Love skateboarding? Want to be a professional skateboarder? But wait! You can’t skate like a pro simply by cruising through the streets and rushing around town with wheels under your feet. Before you could hit the skating rink as a professional, you need to learn the tricks and master the art by practicing it for months, or maybe years.
But for that, you don’t always have to go to a skating park as you can build your own DIY skateboard ramp and put it in your backyard to master the skill. But the question here is how to make skateboard ramp? Well, it shouldn’t have to be too challenging if you know some basic carpentry stuff.
Before You Begin
Before taking the DIY route for making your own skateboard ramp, it is important that you consider what type of ramp would best fit your space and your skating needs. It’s not possible to perform all the tricks on the same ramp. So, it’s best to come up with a ramp design that will fit the style of skating you pursue.
If you are just beginning to learn the art of skateboarding or you have just gifted your little one the best skateboard for kids, you can’t have a ramp designed for the expert skaters. Instead, something that will help the skaters improve their skills and master new tricks would do a better job.
Besides, consider where you’ll be using the ramp and where it will be stored. It will help ensure that you design a skateboard ramp that fits perfectly in the available space.
If you are not an expert carpenter, you would also want to know how to make skateboard ramp that is easy to build for your level of skill. Probably, a skateboard kicker ramp would be a good choice for starters – particularly, if you haven’t done any such DIY projects before. These skateboard ramps are comparatively easier to build and don’t require too many tools or wood.
What You’ll Need
To make a skateboard ramp, you’ll need some wood and materials in addition to the right tools to put them in the desired shape. Here’s all you should have to make your skateboard ramp.
Materials and Wood:
- 2 plywood pieces of 4’x8’ size and 3/4” thickness
- 1 Masonite piece of 4’x8’ size and 1/4″ thickness
- 5 pieces 2x4s with a length of 8 inches
- 1 5/8” screws – A single 1 lb box
- 2 1/2” screws – A single 1 lb box
- One 10’x4’ piece of steel with 3/16” thickness
Tools Required:
- Pencil
- Tape measure
- Drill
- 3/8” drill bit
- 3/16” drill bit
- Circular Saw
How To Make Skateboard Ramp?
Now that you have everything you need, it’s time you start making your skateboard ramp. Here are the steps you need to follow.
1. Cut The Sides
It is not necessary for the ramp to have the exact same wood measurements as mentioned above. Instead, if you have enough space available to accommodate a bigger ramp, go for it. Just make sure that you have a proper blueprint of your bigger ramp before you start making one. It will help ensure that you cut wood to a perfect length. If you have decided to make a kicker ramp, you can use the measurements given here.
To start off, cut the ramp’s sides. You can use a single plywood piece to cut both sides of the ramp. Each side should have 5 ft. 6 in. length. The measurement for the back of your ramp needs to be around 1 ft. 6in. whereas you should keep the front around 1 ½ inch tall.
2. Frame Your Ramp
After cutting the sides, connect them with the frame of the ramp. For this size of ramp, you can frame the back using a 2×4. However, a larger frame will be needed for larger ramps.
There should be a 2×4 to support the front and you must angle it along the sides’ top for ensuring greater support to the ramp’s surface. Position 2x4s after every 8 inches along the frame’s top.
There should be a total of 10 2x4s to connect the sides. Each of them should be attached with the 2-inch side faced upwards. Every 2×4 should be tightly screwed in as it adds to the strength of the ramp and makes it every more durable and long-lasting.
3. Add Plywood
While making a smaller kicker ramp, all you need is a single plywood piece for covering it up completely. As you place it on top of the frame, ensure that it touches the ground at one end and goes right to the top at the other so that the frame is covered completely.
Secure the piece of plywood with screws placed one inch apart on its surface. For building larger ramps, you may need two plywood pieces, at least.
4. Surface The Ramp
Place the piece of Masonite on top of the plywood to keep it covered and make the ramp more durable. When attaching Masonite to plywood, make sure that its seams are not placed on top of the plywood seams. Secure it with the help of screws placed at every stud. Make sure you start doing so from the top and then keep moving down.
5. Attach The Sheet of Metal
The masonite you added in the last step won’t reach the ground, and for that, you will have to attach a metal sheet with it. It helps ensure that you can skate smoothly on your ramp. Drill the holes and screw it in.
That’s it! Your skateboard ramp is ready and you can start skating in your backyard even with your best cruiser skateboards. It is easy to learn how to make skateboard ramp, and you can do it simply by following the steps above. It shouldn’t be a problem for you if you have some basic carpentry skills.