DIY Sheds - A Do-It-Yourself Shed That Needs a Ramp

Well you have finished building your shed and it's a proud moment to stand back and admire your creation, we all do it. As for me I admire things for at least a week that I built, especially if it is a hit. But now your shed needs a D.I.Y. ramp to complete the picture and building your own ramp can be just as functional as buying a factory made steel ramp, which is expensive and it will look better to, but it must be done properly.

Your ramp should drop 1 inch for every vertical foot of incline for two reasons, safety and practicality, if the slope is too steep then the danger of slipping is a major factor and also if it is too steep then certain things such as riding lawn mower blades will bottom out at the top of the ramp causing damage to the ramp and lawn mower, plus pushing things up a steep ramp is a lot harder than a gentle incline.

Your ramp also needs a gentle slope because algae, rain, snow, and ice are very dangerous when you walk on it and if it is too steep well I don't have to tell you what can happen, your D.I.Y. ramp should also be sturdy enough to handle heavy loads, and you should be using 2x6 lumber with 12 inch spacing, covered with a minimum of 3/4" plywood, and use pressure treated if you can, and if not then paint it first and assemble when it is dry.

A good idea once you have completed your ramp would be to install a rubber mat with 1/2 inch deep holes like you see on the front entrance of peoples homes for wiping their shoes, you could buy 3 or 4 and secure them to the ramp making it so much safer in any weather.

If you have to drive any type of machinery into Rate this Article: