DIY Shed Ramps – Here is an Easy Way
Alright, you have a new storage shed and regardless if you bought it or built it yourself you need to find a way to easily transport your gardening equipment in and out. Building a set of DIY shed ramp is just the thing to allow you to easily bring your lawnmower, tiller and any other heavy equipment in and out of your shed. When you construct your DIY shed ramp you must consider both your weight and the weight of your equipment. You would not want your DIY shed ramp to collapse the first time you drove your ride on lawnmower out of your shed.
You must construct your ramp with a maximum slope of 2 inches per foot of ramp length. What that means is that if, for example, your shed is one foot above ground level you ramp must be at least 6 feet long and it would not hurt to be 8 feet long. Any steeper than that and it could cause a couple problems; the blade of your ride on lawnmower may hit the entrance of your shed or if it rains and the ramp becomes wet it may become slippery and cause you to fall and become seriously injured.
As a minimum, you need to use 4 X 4 pressure treated lumber to construct the framing for your ramps, they also need to be a minimum of 16 inches apart. I would suggest if you have a ride on lawnmower that you build your ramp at least four feet wide. To do that you need three 4 X 4 framing members 16 inches apart. That will leave you with a six inch overhang at each side which is perfectly acceptable. The ramp surface must also be able to support the weight of the equipment plus your weight as well. There are several options that I recommend. Anything that you decide to use should be pressure treated to withstand the elements. You could use either plywood or boards at least ¾ inches thick; my favorite is 5/4 X 4 pressure treated decking boards. They are easy to find, look great and will support the weight. You also need to make the ramp deck skid proof; you can use a non-skid coating or real rubber. If you happen to have any asphalt shingles left over from the roof you could cut them into strips and, using roofing nails, nail them to the deck.
There are also prefabricated metal ramps that you can purchase but they are expensive and any DIY shed ramps that you build will perform as well and be as safe; if built properly. If you buy a good quality set of shed building plans, they will almost certainly have a set of plans for DIY shed ramps included. If you follow the instructions you will have a perfectly good set of ramps for your new shed.
Have you been trying to find a simple solution to your storage needs? If you are looking for an easy way to build the shed you need, then look no farther. You will discover everything you need for your shed projects, from DIY shed ramps to building the roof. Please visit: www.1200ShedPlans.com to solve any of your shed building problems. Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/diy-articles/diy-shed-ramps-here-is-an-easy-way-1456876.html