommends the backboard method: screw a piece of plywood to the wall first, then screw the hangboard to the plywood. This gives you a solid, flat mounting surface regardless of what's behind your drywall, and it means the hangboard holes don't need to line up perfectly with the studs.

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Metolius Included Hardware

According to Metolius, the screws that come with their hangboards are 3-inch #9 decking screws. This is confirmed on the Metolius FAQ page for anyone who needs replacements.

These are standard Phillips-head deck screws. The #9 gauge is slightly smaller than a #10, which means slightly less splitting risk when driving into wood. The 3-inch length provides plenty of bite through the hangboard, through the backboard, and into the framing behind.

The Metolius Backboard

Metolius sells a dedicated backboard mounting kit called "The Back Board." It's a pre-cut plywood panel sized to fit all Metolius training boards (except the Contact). It comes with its own mounting hardware and instructions.

You can also make your own backboard from 3/4-inch plywood. Cut it a few inches wider and taller than your hangboard so you have room to position the board exactly where you want it.

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Finding the Studs

This is the most important step of any hangboard installation. The hangboard, the backboard, and ultimately you are all hanging from the structural framing behind your wall. Getting this wrong means the whole setup can pull out.

What You're Looking For

In most North American homes, wall studs are 2x4 or 2x6 lumber running vertically behind the drywall, spaced 16 inches apart on center (sometimes 24 inches in older construction). Above a doorframe, there's usually a horizontal header beam that spans the opening, plus studs on each side and sometimes a cripple stud or two above the header.

Methods to Find Studs

• Stud finder: The easiest and most reliable method. Run it along the wall above your doorframe. It will beep or light up when it passes over a stud. Mark both edges of each stud so you know the center.
• Knock test: Tap along the wall with your knuckle. Over drywall with nothing behind it, you'll hear a hollow sound. Over a stud, the sound becomes solid and dull. This works but takes practice and is less precise.
• Magnet method: A strong magnet (neodymium works great) will stick to drywall screws or nails that fasten the drywall to the studs beneath. Slide it along the wall and mark where it grabs.
• Measure from a corner: In standard construction, the first stud is 16 inches from the corner of the room, with subsequent studs every 16 inches after that. Not always accurate, but useful as a starting point.

Confirming Stud Location

Once you think you've found a stud, confirm it. Drive a small finish nail or a thin drill bit into the wall at the marked location. You should feel resistance as it hits wood. If it punches through and hits air, you missed the stud. The small hole is easy to patch with spackle.

Do this for every screw location before committing to the full installation.

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The Backboard Method (Recommended)

This is what both Metolius and Beastmaker recommend, and it's the method that gives you the most flexibility and the strongest mount.

1. Cut or buy the backboard. Use 3/4-inch plywood. Cut it at least 2-3 inches wider and 2-3 inches taller than your hangboard. For a Metolius Simulator 3D (28 inches wide by 8.75 inches tall), a backboard around 32 inches wide by 12 inches tall works well.
2. Mark stud locations on the wall. Find at least two studs above the doorframe. Mark their centers clearly. If you can hit three studs, even better.
3. Drill pilot holes in the backboard. Hold the backboard up to the wall in your desired position. Transfer the stud marks to the backboard. Drill pilot holes through the backboard at each stud mark.
4. Mount the backboard to the wall. Use wood screws that are long enough to pass through the 3/4-inch backboard, through the drywall (typically 1/2 inch), and at least 1.5 inches into the stud. That means a screw length of about 3 inches minimum. Use at least two screws per stud (top and bottom of the backboard). Four to six total screws into studs is a solid mounting pattern. Drive them in firmly but don't over-torque, which can crack the plywood.
5. Mount the hangboard to the backboard. With the backboard secured to the wall, hold your hangboard against it and mark your screw positions. Use the included 3-inch #9 deck screws from Metolius. Drill pilot holes into the backboard first to prevent splitting. Center the hangboard on the backboard and drive the screws in. The screws should bite firmly into the plywood. Since the backboard is 3/4-inch thick and the hangboard adds more depth, the screws will be fully engaged in solid wood.

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Direct Mounting (Without a Backboard)

You can mount a Metolius hangboard directly to the wall if your screw holes align with the studs. This is simpler but less forgiving.

When Direct Mounting Works

• You have studs directly behind where the hangboard's screw holes land
• The wall surface is flat and even
• You're comfortable confirming stud locations precisely

How to Do It

1. Hold the hangboard against the wall above the doorframe at the desired height.
2. Mark the screw hole positions on the wall.
3. Check that each mark falls on a stud. Every mounting screw must hit a stud. No exceptions.
4. Drill pilot holes into the studs.
5. Drive the included 3-inch #9 deck screws through the hangboard and into the studs.

The risk with direct mounting is that hangboard screw holes are fixed. If they don't align with your studs, you either need to offset the board (which can look uneven above a doorway) or default to the backboard method.

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Beastmaker 1000 Mounting

Since many climbers cross-shop Metolius and Beastmaker boards, here's how the Beastmaker installation compares.

Included Hardware

The Beastmaker 1000 comes with 6 wood screws at 5mm diameter, in three different lengths:

The different lengths correspond to different parts of the board. The Beastmaker has varying thickness across its surface (the holds are carved to different depths), so the screw lengths ensure each one bites properly through the thinnest and thickest sections.

Beastmaker Mounting Process

Beastmaker's official instructions recommend using a backboard, the same approach as Metolius:

1. Cut a backboard from 19mm (3/4-inch) plywood. Make it a bit wider and taller than the fingerboard.
2. Screw the Beastmaker to the backboard using the 6 included screws (5mm diameter, mixed lengths).
3. Mount the backboard to the wall. Beastmaker provides guides for different wall types:
   • Wood surfaces: Screw the backboard directly to the wood beam or wall using wood screws.
   • Masonry (brick, stone): Use masonry screws and rawl plugs through the backboard into the wall. At least 4 fixings.
   • Plasterboard/drywall/stud walls: Find the studs. Screw the backboard into the studs, not the plasterboard itself. Use at least 4 wood screws into studs.

Beastmaker also recommends adding blocks of wood between the backboard and the wall if you need clearance for the deeper holds on the board. This keeps your knuckles from scraping the wall during hangs.

Beastmaker vs Metolius Hardware Comparison

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Height Positioning

Getting the height right makes a real difference in training comfort and safety.

The Standard Rule

Mount the hangboard so the bottom edge of the largest holds sits just above your head height when standing. For most people, that's about 6.5 to 7 feet from the floor to the bottom of the board.

Why This Height

• Your arms are fully extended when hanging, which is the correct training position
• Your feet just barely touch or slightly clear the ground, which lets you step off easily
• You have clearance above for pull-ups without hitting the ceiling
• The height mimics the reach position you'd use on a climbing wall

Adjusting for Your Space

If you have low ceilings (under 8 feet), you might need to mount slightly lower and hang with bent knees. This changes the training position slightly but still works.

If you're above a doorframe, the frame itself limits how high you can go. In most standard doorways, the top of the door trim is about 6.5-7 feet up. Mounting the hangboard directly above the trim puts it in a good range.

Check Before Committing

Before drilling final holes, hold the board at the planned height and reach up to grab the edges. Verify that you can hang comfortably with arms extended. Have a friend hold the board while you test, or use painter's tape to mark the position.

For more mounting options, including pull-up bar mounts and door frame mounts, check out our complete hangboard mounting guide. If you need a freestanding setup (no drilling at all), our DIY frame guide walks through a full build. And if you're building your own board from scratch, our DIY hangboard guide covers the full process.

Frequently Asked Questions