The most appealing part about skateboards is the potential to pull off some gravity-defying stunts. This is made possible with the help of a skateboard ramp and, fortunately for you, you can have one built with relative ease.
Just like any other woodworking project, a wooden skateboard ramp is just as good as the tools, materials, and techniques used to build it. As such, here are a few things that you have to keep in mind when building one:
1. Designing
When designing the ramp, make sure that it curves gradually upward. A steep curvature will work like a wall, which could lead to accidents.
Also, you must consider the height of your ramp. A 2-meter vertical clearance should be high enough to launch skateboarders without making them lose momentum mid-jump.
2. Preparation
Choose a wood board that’s at least 2 inches thick for your ramp. This should make the ramp strong enough to support the weight of any person, but light enough to be carried from one place to another.
The parts you should create for the ramp are as follows.
2 back top and bottom frame panels (90 inches long)
4 back frame panels (40 inches long)
2 top ramp panels (30 inches long) with a 90o angle cut at the top
2 bottom ramp panels (25 inches long)
15 ramp frame panels (88 inches long)
1 top ramp panel (20 inches long and 75 inches wide)
1 bottom ramp panel (30 inches long and 15 inches wide)
You can change the measurements to fit your needs. Just make sure that everything properly fits once assembled. As for materials, you will need the following:
1 Drill
3-inch galvanized screws
1 plane, sheets of sandpaper
Wood fill
Wood glue
Wood stain
3. Assembling
First, attach all the frame parts to one another to form the skeleton of the ramp. While doing so, make sure that the ramp panels are attached sideways with the 2-inch thick part facing upwards. This will ensure maximum durability for the structure and reduce weight-related stress.
Also, check whether the screws are attached right on top where two panels meet. You can use wood glue to strengthen the joints prior to drilling in the screws.
Once done, all that’s left to do is to attach the ramp panels. Naturally, there will be some sort of bump or gap right where the bottom and top panels meet.
You can soften these edges by attaching them with wood glue and then applying wood fill to cover the seams. The end result should look like as if the ramp was naturally curving upwards.
4. Finishing
Once the ramp is finished, you must then sand down the surface with sandpaper or the plane. It’s important for the ramp to be as leveled and smooth as possible to prevent accidents.
After this, you can then apply the wood stain to give your ramp a coat of protection. Once everything is completed, all that is left to do is to set the ramp up.
That’s how to build a wooden skateboard ramp for skateboarding in the summer. So, what are you waiting for? Get the group together and have fun with this unique woodworking project.
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