Kilter Board - Maintenance

MAINTENANCE

When cared for properly, Kilter Boards should remain relatively low maintenance.

Frames: Please perform any scheduled maintenance and checks on your board frame, components, and anchors according to the board frame manufacturer.

Dust: You can vacuum behind your board occasionally to remove dust build up, but please unplug your LED kit power before you do so and be aware of stepping on/snagging/crushing lights as you go!

CLEANING KILTER BOARD HOLDS

For optimal performance and longevity, we recommend brushing Kilter Board holds with a soft-bristle brush during and after each session. Brushing between goes on a problem can sometimes make the difference for a send!

Periodically, you may wish to remove all the holds from the board to wash them. We recommend removing only the bolt-on holds for this process. Screw-on footholds can be cleaned in place. Especially dirty screw-on holds can be removed to be washed, just be careful to replace the screws in exactly the same holes when replacing them and be careful of your LEDs!

Prep/Needs:

• String: Collect some strong string of a size that will fit through the bolt holes on the holds. You will need one string of approximately 3' long per row of the wall, so for a full size wall you'll need 19x 3' long strings (18 upper bolt-on rows and 1 kickboard bolt-on row).
• Labeling Supplies: Some white/light colored duct, gaffers, or athletic tape and a black sharpie to label each string with the row #.
• Silver sharpie: to mark hold positions (if your wall is not CNC'd with positions)
• Setting Tools
• 2 people

Step 1 - Label: If your panels have CNC positions carved into them, proceed to Step 2. If your panels are not marked or CNC carved with hold positions, take the silver sharpie and put a dot by the edge of each hold where the number points to the wall. This is the position you'll want to orient the hold in when you put the hold back on later. You can also write the hold number in small text next to the bolt hole once you take the hold off if you want. If you use the string method, writing the hold numbers is not necessary for a quick reset. These silver marks will not stand out later since the silver sharpie is a bit dull, but they are invaluable in quickly resetting the wall!

Step 2 - Remove Set Screws: Remove the set screws from all bolt-on holds on the Kilter Board. Don't remove all the set-screwed feet unless you really feel you have to.

Step 3 - Strip & String: Begin stripping the wall one row at a time, and thread each hold in the order they are removed onto the string labeled for that row.

Step 4 - Wash: Take your strings to your washing area and wash the holds on the strings. We recommend simply powerwashing the holds with water.

Step 5 - Dry: Let your hold strings dry. Ideally do not dry them in the sun as the sun can discolor the holds and make them less nice to look at. 

Step 6 - Screw-on Hold Interlude: While your bolt-on holds are drying, you can clean the screw on holds in place. You can do this by brushing them well with a dry, soft-bristled brush, or you can spray water or alcohol on them and scrub. If you spray them, make sure to put a tarp down to protect the climbing mats from the liquid. Some clients have also used steam cleaners and a brush or diluted vinegar and a brush to clean the screw-on feet in place. Acids and harsh cleaners are not recommended! If a screw-on foot is wiggly, you can replace the screws with larger screws in the same holes. Make sure to remove the light behind the hold before changing the screws out!

Step 7 - Reset: Take your dried hold strings back to the Kilter Board. One row at a time, remove the holds from the strings in order and bolt them back on the wall in that same order. You can use the CNC marks or your silver sharpie marks to quickly find the correct orientation of each hold. Check your previous set screw positions, app picture, and/or our install map if you are unsure of a position.

Step 8 - Re-Set-Screw - BE CAREFUL! When replacing set screws, have one team member behind the wall. This person will carefully pull out and replace any lights that are near screw holes as screws are set. The person behind the wall pulls the endangered light out, the person in front of the wall replaces the set screw in the same hole, and then person behind the wall replaces the light. This method prevents accidentally driving screws into the lights. You do NOT need to remove the entire light kit; simply pull out any individual lights at risk, insert the screw from the front, and replace the light.

Taking this extra step is essential to avoid damaging the lights. DO NOT PUT SET-SCREWS INTO THE LIGHTS!

Step 9 - Light Kit Check: Check the light kit and controller box to make sure all attachments are still in place and no lights or wires were pulled out when working behind the wall. Turn on the LED kit and use your app to light up a few problems and make sure everything is working fine. 

Step 10 - Review: Look at the whole wall against your app map and make sure all holds look correctly oriented.

Now you are ready to reopen your freshly cleaned Kilter Board!