I know this drawing is very out of proportion but I hope it might help give you some basis of an idea as to how to put this thing together.
I know this drawing is very out of proportion but I hope it might help give you some basis of an idea as to how to put this thing together.
Materials:
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2 X 4's Standard grade (8' long) Lots! Start with 25. Cost me: $1.76ea. One sheet of 4' X 8' X 3/4" CDX grade (Rough on both sides, Exterior) Plywood.
One sheet of 4' X 8" X 1/2" CDX grade (Rough on both sides, Exterior).
1/4" (3/8") CDX grade (Rough on both sides, Exterior) Plywood. I needed 23 Sheets. Cost me: $7.99ea. I learned you can't get away with just putting the masonite directly on the 2 X 4 ribs, over time and rain, the masonite dips and you get a "mogul" type ramp! Put two layers of quarter inch plywood down ontop of the ribs. Stagger the second layer so that the seams don't match the first layer. Use a chalk line to mark the ribs so you can securely fasten the plywood to the 2 X 4s. I just used nails for this, knowing this was just the under-layment. |
4' X 8' X 1/4" Tempered Masonite/Hardboard. I used 10 Sheets. Cost me: $11.97ea. (I later found some for $8.99 a sheet!) Note that there are different hardnesses of masonite, make sure you get the hardest, which I was told was the "tempered" masonite.
Nails and Screws. 2 sizes of nails, big ones for building the framing, smaller ones for attatching the plywood to the framing. I didn't use galvenized nails even though I knew normal nails would leave rust stains. I have a hard time not bending and loosing my temper with galvenized nails. Screws to attach the single layer of masonite to the plywood underlayment. I used "Primeguard Phillips Exterior Screws", 1 5/8" long. The reason I went with such long screws was to get a bite through all the layers and down well into an occasional 2 X 4. You definitely want to use screws and not nails to attach this top layer. Screws twist down into the fiber of the wood, locking themselves in tight. Nails have no such twist and will pop up, making for wheel chunking and butt tearing owies! See The 1/4 Pipe (Part 2) to learn how we had the best luck installing the screws easily and flush. |
How to: First, as with the decking, set a lawn mower on it's shortest grass height setting and mow the area you will set the 1/4 pipe and it's platform. If you want to do more ground leveling preparation, go for it! My yard had a sudden slop uphill that I did have to dig down a little to set the 1/4 pipe in. Other than that, I was lazy and just used shims to level things up after I built them instead of doing too much leveling. I set the 4 X 4 posts on cement pavers and used wood shims to level the frame and stucture as best as I could before putting the surface on.
DISCLAIMER: I AM NOT A PROFESSIONAL CARPENTER, ALL THE IDEAS ON THESE PAGES ARE JUST MY PERSONAL
WAY OF BUILDING SKATEBOARDING RAMPS. MY WAY MAY NOT PROVE TO BE THE BEST, THE LEGALIST, THE MOST ENDURING, BLAH, BLAH, BLAH.
IN OTHER WORDS, IF ANYTHING BAD HAPPENS AS A RESULT OF USING MY IDEAS, DON'T BLAME ME, YOU'RE ON YOUR OWN, BABY. 'K?
While I'm at it...PLEASE DON'T RIP ME OFF! THESE ARE MY IDEAS AND DRAWINGS, FOR BETTER OR WORSE. USE THEM FOR YOUR PERSONAL
USE, BUT PLEASE DON'T TRY TO MAKE A BUCK FROM MY STUFF OR PRETEND THESE IDEAS AND DRAWINGS ARE YOURS. GET IT? GOT IT? GOOD.