How To Build A Skateboard Ramp

Practice your skateboarding skills in the anonymity of your own backyard with a homemade ramp till you feel confident enough to go outside.

A skateboard ramp of your own means that you won't have to jostle for a place at a skate park anymore, and your parents will probably be glad for the money that saves them. Not that they'll be pleased to have a pack of teenagers practicing stunts in their backyard, but it's better than taking to the streets, right?

You don't need to have years of carpentry or woodworking experience to know how to build a ramp, but it'd be good to have some ready, willing and able friends to help you.

It's best to buy new, weather-treated wood that can withstand the vagaries of sun, wind and rain without breaking down. Don't even think of salvaging wood from discarded furniture because that lumber wasn't made for skateboarding. You will need thick plywood in the following dimensions: 2' x 4' and 0.5 inches thick, 3' x 2' and 0.25 inches thick as well as 3 pieces of framing timber measuring 2" x 1.5" x 23".

Saw the 2' x 4' into 2 triangles, sectioning the original piece diagonally. You will have 2 right-angled triangles of equal size. Resize them so that they are 3 feet long and 1 foot high. These will form the frame of your ramp.

Next, plane one of the pieces of framing timber so that one of its sides is at the same angle as the top edge of your frames. Make sure all the edges are flush before screwing the framing timber to the frame. Do the same with the second piece of timber, but at the bottom of the frame before attaching the last piece midway down the hypotenuse of the frame.

Cut a piece from the remaining plywood section 10 inches wide and 23 inches long. Shape one end of this piece so that it is at the same angle as the sharp end of the frame. Glue it to the frame with wood glue and hold it in place with nails while it dries. Screw the piece to the framing timbers for a more permanent fixture after the glue has dried. Do not fasten screws into the plywood as this can cause it to split. Paint or stain your finished masterpiece if you feel up to it. Now you have become an expert in making a skateboard ramp.