diff --git a/src/bias/UWalls.cpp b/src/bias/UWalls.cpp
deleted file mode 100644
index 9bcb4b3ae0..0000000000
--- a/src/bias/UWalls.cpp
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,157 +0,0 @@
-/* +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
-   Copyright (c) 2012-2023 The plumed team
-   (see the PEOPLE file at the root of the distribution for a list of names)
-
-   See http://www.plumed.org for more information.
-
-   This file is part of plumed, version 2.
-
-   plumed is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify
-   it under the terms of the GNU Lesser General Public License as published by
-   the Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or
-   (at your option) any later version.
-
-   plumed is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
-   but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
-   MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
-   GNU Lesser General Public License for more details.
-
-   You should have received a copy of the GNU Lesser General Public License
-   along with plumed.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
-+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ */
-#include "Bias.h"
-#include "core/ActionRegister.h"
-
-namespace PLMD {
-namespace bias {
-
-//+PLUMEDOC BIAS UPPER_WALLS
-/*
-Defines a wall for the value of one or more collective variables,
- which limits the region of the phase space accessible during the simulation.
-
-The restraining potential starts acting on the system when the value of the CV is greater
-(in the case of UPPER_WALLS) or lower (in the case of LOWER_WALLS) than a certain limit \f$a_i\f$ (AT)
-minus an offset \f$o_i\f$ (OFFSET).
-The expression for the bias due to the wall is given by:
-
-\f$
-  \sum_i {k_i}((x_i-a_i+o_i)/s_i)^e_i
-\f$
-
-\f$k_i\f$ (KAPPA) is an energy constant in internal unit of the code, \f$s_i\f$ (EPS) a rescaling factor and
-\f$e_i\f$ (EXP) the exponent determining the power law. By default: EXP = 2, EPS = 1.0, OFFSET = 0.
-
-
-\par Examples
-
-The following input tells plumed to add both a lower and an upper walls on the distance
-between atoms 3 and 5 and the distance between atoms 2 and 4. The lower and upper limits
-are defined at different values. The strength of the walls is the same for the four cases.
-It also tells plumed to print the energy of the walls.
-\plumedfile
-DISTANCE ATOMS=3,5 LABEL=d1
-DISTANCE ATOMS=2,4 LABEL=d2
-UPPER_WALLS ARG=d1,d2 AT=1.0,1.5 KAPPA=150.0,150.0 EXP=2,2 EPS=1,1 OFFSET=0,0 LABEL=uwall
-LOWER_WALLS ARG=d1,d2 AT=0.0,1.0 KAPPA=150.0,150.0 EXP=2,2 EPS=1,1 OFFSET=0,0 LABEL=lwall
-PRINT ARG=uwall.bias,lwall.bias
-\endplumedfile
-
-*/
-//+ENDPLUMEDOC
-
-//+PLUMEDOC BIAS UPPER_WALLS_SCALAR
-/*
-Defines a wall for the value of one or more collective variables,
- which limits the region of the phase space accessible during the simulation.
-
-\par Examples
-
-*/
-//+ENDPLUMEDOC
-
-class UWalls : public Bias {
-  std::vector<double> at;
-  std::vector<double> kappa;
-  std::vector<double> exp;
-  std::vector<double> eps;
-  std::vector<double> offset;
-public:
-  explicit UWalls(const ActionOptions&);
-  void calculate() override;
-  static void registerKeywords(Keywords& keys);
-};
-
-PLUMED_REGISTER_ACTION(UWalls,"UPPER_WALLS_SCALAR")
-
-void UWalls::registerKeywords(Keywords& keys) {
-  Bias::registerKeywords(keys); keys.setDisplayName("UPPER_WALLS");
-  keys.use("ARG"); keys.add("hidden","NO_ACTION_LOG","suppresses printing from action on the log");
-  keys.add("compulsory","AT","the positions of the wall. The a_i in the expression for a wall.");
-  keys.add("compulsory","KAPPA","the force constant for the wall.  The k_i in the expression for a wall.");
-  keys.add("compulsory","OFFSET","0.0","the offset for the start of the wall.  The o_i in the expression for a wall.");
-  keys.add("compulsory","EXP","2.0","the powers for the walls.  The e_i in the expression for a wall.");
-  keys.add("compulsory","EPS","1.0","the values for s_i in the expression for a wall");
-  keys.addOutputComponent("force2","default","the instantaneous value of the squared force due to this bias potential");
-}
-
-UWalls::UWalls(const ActionOptions&ao):
-  PLUMED_BIAS_INIT(ao),
-  at(getNumberOfArguments(),0),
-  kappa(getNumberOfArguments(),0.0),
-  exp(getNumberOfArguments(),2.0),
-  eps(getNumberOfArguments(),1.0),
-  offset(getNumberOfArguments(),0.0)
-{
-  // Note : the sizes of these vectors are checked automatically by parseVector
-  parseVector("OFFSET",offset);
-  parseVector("EPS",eps);
-  parseVector("EXP",exp);
-  parseVector("KAPPA",kappa);
-  parseVector("AT",at);
-  checkRead();
-
-  log.printf("  at");
-  for(unsigned i=0; i<at.size(); i++) log.printf(" %f",at[i]);
-  log.printf("\n");
-  log.printf("  with an offset");
-  for(unsigned i=0; i<offset.size(); i++) log.printf(" %f",offset[i]);
-  log.printf("\n");
-  log.printf("  with force constant");
-  for(unsigned i=0; i<kappa.size(); i++) log.printf(" %f",kappa[i]);
-  log.printf("\n");
-  log.printf("  and exponent");
-  for(unsigned i=0; i<exp.size(); i++) log.printf(" %f",exp[i]);
-  log.printf("\n");
-  log.printf("  rescaled");
-  for(unsigned i=0; i<eps.size(); i++) log.printf(" %f",eps[i]);
-  log.printf("\n");
-
-  addComponent("force2"); componentIsNotPeriodic("force2");
-}
-
-void UWalls::calculate() {
-  double ene=0.0;
-  double totf2=0.0;
-  for(unsigned i=0; i<getNumberOfArguments(); ++i) {
-    double f = 0.0;
-    const double cv=difference(i,at[i],getArgument(i));
-    const double off=offset[i];
-    const double epsilon=eps[i];
-    const double uscale = (cv+off)/epsilon;
-    if( uscale > 0.) {
-      const double k=kappa[i];
-      const double exponent=exp[i];
-      double power = pow( uscale, exponent );
-      f = -( k / epsilon ) * exponent * power / uscale;
-      ene += k * power;
-      totf2 += f * f;
-    }
-    setOutputForce(i,f);
-  }
-  setBias(ene);
-  getPntrToComponent("force2")->set(totf2);
-}
-
-}
-}
diff --git a/src/bias/LWalls.cpp b/src/bias/WallsScalar.cpp
similarity index 62%
rename from src/bias/LWalls.cpp
rename to src/bias/WallsScalar.cpp
index d6553a3d86..195c8783e6 100644
--- a/src/bias/LWalls.cpp
+++ b/src/bias/WallsScalar.cpp
@@ -25,6 +25,52 @@
 namespace PLMD {
 namespace bias {
 
+//+PLUMEDOC BIAS UPPER_WALLS
+/*
+Defines a wall for the value of one or more collective variables,
+ which limits the region of the phase space accessible during the simulation.
+
+The restraining potential starts acting on the system when the value of the CV is greater
+(in the case of UPPER_WALLS) or lower (in the case of LOWER_WALLS) than a certain limit \f$a_i\f$ (AT)
+minus an offset \f$o_i\f$ (OFFSET).
+The expression for the bias due to the wall is given by:
+
+\f$
+  \sum_i {k_i}((x_i-a_i+o_i)/s_i)^e_i
+\f$
+
+\f$k_i\f$ (KAPPA) is an energy constant in internal unit of the code, \f$s_i\f$ (EPS) a rescaling factor and
+\f$e_i\f$ (EXP) the exponent determining the power law. By default: EXP = 2, EPS = 1.0, OFFSET = 0.
+
+
+\par Examples
+
+The following input tells plumed to add both a lower and an upper walls on the distance
+between atoms 3 and 5 and the distance between atoms 2 and 4. The lower and upper limits
+are defined at different values. The strength of the walls is the same for the four cases.
+It also tells plumed to print the energy of the walls.
+\plumedfile
+DISTANCE ATOMS=3,5 LABEL=d1
+DISTANCE ATOMS=2,4 LABEL=d2
+UPPER_WALLS ARG=d1,d2 AT=1.0,1.5 KAPPA=150.0,150.0 EXP=2,2 EPS=1,1 OFFSET=0,0 LABEL=uwall
+LOWER_WALLS ARG=d1,d2 AT=0.0,1.0 KAPPA=150.0,150.0 EXP=2,2 EPS=1,1 OFFSET=0,0 LABEL=lwall
+PRINT ARG=uwall.bias,lwall.bias
+\endplumedfile
+(See also \ref DISTANCE and \ref PRINT).
+
+*/
+//+ENDPLUMEDOC
+
+//+PLUMEDOC BIAS UPPER_WALLS_SCALAR
+/*
+Defines a wall for the value of one or more collective variables,
+ which limits the region of the phase space accessible during the simulation.
+
+\par Examples
+
+*/
+//+ENDPLUMEDOC
+
 //+PLUMEDOC BIAS LOWER_WALLS
 /*
 Defines a wall for the value of one or more collective variables,
@@ -71,22 +117,58 @@ Defines a wall for the value of one or more collective variables,
 */
 //+ENDPLUMEDOC
 
-class LWalls : public Bias {
+enum class WallType {UPPER,LOWER};
+
+template<WallType W>
+class WallsScalar : public Bias {
   std::vector<double> at;
   std::vector<double> kappa;
   std::vector<double> exp;
   std::vector<double> eps;
   std::vector<double> offset;
+  static constexpr auto force2="force2";
+  inline double constexpr walloff(double cv, double off) {
+    if constexpr(W==WallType::UPPER) {
+      return cv+off;
+    } else {
+      return cv-off;
+    }
+  }
+  inline double constexpr wallpow(double scale, double exponent) {
+    if constexpr(W==WallType::UPPER) {
+      return std::pow(scale,exponent);
+    } else {
+      return std::pow(-scale,exponent);
+    }
+  }
+  inline bool constexpr check(double scale) {
+    if constexpr(W==WallType::UPPER) {
+      return scale > 0.0;
+    } else {
+      return scale < 0.0;
+    }
+  }
 public:
-  explicit LWalls(const ActionOptions&);
+  explicit WallsScalar(const ActionOptions&);
   void calculate() override;
   static void registerKeywords(Keywords& keys);
 };
 
+using UWalls = WallsScalar<WallType::UPPER>;
+PLUMED_REGISTER_ACTION(UWalls,"UPPER_WALLS_SCALAR")
+
+using LWalls = WallsScalar<WallType::LOWER>;
 PLUMED_REGISTER_ACTION(LWalls,"LOWER_WALLS_SCALAR")
 
-void LWalls::registerKeywords(Keywords& keys) {
-  Bias::registerKeywords(keys); keys.setDisplayName("LOWER_WALLS");
+template<WallType W>
+void WallsScalar<W>::registerKeywords(Keywords& keys) {
+  Bias::registerKeywords(keys);
+  if constexpr(W==WallType::UPPER) {
+    keys.setDisplayName("UPPER_WALLS");
+  } else {
+    keys.setDisplayName("LOWER_WALLS");
+  }
+
   keys.use("ARG"); keys.add("hidden","NO_ACTION_LOG","suppresses printing from action on the log");
   keys.add("compulsory","AT","the positions of the wall. The a_i in the expression for a wall.");
   keys.add("compulsory","KAPPA","the force constant for the wall.  The k_i in the expression for a wall.");
@@ -96,7 +178,8 @@ void LWalls::registerKeywords(Keywords& keys) {
   keys.addOutputComponent("force2","default","the instantaneous value of the squared force due to this bias potential");
 }
 
-LWalls::LWalls(const ActionOptions&ao):
+template<WallType W>
+WallsScalar<W>::WallsScalar(const ActionOptions&ao):
   PLUMED_BIAS_INIT(ao),
   at(getNumberOfArguments(),0),
   kappa(getNumberOfArguments(),0.0),
@@ -128,10 +211,13 @@ LWalls::LWalls(const ActionOptions&ao):
   for(unsigned i=0; i<eps.size(); i++) log.printf(" %f",eps[i]);
   log.printf("\n");
 
-  addComponent("force2"); componentIsNotPeriodic("force2");
+  addComponent(force2); componentIsNotPeriodic(force2);
 }
 
-void LWalls::calculate() {
+
+
+template<WallType W>
+void WallsScalar<W>::calculate() {
   double ene = 0.0;
   double totf2 = 0.0;
   for(unsigned i=0; i<getNumberOfArguments(); ++i) {
@@ -139,19 +225,19 @@ void LWalls::calculate() {
     const double cv=difference(i,at[i],getArgument(i));
     const double off=offset[i];
     const double epsilon=eps[i];
-    const double lscale = (cv-off)/epsilon;
-    if( lscale < 0.) {
+    const double scale = walloff(cv,off)/epsilon;
+    if( check(scale) ) {
       const double k=kappa[i];
       const double exponent=exp[i];
-      double power = std::pow( lscale, exponent );
-      f = -( k / epsilon ) * exponent * power / lscale;
+      double power = wallpow( scale, exponent );
+      f = -( k / epsilon ) * exponent * power / scale;
       ene += k * power;
       totf2 += f * f;
     }
     setOutputForce(i,f);
   }
   setBias(ene);
-  getPntrToComponent("force2")->set(totf2);
+  getPntrToComponent(force2)->set(totf2);
 }
 
 }