How to Build a Short Loading Ramp
Loading ramps provide ease of access for people pushing heavy equipment, carts, tools, anything that would make stairs difficult. You can find loading ramps built from myriad materials in all shapes and sizes. Building your own loading ramp may be an economical way of creating access to difficult spaces. And, a good loading ramp can be fairly simple and inexpensive to construct. Wood is the easiest and least expensive material with which to build a loading ramp although it doesn't age as well as metal or cement. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- 8 foot 1"x4" (1)
- 8 foot 2"x4"s (4)
- 8 foot 4'x8', 3/4-inch plywood (1)
- 8 foot 4'x8', 3/8-inch plywood (2)
- 4'x8' sheet of Masonite or Skatelite (optional)
- 4 to 6 lbs. of 2 1/2-inch wood screws
- Measuring tape
- Pencil or chalk
- T-square
- Radial saw
- Power drill with screwdriver bit
Instructions
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Determine the Height of the Ramp
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1
Take a measuring tape and measure the rise needed for the ramp. Measure from the ground to the door. This will be the overall height for your ramp.
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2
Use a pencil or chalk to draw the sides on the 3/4-inch sheet of plywood. Start by measuring down the long edge of the plywood sheet. Make a mark at 6 feet. This will be the bottom edge of one side of the ramp.
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3
Use the T-square to measure the height needed for the ramp in inches directly above the previous mark and make another mark. Draw a straight line from that mark down to the corner of the plywood sheet forming a triangle.
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4
Cut the triangle out of the plywood sheet with a saw. This is the first side of the ramp. Use it to trace another triangle out of the same plywood sheet for your other side.
Add Joists
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5
Cut the 1"x4" into two 4-foot pieces. Starting from the bottom, make marks every 8 inches along the slope of the sides. Screw in the two pieces at the first two marks starting from the bottom. Use two screws per side. Place the joists at the front of the ramp horizontally and flush to the ground.
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6
Cut the 2"x"4s in half, creating eight 4-foot pieces. Screw the 2"x4" pieces into the sides, two screws per side, at every mark. These joists--horizontal supporting members--run from side to side up the center of the ramp.
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7
Screw another 2"x4" joist to the bottom back corner of the ramp. Use two wood screws per side and screw the piece to both sides. This will give the back of the ramp strength.
Finish the Ramp by Adding Surface
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8
Measure 6 feet along the 8-foot edge of one of the 3/8-inch plywood sheets and make a mark. Measure and mark at the same distance along the other side and draw a line between the two marks.
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9
Saw along the line to get a 4'x6' sheet of plywood. Lay this sheet over the second sheet and trace it. Cut the second sheet. If you plan on adding a final layer of Masonite or Skatelite--a waterproof material used primarily to surface skateboard ramps--to smooth out the ramp, use this sheet to trace a line on the sheet and cut it as well.
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10
Screw the plywood sheets and Masonite or Skatelite to the ramp. Place the first plywood sheet over the skeletal structure. Screw the sheet to the 2"x4" joists using wood screws approximately every foot. Add the second sheet of plywood, following the same procedure, and then the finishing sheet of Masonite or Skatelite.
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1
Tips & Warnings
Always measure twice before cutting wood.
Always wear proper eye protection when cutting wood.
