How to Make a Halfpipe at Home

A great summer project for a group of skateboarders to take on is to build their own halfpipe at home. Not everyone who enjoys skateboarding has the luxury of having a skate park in their town to learn and practice their tricks and moves. The best solution to this problem is to build your own halfpipe and skate it whenever you want for as long as you want. Building a halfpipe in your backyard simply takes some time, the right tools and the right materials.

Things You'll Need

• Plywood sheets
• Nails
• Screws
• 2-by-4-inch board pieces
• Hammer
• Drill
• 2-by-6-inch board pieces
• Jigsaw
• Sandpaper
• Measuring tape

Instructions

1. Search for some free halfpipe plans and designs online. A number of websites offer free plans for a halfpipe. Some of the sites are listed in the Resource section of this article. Keep in mind how much room you have to build the halfpipe as well. Consider how tall you want the ramp to be and how deep the transition from flat to vertical will be.

2. Make the flat section of the halfpipe. This section of the ramp will be the flat space between the two curved parts of the ramp. Take a wooden board (2-by-6) and cut it to the width the halfpipe is designed to be according to the design used in your plans. Line up two more boards of the same length with the first board you cut and nail them together.

3. Take your plywood sheets and cut them into 4 curved boards. A jigsaw is the best tool to use for this part of the process, so make sure you have one handy.

4. Use your saw to once again cut some boards (2-by-6) to the width of the halfpipe ramp. How many boards you will need to cut will depend on the size of your halfpipe and the plans you are using to build it. Nail each of these boards to the curved parts of the ramp. Put at least 5 to 6 inches of space between the board to help create the ramp's structure.

5. Attach the two curved sections to the flat section of the ramp with nails. You may also want to use a few screws and bolts to help make sure the halfpipe is assembled securely.

6. Build the halfpipe platforms. A typical backyard halfpipe has platforms that are at least 4 feet wide. Take some wood boards and cut them down to the appropriate size. Attach the platforms to the top of the ramp and then use wood braces to support the platform by connecting to the wood and coming down the height of the ramp to the ground.

7. Take your plywood sheets and cover the whole ramp with the sheets. Be very careful when securing these boards in place to make sure that you don't snap or crack the wood as you bend it to fit the curve. Once all the plywood is on the ramp you will need to sand the ramp to make sure it is completely smooth.

8. Test your ramp out to make sure all the pieces are stable and secure. Be sure to wear your safety gear when riding and testing the ramp to try and avoid injuries. Ride your skateboard down the halfpipe and make sure it rides smoothly and safely.

Resources

• Read this Article in Spanish
• Free Halfpipe Plans
• Halfpipe Plans and Video
• Rampage: Halfpipe Plans