Building a Shed Ramp - Easier Than You Might Think!

If you have an elevated shed, you've probablyhow wide you want your ramp to be. It needs to
found that you need a shed ramp. If you have abe about 1 foot wider than your mower to give
riding lawn mower, this is a definite necessity.you a little room on each side. Once you know
However, the ones at the store can behow wide and long of a ramp you need, you can
expensive. Plus, the metal ones can be slipperyget the wood for the frame.
when wet. Making your own is much cheaper, asFor the frame, you'll want at least 4" x 4"
well as a lot easier than you might think!pressure treated lumber. Set these at most 12
For building a shed ramp, you first need to figureinches apart, so the ramp can support your
out how much wood you need. To calculate howweight and a 400 pound lawn mower. Over the
long the ramp should be, measure how high offframe, you'll place ¾" pressure treated
the ground your shed is. You want the ramp toplywood for the surface. It's helpful to stick a
incline upwards at a rate of no more than threelayer of nonslip rubber matting over this to
inches per foot. So if your shed is six inches offprevent accidents.
the ground, you need a two foot long ramp.Building a shed ramp is simple. Lay out the 4" X
A ramp any steeper than this will cause you a lot4"s 12 inches apart in the length you need the
of problems. First, the ramp will become slipperyramp to be. You may need to cut the ends off in
when wet or icy. If your ramp is too steep, yourorder to match the level of the ground. Attach
lawn mower is just going to slide back down it.the plywood securely, making sure the screws
Second, a steeper ramp will grind against theare level with the plywood. Cover the surface of
blades of your mower. This will damage both thethe ramp with the nonslip rubber. Secure the
lawn mower and your ramp.ramp to the shed and check the level to make
The next step you need to take is to figure outsure it's not too steep.